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Situation with a "friend"

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rmalik23

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Maryland

Someone sent me $620 in a check for car stereo equipment. They were supposed to send $800 but couldn't due to lack of funds. I bought what I could within their budget. Now they are demanding their money back after I already got most of the items which cannot be returned. She is threatening me by telling me if she doesn't get her money back she will go to the cops. I did nothing illegal and I do have her items within my possession. I didn't write up a contract because she was a "friend." What do I do now? I just want her to pick up the equipment and be finished with this situation. I cannot return the items nor do I have that kind of cash laying around right now. What should be my next course of action? I am located in MD and she is located in PA.
 


Antigone*

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Maryland

Someone sent me $620 in a check for car stereo equipment. They were supposed to send $800 but couldn't due to lack of funds. I bought what I could within their budget. Now they are demanding their money back after I already got most of the items which cannot be returned. She is threatening me by telling me if she doesn't get her money back she will go to the cops. I did nothing illegal and I do have her items within my possession. I didn't write up a contract because she was a "friend." What do I do now? I just want her to pick up the equipment and be finished with this situation. I cannot return the items nor do I have that kind of cash laying around right now. What should be my next course of action? I am located in MD and she is located in PA.
Send her the items your purchased on her behalf and tell her good luck. She will be wasting her time by calling the police.
 

swalsh411

Senior Member
Be sure to send them in a way that can be tracked so she can't claim she never got them. Take pictures of the items before you box them up to show they were in good condition. Also, use a very sturdy box and insure the package against damage. A little more $ up front but worth the hassle it will save.
 

Antigone*

Senior Member
Be sure to send them in a way that can be tracked so she can't claim she never got them. Take pictures of the items before you box them up to show they were in good condition. Also, use a very sturdy box and insure the package against damage. A little more $ up front but worth the hassle it will save.
;) Excellent advice!
 

rmalik23

Junior Member
I will mail everything with delivery confirmation. I am able to return one item so I will return that money to her once I get the refund. Does she have any legal ground to stand on when it comes to demanding her money back? She will get everything in original packing like promised with some cash. Am I doing anything illegal here?

I'd rather take a $50 hit in shipping than $35 a day with bank fees and a bunch of audio equipment I have no use for. This is what she just texted me. I told her all communication will have to be in written form of text, e-mail of Facebook messages from now on.

Her response,

"I will expect nothing less than six hundred and twenty dollars as that it what was sent, I was never given any proof of purchase or products as of January 30th, 2012, which to me is fraud, I have the copy of the money order in the amount of six hundred and twenty dollars, this is a two weeks notice, after which legal action will need to be taken."

I sent her pictures of all items via text message on January 24th which can be confirmed with AT&T and by my phone. I did tell her if it was that big of an issue I would return her money but she responded with, "I never said I didn't want it installed thru you." on the 24th. So I ended up keeping the items.


What should my response be? I don't want to harass her in any way.
 
Last edited:

xylene

Senior Member
Final note.

Don't do favors for people.

I don't understand why she is using you as a go between to buy stuff... It sounds fishy.

I know you are on the up and up, but "Buying stereos for people..." it sounds fishy, I'm sorry.
 

rmalik23

Junior Member
Final note.

Don't do favors for people.

I don't understand why she is using you as a go between to buy stuff... It sounds fishy.

I know you are on the up and up, but "Buying stereos for people..." it sounds fishy, I'm sorry.
She lives in a very small town where the Wal Mart barely has any items in it. I live in a large town where parts like these are abundant. Me getting it locally would save her a lot of money in shipping and hassle if anything were defective. I also made a sub enclosure for her since a dedicated individual would charge her heaps for a box. I was going to buy the items for her and then install it in her car whenever we both had free time. She would save a few hundred dollars in shipping and installation.


I don't plan on helping anyone else out like this without something in writing.
 

xylene

Senior Member
I don't plan on helping anyone else out like this without something in writing.
That's good.

Make sure you also include the proper profit for yourself.

People have a way of being like this even when there is paper.
 

rmalik23

Junior Member
That's good.

Make sure you also include the proper profit for yourself.

People have a way of being like this even when there is paper.
What do you recommend I do next? I want to get this situation over with as soon as possible. College starts for me tomorrow and I don't want this stress on my shoulders. I want to just mail her everything but she is demanding receipts for everything. Not sure how I am going to do that for a box I made and a sub I bought off a friend new. I just want to know if there is any legal ramifications for telling her to take her items and to leave me alone after. I am not a business so I cannot provide her with receipts for everything. What I do have are the items in box ready to be shipped. She will receive all items in proper working condition.
 

swalsh411

Senior Member
Don't worry about her demands. Some things simply don't have receipts. Send her what you have as I described above. Get signature confirmation not just delivery confirmation. I wouldn't even bother trying to return the one item. Tell her straight up this is what you are going to do, there is to be no further discussion, and this is your final message to her on the matter. You may have to end up blocking her on facebook and her phone number. She may never speak to you again. Her recourse would be to sue you in small claims court. You don't need "friends" like this.
 

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