Please Help. What Can I Do?

[alicebilly]

Hi, I am in California & sorry if this is in the wrong section, not quite sure where to put it.

Basically, I paid a guy $200 deposit to do some lighting for me (on 10/23/08). He promises to show up @ 11:30 am on 11/02/08 to set everything up. He never shows, cashed our check, & has been avoiding me ever since the wedding day (hanging up w/o responding, ignoring my calls, etc.)

I have the invoice he sent me via email, & I reported him to BBB immediately.

I have his phone number, email address, & website address. I just came back from my honeymoon & have yet to visit the location of his office to see if that's legit. But assuming I will never get into personal contact with him again myself, what can I do about this?

BBB has told me if this guy never responds to them, they can't really do anything about it.
What are my options or next step here? Honestly, this is personal because he ruined my wife's wedding day so I want to do as much damage as possible to his business & him financially. Thanks for any advice & help you can offer to get this guy who ripped us off & ruined our wedding day.

-by?k

 

[Gail in Georgia]

In most communities, the BBB is a fairly useless organization.

If you wish your money back, you file a lawsuit against him in Small Claims court. Focus on finding out where he can be served.

Gail

 

[Kiawah]

Paid by check, cash, or credit card?

 

[CourtClerk]

Paid by check, cash, or credit card?

The very first post said:

cashed our check

 

[dcatz]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section, not quite sure where to put it.

Welcome. Don’t worry. This forum seems highly susceptible to that lately.

I reported him to BBB immediately.

As you’ve discovered, that’s slightly less productive than taking an ex-girlfriend on your honeymoon. BBB is funded by business and is impotent.

I just came back from my honeymoon & have yet to visit the location of his office to see if that's legit.

You’re not telling us anything that will help much. Does he use a fictitious business name, have a business license, and have assets? If you needed to serve him, could you find him? How does he generate customers? Could you identify existing clients for future shoots? Things like that. Are you in this for a longer haul than SC requires?

Honestly, this is personal because he ruined my wife's wedding day so I want to do as much damage as possible to his business & him financially.

Wrong. That’s manly and chivalrous and commendable and you’re in the wrong place and there’s not enough money at issue. Small Claims deals with your $200. It doesn’t deal with emotional distress and consequential damages. If you can prove consequential damages, delete this thread and re-post in the Civil Litigation forum, hire an attorney, win a judgment for $100K if you can, execute on his business, his equipment and seize and sell his domain name. Otherwise, go after your $200 and get and enforce your judgment. Print your complaint simply and accurately on a sandwich board and wear it while pacing the sidewalk in front of his office, if you must. Candidly, your passion creates potential that you do something that will get you sued.

I am not disparaging you or ridiculing your intentions. It’s all understandable. I’m explaining the options that you have.