Friends stole money from me

[MeganBoo]

I’m really not sure what to do and the situation is making my depression worse. I’m 23, I have a friend two years younger then me, been friends just under a year, we’ve only met once but we talk every day we both have children similar ages and we seemed to get along a lot and have lots in common. At the end of last year this friend wanted to use klarna to buy a new bed in the Black Friday sales but she said hers dosent work as she owes klarna money so they’ve stopped her using her account (I believed and still believe this is true as I previously owed klarna money and they stopped me accessing my account) she asked if I could use my klarna account to order the bed for her and then she’d pay me the money when the instalments are due once a month for 3 months. The bed cost £500 me being gullible, stupid and too nice I agreed and ordered it on my account she sent me the first instalment straight away of around £170 but I told her it’s not due yet so I sent it back to her and told her to give it to me when it’s due (which would be once the beds delivered) the bed was delivered Friday and klarna tried to take the first instalment out my account (Im a single mum and don’t work due to mental health) I didn’t have the funds for it I contacted the friend and told her she said the beds a different colour to the pictures and she’s gonna return it and that people would come Wednesday 10th to collect the bed so I thought ok once the beds returned on Wednesday klarna will process it and stop asking for money but I’m now getting suspicious as this friend has now blocked me on two of her social media accounts she’s kept me on our main socials but hasn’t replied since Friday it’s raising red flags I’m now getting anxious that the bed won’t be returned tomorrow and she’s trying to scam me I know stupid of me to do it in the first place. It hurts as we’re both Muslim that’s what we bonded on and as a Muslim it’s sinful to do something like this I never thought she’d try to scam me I still don’t want to think it’s a possibility I’m too naive and nice, it’s the fact she’s blocked me on certain socials and isn’t responding that’s now getting me worried I can’t afford to pay £500 for a bed that’s not even mine I have her address but don’t want to show up at hers and cause a scene I’m really stuck I’m gonna wait till tomorrow and see if it’s returned or was thinking to contact the company and see if there’s a return in process please no hate as I’m already hating on myself a lot and feel so depressed I don’t have friends and this was the only person I considered as a friend she works part time so she has a bit of money coming in where as I don’t so there’s no way I can afford this and I don’t want to pay for something that’s for her I’m really stuck and feeling hopeless.

It is a sad life lesson but you should never lend to friends anything it would hurt you to lose. For me this means about £20 limit, unless close family. It's a hard lesson but I think every young adult probably learns this the hard way. At a similar age I paid a friends rent for a month, around £500 too, we had several months of excuses and then they started avoiding me and that was the end of the friendship.

You could call on her house and try mutual friends but the truth is the only way to impose this would be a small claims court If you have written evidence of the agreement (texts/ emails could do) you could try this route. I think its something like £25 to file. It might make you feel less of a mug, but if she is trying to avoid repaying you then this friendship is over anyway. Sorry OP.

Do not lend anything you are not happy to lose in future.

You paid for it so its yours surely. Contact the company to check its been delivered and if they are due to collect it. Do you have the order number, payment details and delivery address. Not sure she can return it if she isn't the payer.

You need to call Klarna too, she has details of your account if you gave her your card and I think you have to go thru them for returns anyway.

I don’t know how Klarna works but can you report it as fraud ?

@ConsuelaHammock

I don’t think I can as I ordered the bed with my card details it’s just her address and name I’ve since got a new card and haven’t updated it on klarna so currently klarnas unable to take the money from my account at this point I’m thinking of leaving it like that so klarna don’t have my new details and can’t take the money it means ill owe klarna a lot and won’t be able to use it but I genuinely cant afford £170 a month for 3 months.

Genuinely, i'd take her to court.

See how she likes that.

@LadySylviaMcCordle

would it even be possible as I ordered the bed using my card it’s just her address and name etc also have no evidence as the app we messaged on deleted messages after 24hours 😔

This also means your credit score will be absolutely wrecked

no mobile contracts no other credit no nothing

Id be going to her house yelling through the letterbox

Can you tell the company they can pick it up at her house?

Also I would report her for fraud. Blocking you isn't going to work.

