When Customer Don't Pay, what should I do?

[dj2004]

What is the name of your state? CA

Hi,
I helped this guy to develop his company web site few years ago. I didn't contact him for fews years. At the end of last year (2006), he contacted me and ask me to develop his web site again. Due to our good working relationship few years ago, I agreed to help him out. He also told me that he will pay me a little by little whenever he have money. I started helping him on Dec 2006, untill now, June 2007. After so many hours I've put into his web site, and so many hassles I have gone through to ask him to pay me, I finally received a $50 dollars cash in the mail this week. May I know what should I do in order to collect the rest of the balance he owed me? This guy is sneaky enough that he don't leave any home address for me. But I do have his phone number and web site address and all his emails he sent to me stated he acknowleged that the number of total hours that I have spent on his site , can anyone help me out?
Thanks!

[LeeHarveyBlotto]

How much money is owed?

[dj2004]

Originally Posted by LeeHarveyBlotto

How much money is owed?

hi, the amount is between $1000 and $3000

[LeeHarveyBlotto]

I'm really not trying to pick on you, but how can the amount owed be such a wide range? Did you not agree to a set price or hourly rate?

[debtcollector`]

You are now learning why contracts are important.

I think your only option would be to sue him. Finding him will be pretty easy, but you will have to do some work -- decoding the email headers, tracking the domain registration info and then serving him for the suit. How a judge will rule -- who knows.

Good luck.