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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my friend has taken me for a mug?

601 replies

PenAndPaperback · 02/02/2021 19:02

Back in December, I made an online listing for my 2018 MacBook on Facebook marketplace and received a ton of 'lowball' offers or people asking me to drive an hour plus to deliver it to their place. A friend of mine messaged me, telling me that her current laptop had broken down and that she's having trouble finding work because of that (she's a freelancer).

She asked if I could 'sell' it to her first and that she'd pay it back in instalments after paying off her kids' stuff etc, before telling me that she would get back to me because she had to calculate everything. She eventually came up with a payment plan that lasted almost 2 years and I told her that I'd just give it to her as I didn't need the money and that if I were to bring it in for 'trade-in' I was told that I'd get basically nothing for it anyway.

So I dropped it off in her mailbox, and I thought that that was that. Fast forward to last week, she was sending me screenshots on her computer, and it was on a Windows laptop! I asked her in a semi-joking way, oh, did the MacBook spoil and she said that no, she's just using her old laptop and that she's using the one I sent her for 'storage'. If I had known she didn't really need it I definitely wouldn't have given it to her!

I'm not going to ask for it back, of course. But AIBU to be a bit miffed off by all this?

OP posts:
FellowFlipFlop · 03/02/2021 10:27

What a cheeky bitch. So I guess you either call her out on it or let it go and have nothing to do with her in the future.

Nousernamesleftatall · 03/02/2021 10:27

I would reply:

That is strange. It was working perfectly for me. I will ring the repair shop this morning.

Gliblet · 03/02/2021 10:28

Well, as you'd decided you didn't need the money, you can write the value off as money well spent to identify and get rid of a treacherous little weasel. But I'd be inclined to make it very clear to her that that's what's happening.

BertramLacey · 03/02/2021 10:28

Oh and I'd be asking for the details of the IT guy, say you want to discuss it with him because you know for a fact it wasn't broken and you know you've been ripped off so want to confront him about it.

On the off chance she's being honest, you could say something like this. Maybe explain all the testing you did and say you would like the contact details of the IT place she took it to as you are concerned that they've played her for a mug and wanted to resell it themselves.

Ileflottante · 03/02/2021 10:28

She has sold it. She has definitely sold it and it’s lying now she’s been caught mad has given herself time to think of a story.

If I were you I’d tell her you know what she’s done and then block her. That is not a friend. What an absolute fucker.

grapewine · 03/02/2021 10:30

@Love51

I'd just text 'how much did you get for it?' That's the price she puts on your friendship.
Yes. How sad is that? I would, actually.
Ileflottante · 03/02/2021 10:30

But I love the idea of asking for the details of the computer company that she could apparently suddenly afford to her it fixed with, just to make her sweat some more.

Why should she get off easy? Ask for their details so they can explain what was wrong with it as when you gave it to her, you thought it was perfect.

Queenoftheashes · 03/02/2021 10:32

Definitely tell her you need the contact details for the repair place. Make her sweat. She knows you know.

ErickBroch · 03/02/2021 10:33

Honestly I would ask her straight up
"Hi Jane, I am going to be honest it seems like you have sold it behind my back. I gave it to you for free thinking you were having a tough time so that's quite upsetting. Can you let me know if you sold it, or if you did send it to apple can I see what you received for it?"

She should give you whatever monetary value she received for it. So wrong. My friend gave me her 2011 macbook years ago as I was a student and couldn't afford a laptop. I had it for 5 years and when i bought my own, I gave it back to her!

isitsafetocomeoutyet · 03/02/2021 10:33

Sorry op. What a way to find out your friend's a lying conniving bitch.

Depends how much energy you have.

If you want to eke it out ask her for the name of the repairer. That you'll take it up with him as it was fine when it left you and you'll take him to trading standards. See what other lies she'll tell

Or just say you know she sold it. You know she's lied repeatedly to you. You know the cost of your friendship was less than an old laptop.

