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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

BigBadVoodooHat · 03/02/2021 12:00

Is Small Claims Court an option?

On what basis could you give someone something for free then pursue them via Small Claims to recoup a loss?

Bluntness100 · 03/02/2021 12:00

@Derbee

OP, learn a lesson from this. You shouldn’t have just given it to her because she wanted it. But you did. When you give something away, it no longer belongs to you. It’s not up to you what she does with something that you have given her.

It’s fucking rude, dodgy, and ungrateful, but you had already given up the laptop/any value from selling it. So you are no worse off really, you’ve just given that fucker £80 essentially.

Cut off the friendship. And don’t put yourself in a position to be taken advantage of again.

Where as technically you’re correct, the woman scammed her. She told her her laptop didn’t work and she needed it to get work. It was a lie. Her laptop is working. She then sold it on. And lied about it.

It’s theft. Fraud. Obtaining goods under false pretences. Whatever. If she had told the op she wanted it so she could sell it, the op would not have given it to her,

december212 · 03/02/2021 12:02

This is awful, it does sound as though she has probably sold it. In some ways, at least you know what she's really like and although it's an expensive lesson, you'll know never to trust her again. It'll save you spending any more time or effort of a 'friend' who would think this is acceptable.

LagneyandCasey · 03/02/2021 12:03

I agree with pp. Tell her you have the serial number, photos and receipts to prove your ownership and will contact Apple to find out exactly why they didn't give any trade in value.

She'll then have to fess up surely?

amihavinganervousbreakdown · 03/02/2021 12:03

It doesn't matter if you don't have the serial number, she doesn't know that. You might have found the original box with it on for all she knows. But it should make her confess and you deserve to be told the truth. Even if it was recycled she would have had an email at the very least to acknowledge it was recycled. I bet she doesn't have anything to show as she sold it. Sorry, I'm also furious on your behalf!!

Bluntness100 · 03/02/2021 12:04

@LagneyandCasey

I agree with pp. Tell her you have the serial number, photos and receipts to prove your ownership and will contact Apple to find out exactly why they didn't give any trade in value.

She'll then have to fess up surely?

Actually I’d do this

I’d say don’t worry, I have the seriel number and receipts and will contact apple to now start tracking it’s location.

See what she says.

Feelingconfused2020 · 03/02/2021 12:05

Poor you op. Not because of the money but because you have lost a friend. I doubt you'll come back from this.

She may not have sold it, she could have given it to someone else. I think if she doesn't get back to you this evening I would send her a messaging asking her for information on what's happened to it as you gave it to her as a kind gesture because you thought she needed it but she clearly has a working laptop. Tell her you feel you have been taken for a mug. See how she responds.

VinterKvinna · 03/02/2021 12:06

@PenAndPaperback

I did ask her for the repair shop details under the guise that 'they might have tried to scam you' but she said that she'd 'get back to me' and that she was really very busy now and don't have the time to dig up receipts. Also according to her she received nothing from Apple as it was under the recycling program not the trade-in program...

riiiiight - so she cant remember where she dropped it off?

what a liar

Original poster

PenAndPaperback · 03/02/2021 12:07

I wouldn't have given it to her if I didn't genuinely believe that she specifically needed a laptop so she could find work. Would rather keep it as a spare or give it to my mum if I ended up not selling it. But yes, lesson learnt. I'll be thinking thrice next time and will probably not give anything to anyone in the future.

OP posts:

LadyDanbury · 03/02/2021 12:07

I just went onto the Apple site and put in the details of my 2014 MacBook Pro, that isn't in the greatest of condition. So for a computer that is considerably older than yours they are offering me £280 trade in value. There is no way that she would have not got anything from Apple for it.

iljatdip · 03/02/2021 12:07

Obviously sold it on. What a flaming cheek.
I'd never do anything for her ever again.

Bluntness100 · 03/02/2021 12:09

I'll be thinking thrice next time and will probably not give anything to anyone in the future

That’s a shame, but do remember most people wouldn’t rob their friends,

I don’t think you can let it go though. Just text her and say no worries I have the serial number and will contact apple to start the tracking process.

VinterKvinna · 03/02/2021 12:09

wouldnt she have an email from Apple thanking her for recycling???

ForeverAutumn85 · 03/02/2021 12:09

Id be tempted to say you're in need now and ask for it back....

Bluntness100 · 03/02/2021 12:10

@ForeverAutumn85

Id be tempted to say you're in need now and ask for it back....

But not tempted to read the thread it seems 😃

sapnupuas · 03/02/2021 12:11

@ForeverAutumn85

Id be tempted to say you're in need now and ask for it back....

Have you read the thread? The friend doesn't have it anymore.

VinterKvinna · 03/02/2021 12:11

@PenAndPaperback

and thats bollocks as well, if you give something to someone because they are in dire straits/desperate need, then that is massively different to giving it to them to sell on

cbt944 · 03/02/2021 12:12

I'm so cross on your behalf.

She's lied about why she 'needed' it. Lied about what she's done with it. Lied about every aspect of where it is (or rather, isn't)! Just keeps lying and lying...

Has abused your goodwill and friendship, and can't summon up the guts to say, actually... I sold it/gave it to my boyfriend, or whatever.

ChronicallyCurious · 03/02/2021 12:13

Call her out on her BS. Tell her you spoke to apple regarding the ‘recycling’ and gave them the serial number of the laptop as you wanted it back to see if you could ‘fix’ it and they have no record of it going in and they also told you that if it was recycled you’d definitely have received a receipt.

jessycake · 03/02/2021 12:14

I think your mistake was saying you didn't really need the money and that you would get next to nothing for it if you traded it in . Its a bitter when you try to do a nice thing and are taken advantage of though .

CleverCatty · 03/02/2021 12:14

@BigBadVoodooHat

Is Small Claims Court an option?

On what basis could you give someone something for free then pursue them via Small Claims to recoup a loss?

Well I don't think you can. But as friend has sold the laptop, this may, probably not though, be a way OP can recoup her losses.

Dasher789 · 03/02/2021 12:15

totally agree, if it had broken you would say to the friend that it has broken, do they want it back or shall it be disposed off.

she must be lying. you don't need a receipt, just the name of the shop she has apparently been in contact with - how would she not know this information?!

if she had genuinely felt bad and didnt want to tell you, the repair shop name would stick in her mind as it would be hanging over her.

what is worse than basically stealing your laptop is the ongoing lies.

Derbee · 03/02/2021 12:17

@jessycake

This is true.

But just remember that most people don’t scam and steal from their so called friends. So be more careful in future, but don’t lose trust for every person

stablefeet · 03/02/2021 12:17

@AhNowTed

I would ask for it back. She clearly doesn't need it.

Call her bluff OP. Cheeky cow.

Yes, and cancel the cheque.

Original poster

PenAndPaperback · 03/02/2021 12:18

but she said that she'd 'get back to me' and that she was really very busy now and don't have the time to dig up receipts

No time to talk to me but clearly has enough free time to post inspirational messages and marketing stuff on Facebook.

OP posts:

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