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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:
NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 02/02/2021 20:34

She has almost definitely sold it. Sorry OP but she is a cf.

Butterymuffin · 02/02/2021 20:34

@AndcalloffChristmas

Yes ask for it back.

“There’s obviously been a misunderstanding as I only gave it to you because I thought you didn’t have working computer, and couldn’t afford one. As you know, I was planning to sell this, but gave it to you because I’d hate to see a friend in difficulty. Can you give it back to me, since you have another, as I will now go ahead and sell it as planned.”

Yes, send this. Really underhand. Amazing how her laptop miraculously repaired itself!
CaterpillarMilkshake · 02/02/2021 20:37

@AndcalloffChristmas

Yes ask for it back.

“There’s obviously been a misunderstanding as I only gave it to you because I thought you didn’t have working computer, and couldn’t afford one. As you know, I was planning to sell this, but gave it to you because I’d hate to see a friend in difficulty. Can you give it back to me, since you have another, as I will now go ahead and sell it as planned.”

This is a perfectly reasonable and polite message to send her.

If you don’t, then not only are you a mug, you’re an enabling mug!

Puzzledandpissedoff · 02/02/2021 20:42

Another vote for "it's been sold"
Ask for it back and you'll almost certainly get delaying excuses, and then be told it had to be taken for repair and was scrapped

Personally I'd be checking ebay/Facebook/Gumtree for her area ...

islockdownoveryet · 02/02/2021 20:48

Yes I agree she must have sold it . What a liar she said she wasn’t getting work because she had no laptop it’s not as if you just offered it to her she asked to buy it .
Why didn’t you say that to her when she said was using it for storage ? . I would of said excuse me you said you were in desperate need, if that wasn’t true I would of offered it to someone else . You shouldn’t of said nothing then quietly seething.

Alexindiamondarmour · 02/02/2021 20:52

Send the message that the above poster suggested, and when she eventually tells you she doesn’t have it anymore, tell her she owes you money to pay for it.
I’m so sick of these cf people just taking people for granted. I had to stop reading the CF thread cos it was making me so cross

rawalpindithelabrador · 02/02/2021 20:53

CFer flogged it. I'd ask for it back just to see what excuse she comes up with. Then tell her, 'How much did you sell it for after you lied to me about needing a new laptop and effectively scamming me? What did you buy with the money?'

That would be the end for me.

o8O8O8o · 02/02/2021 20:53

she's sold it
come up with a sob story about how you really need it back now, string her along and watch her squirm....

optimisticpessimist01 · 02/02/2021 20:56

Tell her your laptop has broke and you need it back if she's keeping it for "storage". The cheek!!

billy1966 · 02/02/2021 20:56

Send the message OP.

She has taken you for a right mug.

Disgusting behaviour.

There is no way you should let this go.

KenAdams · 02/02/2021 20:57

Message her back and say yours had had to be sent back for repair so you'll be round to collect the old one to use in the meantime. Or better still, just turn up to collect it.

Ileflottante · 02/02/2021 20:59

Message her and pleeeeeeease tell us the outcome.

AngelDelightUK · 02/02/2021 21:04

I’d have bitten your arm off for a MacBook for that price!!!

I reckon she’s stole it too, ask for it back!

Viviennemary · 02/02/2021 21:07

It's cheeky. Ask for it back.

gottakeeponmovin · 02/02/2021 21:13

I would say that someone else you know really needs it and as she isn't using it you would like it back. Then sell it through something like music magpie

Smurfymurphy · 02/02/2021 21:13

I also think she’s sold it.

toocold54 · 02/02/2021 21:18

I was going to say YABU as once you’ve given something away it’s theirs and not yours anymore. BUT I didn’t realise you were selling it for so much!! I thought it was about £50 which is why you let her have it.

Obviously you shouldn’t have let her have it for free but you cannot do anything about it now and take it as an expensive lesson learned.

RedLlama · 02/02/2021 21:21

You ain’t seeing that again, it’s defo been sold!

BloggersBlog · 02/02/2021 21:24

Lol at the comment you made being shocked that "people were offering only £80 for it" when she nabbed it FOR FREE 😂😂 she saw you a mile off

DigitalChristmas · 02/02/2021 21:27

@Nat6999

I'd tell her yours isn't working & can you borrow it back. Then watch her sweat.
This
AliceinBunniland · 02/02/2021 21:29

I would also be miffed.

She's using it for "storage" but gave you the impression she needed it for work...

Curtainsorbust · 02/02/2021 21:29

She’s got some cheek offering to pay for it over two years, what was that £4 per week, worked out well for her you just giving it for free.
Please ask her for it back. There’s no way she still has it

CaterpillarMilkshake · 02/02/2021 21:30

Of course you’re not going to get it back - it’s long gone. But she absolutely deserves to squirm.

The absolute brass neck to send you screen shots from another laptop!?

Wanderlust20 · 02/02/2021 21:42

Macbooks are not cheap, I'd be miffed! YANBU.

gamerchick · 02/02/2021 21:42

I'd also ask for it back just to see her sweat.