Up to you. Do you have mutual friends?

dottiedodah · 03/02/2021 10:33

I think she has probably sold it! Very CF behaviour here.I would not be pleased at all .She probably thought as you gave it to her you didnt need the money! However that is beside the point here . I would be LC from now on

truthisalie · 03/02/2021 10:34

Ask the details of the company etc. You can't just sent it off without any details. She would have emails with print out labels etc.
Your friendship is finished with her so there is nothing to lose anyway by asking a few more questions.

She may be reading this thread as well.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 03/02/2021 10:35

I asked her to take a picture because I might be able to suggest a fix but she said it's late and that she'll 'get back to me'

She said she'd sent it in for repairs last week ... they'd need to replace several parts that would almost amount to the cost of a new computer so she collected it back and then sent it to Apple for bloody recycling

Hardly a surprise that the predictions of so many of us were correct, but at least now you know exactly what she is

What do you want to do about it, OP?

truthisalie · 03/02/2021 10:37

She probably thought as you gave it to her you didnt need the money! However that is beside the point here . I would be LC from now on

OP was very kind to her as her friend but her friend didn't value their friendship as much.

PatchworkElmer · 03/02/2021 10:38

I think if it was genuinely faulty, in her position I would’ve messaged you and said “it’s broken- would you like it back or should I recycle it?”

I agree that she’s probably sold it.

FilthyforFirth · 03/02/2021 10:38

I agree with simply asking her how much she got for it. I am genuinely gobsmacked. The friendship is over so no need to pussyfoot around.

LagneyandCasey · 03/02/2021 10:39

Ask for the money/voucher value she recieved from Apple for recycling to put towards your mum's ipad. You should at least get that out if it.

Then block and forget the cf. She's not your friend Angry

Thiscantreallybehappening · 03/02/2021 10:39

That is strange. It was working perfectly for me. I will ring the repair shop this morning.

I would do this op. She never told you all this last night did she. She has spent a few hours thinking of this story.

You should also say to her, she had no right to do that until she had checked with you. She is a CF. You made a kind and very generous gesture and she has treated you appallingly.

She is no friend.

JohnMiddleNameRedactedSwanson · 03/02/2021 10:41

Do you want to salvage the friendship?

She's clearly sold it as PP have observed. You could tell her that you are giving her one more opportunity to tell you the truth.

Flyingwiththecanons · 03/02/2021 10:45

What a bitch

Bluntness100 · 03/02/2021 10:45

Yeah she’s sold it I’m sorry, that’s awful she’s basically stolen from you. She’s no friend. She took it under false pretences and then sold it on.

Thiscantreallybehappening · 03/02/2021 10:48

Also agree, chances are she sold it, probably quite soon after you dropped it off.

She is clearly making up stories to dig herself out of a hole. I would ask her the following:

Name of repair shop, you would like to talk to them as none of this makes sense?

Did she not think that she should contact you and let you know about the repairs and her plans to recycle?

Confirmation that Apple received it and she did recycle it?

Then ask ....... Did you sell it? If so, how much for?

You didn't give it to her to sell and you should spell out to her that you did something to help her and she should be ashamed of herself. Really CF and no friend.

supercee · 03/02/2021 10:48

Christ. Time to get your angry pants on OP, the friendship is over anyway, or should be.

I'd be asking for the name of the repair shop and the name of the person who dealt with it - which is bollocks as it's clearly a pack of lies and I wouldn't be resting until I got that info. Though I don't deal with CF's well.

Highfivemum · 03/02/2021 10:48

I would be fuming. She asked for it because she was in desperate need. She obviously wasn’t. ! I wouldn’t be bothering with her again. I had the same happen to me years ago. I gave a friend a whole Pram/car seat system. ( I was getting a new one as I needed a double ). I was going to sell it but she fell unexpected Pregnant and no partner to help with costs. Fast forward after baby born and all these photographs of her DC in a beautiful top of the range system !! So frustrating. Not for the money but I had another friend who would have clearly loved it. Move on from her.

bettydaviseyes1 · 03/02/2021 10:49

Can you give us the laptop description and general area your friend lives in so we can be sleuths and see if can find the ad for selling it?

I am now in this thread 100% lol