@Quitelikeit

I've never been to her place but I have her address so was thinking to turn up but she lives in a flat I’d have to buzz up and she obviously wouldn’t let me in and may not be home and I doubt me showing up will make her give me the money I’m not the confrontational type

@Ellie6489

I was thinking to contact the company and ask them to collect the bed and return it but she may have set the bed up etc and if they knock I doubt she’ll just hand them the bed over. How would I go about reporting her for fraud I don’t know much about these things but I feel like I’m stuck as it was my card the order was made on and obviously I ordered it so looks bad on my part

You have entered into a contract with Klarna and the company you got the bed from. Unless you have proof that she coerced you into doing this, then you're probably going to be out of luck. Not to mention, if Klarna doesn't get paid then you're risking a default and then a CCJ.

The red flag was her not being able to pay for it herself because she owes them money OP?

You'll have to make the payments until it's sorted or it's going to wreck your credit score. If you're bothered about such things.

Or take some dudes around there and collect your bed.

@ChiefWiggumsBoy

im stuck as the conversations between me and her regarding me ordering the bed were on an app that deletes chats after 24hours and on the phone

@gamerchick

I wish it was that simple but I genuinely can’t afford £170 a month for 3 months so im stuck

Returning the first payment was not very wise. I would contact Klarna and come clean, assuming that she doesn't return the bed. You are just going to have to live with the credit rating.

Report your card stolen ?

its your word against hers if you have no messages. you could take her to small claims but you have no proof of anything you are saying. she could just say the bed was a gift. She tried to pay you for it and you sent the payment back and told her to keep it (proof of that).

@88inchesoftherapy

this is the issue as we spoke about it on an app that deletes chats after 24 hours and briefly on a phone call I have no proof to be making any claims as I’m the one who ordered it so I’m stuck and can’t afford to pay it off really has made my depression reach rock bottom

It's a sad life lesson. I really do feel for you, I've experienced money worries, debt etc and it's an awful way to feel, especially as a young parent. We are the same age 🩷
If you can't pay it, you can't pay it. I'd possibly try calling Klarna and the company and explain the situation, but don't expect much from it, as you've said, it's your details which is what they will ultimately go by. But it doesn't hurt to give it a go and see what they say. Other than that the only other option is declaring fraud to your bank , and see if that will do anything. But again, not a guarantee x

@namelessnameface

Thank you means a lot to know I’m not the only one experiencing money problems at this age 🥲 I do think there’s no way of getting out of this though as it’s my card details that were used, it hurts even more as I don’t have friends so this was the only person I considered a “friend” and they’ve done this to me especially as she works and is able to pay this off where as I can’t. Thank you for the support though x

It will eventually get written off if not paid as it is a small debt, per se. But this will most probably result in a CCJ that will affect you in the future.
They will probably sell it on to a debt collection agency but whatever the outcome it's really not what you want. And not what a real friend would have done.
Although you have been naive with this, you at least showed you were trying to be a good friend, but she probably knew this is what she was going to do all along.
Do you have any family that can potentially help you? Such as lend you the money, and then you pay it back to them in smaller monthly instalments with no interest ? X

Just to let you know the company can still take money out of your account even if you don’t have that card anymore. It happened to me when I used laybuy for a previous purchase which got hacked into years later and a fraudulent purchase was made! I rang my bank and explained I was surprised after the card had been cancelled and they said the company can still take it out your account. I think you need to wait until tomorrow then ring your friend and ask her what is happening. If she ignores you then I would get in touch with klarna and say your friend has logged in without permission and see what they suggest. Definitely don’t just not pay as you could end up with it being taken to court with bailiffs etc

I'm in the same situation. Allowed a "Friend" to order a cooker from my Very account she promised to pay it off within the time frame. The year was almost up and when I reminded her she promised to pay it but begged me to extend it so I offered to cover it from my savings for Christmas. She took me up on it and hasn't paid a penny back of it still owes me £159.

Hurts more because I thought she was my friend but as soon as I stopped speaking with a mutual friend she stopped talking to me (in public) in case it upset mutual friend. Just makes you feel like such an idiot for trusting people.

You can't just bury your head in the sand about this, no matter how bad your mental health is I'm afraid.

Contact the company to tell them you want to return it and get that in process. Contact her in writing in a medium that doesn't delete after 24 hours (and take screenshots/save proof especially if it shows she has read it) and tell her that the bed will be being returned and that she is to co-operate fully or you will send bailiffs.

Klarna may well send debt collectors after you, or go through small claims or whatever, and they will most likely charge high rates of interest until it is paid off in full. Your credit score will be impacted.

If i were you I would contact Citizen's Advice for some advice too.

What you must not do is to bury your head in the sand about it.