matt1889 Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Hiya all, I'm trying desperately to advise my friend on the best thing to do with the following but I don't really have an in depth knowledge so could urgently use some experience from all of you. My friend recently split with her boyfriend who she was only with for about 3 months maximum, anyway this scrote has taken her for a ride to say the least. He asked her to get a laptop and Mobile phone out on contract because he couldn't get credit and he need them for work so he asked if she would get them and he could use them (knew what he was doing basically, user!). Anyway the recently parted in which the scumbag has refused to give my friend her property back on the grounds that he states the items are a gift from her to him and that he doesn't have to return gifts (again knowing what he is doing). My friend approached the police who went from stating that it was theft at first to now claiming that it could be more of a civil matter, therefore where do we go from here? Help! Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fox20thc Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 if they're on contract in her name can't she call the company and report them stolen? Cancel the contract? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt1889 Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 She called o2 who said they would disconnect it but not cancel the contract, if she indeed has a crime incident number for the original complaint im wondering if this is sufficient enough to cancel it completely however if she cancelled would she not then end up settling a large contract bill? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Phone - she reports stolen, they block it. She's still left with the contract though. Reason being, how do O2 know that this is what's happened and it's not just someone who wants a new Iphone before they're due an upgrade? Sounds callous, but I'm just being realistic. I want a new phone but I've got to wait until December, even though I've volunteered to join a new 18 month contract with O2. I could easily say "oh my ex took out the contract in my name, but I signed everything" and if they cancelled it, I'm free to get my IPhone. O2 then lose out on a contract. Motto has to be don't sign a contract for someone else I'd say, particularly after being with them for 3 months. Sad but true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldtrout Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Sad to hear of someone so trusting being taken for a ride. If I were your friend, I would be more concerned about what else he may have 'taken' from the relationship. She should make sure all her bank/card details are changed, just in case.... Also, she may want to consider checking her credit file occasionally as he might have applied for other things in her name, got a mail re-direction etc. I know this sounds drastic, but I've known this happen and it can be months before it comes to light. Defo report the phone as stolen. If she has to continue to pay the contract, then she'll have learnt a valuable lesson. If she paid outright for the laptop, does she know anyone who knows this thief who could befriend him for a few weeks and then 'claim it back' for her. Sorry I don't know about the civil rights issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt1889 Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 Thanks for all of your comments and help so far, to expand on the matter to give you all a greater understanding it went a bit like the following..... She met the guy about three months ago in which only two weeks into the story apparently sob stories started about his inability to find stable work etc even though other people close to him have recently stated that he's always been this way and has never even attempted to find suitable employment anyway, after only a month into the relationship he really forced the sob story on my friend, from what i'm aware he started saying things like how am I going to find work if I haven't got the things I need to do it eg a phone and laptop etc, and no money to enquire by phone about jobs. After putting up with this lout begging and lying to her she eventually arranged to get another contract phone in her own name that he could use to call for job etc, he said that he would immediately find a job and pay her the money for the use of this phone etc which of course is a complete lie as he hasn't paid a single bill since and has been ruthless with the use of the phone, adding on bolt ons etc and web browsing which has seen my friend with bills to pay in her name in excess of £100 per month otherwise she would recieve scores against her name. ***(Anyway I have now helped her block the phone of use)*** About 2 weeks after swindling a mobile phone contract out of her, he persisted to go on about the internet, he told her before hand that he couldn't get any credit as his credit rating is dire, but was determined that she would go with him to PC World to go and try and get credit with him, he didn't want to go alone and it was important that she went with him. Whilst applying he said to the person at PC World that it might not go through in his name because of his credit score however his Girlfriend would take it in her name as she might she would be able to attain credit and he could then pay her. Having being pressured into a credit agreement there and then by him etc she again was forced to get the laptop however told him when she left the store that she wanted to keep it with her at her house and take it over as and when required for him to use because she didn't even want it in the first place, and told him that if he didn't pay for it then he couldn't have it. ***Part three*** The absolute lout, put a major sob story on her that at birthdays he didn't ever recieve any presents etc, then frogmarched her to Argos to look at a PS3 for when apparently he got a job he was going to buy one to treat himself for his birthday, my friend apparently stupidly admitted that she wouldn't mind playing on PS3 and thought about getting one herself but before you know it he was pressuring again saying why don't you get one then we can both play on it, she said she couldn't afford one and instantly he went to enquire about credit in her name, she refused but again after pressure and mind games he tricked her by saying it would be her console and she could keep it at her house and just take it over there as and when required for them to play on etc. After all of this he realised she had got a credit card which he wanted a second card to for him to use apparently in emergencies but by this point my friend had come to me with her problems and I told her to tell him straight away to do one and not in any circumstance to let him have one, at this point he nagged as to why he couldnt and tried to pressure her which he then fell out with her and tried to guilt trip her. She thought he was a genuine person and possibly with her being on the rebound from a long term relationship was naive and really didnt think scammers like this lad existed. A fortnight ago my friend wanted to go out with friends to parties both on a friday and saturday night and invited him along as she usually paid for everything including drinks etc and said that as he was in a mood with her he should go out and enjoy himself with her and she would buy drinks etc. Anyway cunningly he refused and said that he had got a lot on his mind as his mum was ill etc and would prefer to stay in however could he have the PS3 to play on for the weekend and also use the laptop to search for jobs, anyway my friend didn't see what he was doing at this part and relunctantly agreed to let him use them on the understanding that he returned them back to her on the sunday after using them and he agreed. Anyway some sort of bust up happened this weekend in which im sure it was delibrate on his part, i think after realising that he wouldn't get anything else out of her, he wanted out with everything that he had allready achieved and started to become awkward. When my friend contacted him asking for her stuff back he simply claimed them all to be gifts and that as gifts he has an entitlement to keep them as is own regardless, I then pressure him with the threat of police action on my friends behalf and at first he was being rather foolish saying things like i will leave the country etc and on two occasions by text admitting that the things are not his but he is keeping them anyway which in my opinion is theft??? Anyway I took my friend down to the police station and regardless of the fact that he has admitted stealing the things, the police state that the matter is a civil matter as she left the things at his address and he didn't steal them from hers as such etc etc, and that they wouldn't be able to do anything to help her.....hence where we are now :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonjon Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 2 options I can see. Option 1. Write it off as a bad experience, she got burned but at least it was only a few material items. Option 2. Goto where he lives with a baseball bat/maybe a few friends too, take the stuff and warn him off. Other than them 2 options I really cant see how you will get the stuff back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaFoot Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Might be worth visiting CAB. The small claims track in County Court probably not worth bothering with as it's your friends word against his. No evidence either way. Pay the few quid needed to get a look at credit record to check for any new searches your friend doesn't know about. To be honest I think as hard as it is, best thing is to try to move past it and put it down to experience if at all possible. Otherwise things will only get messy and more stressful as friends on both 'sides' get involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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