Help! I believe I've been conned by a guy online and I threatened legal action! ??

joe565

Hello

Well I believe I've been conned by a guy online. Yes ok I've been silly too give him money (£1,000) on May 2012 and done it via paypal.

It was a money making opportunity and he was too make me money. I received an email from him before Christmas saying all money has been lost but he guaranteed to pay me my money back. He did email me a few weeks ago saying I would receive my money last week but I haven't heard anything from him. He won't reply now too my emails or answer my calls.

I did receive some profit from him (£300) and too date I'm down £700.

The details I have are his name and postcode. I've told him that I will be taking further action if he doesn't give me my money back as he promised. Is there anything I can do? A friend thinks I should send him a letter then maybe put a claim through small claims court if he doesn't respond?

I'm at my wits end and could be doing with this money and not sure what to do now as he's ignoring me.

Joe

gb12345

joe565 wrote: »

Hello

Well I believe I've been conned by a guy online. Yes ok I've been silly too give him money (£1,000) on May 2012 and done it via paypal.

It was a money making opportunity and he was too make me money. I received an email from him before Christmas saying all money has been lost but he guaranteed to pay me my money back. He did email me a few weeks ago saying I would receive my money last week but I haven't heard anything from him. He won't reply now too my emails or answer my calls.

I did receive some profit from him (£300) and too date I'm down £700.

The details I have are his name and postcode. I've told him that I will be taking further action if he doesn't give me my money back as he promised. Is there anything I can do? A friend thinks I should send him a letter then maybe put a claim through small claims court if he doesn't respond?

I'm at my wits end and could be doing with this money and not sure what to do now as he's ignoring me.

Joe

Small claims is probably your only option, but you will need his full address - you might be able to get this by signing up to 192.com, but you'll have to pay. Also, are you sure that the details he has given you aren't fake?

I'm also not sure how the courts would view someone who has lost money in a "money making opportunity" - what exactly was the opportunity?

What you will need to do first is send him a Letter Before Action (make sure it is headed as such) asking for the return of your money and give him a period to return it in. If he doesn't then you will have to issue a claim.

soolin

As well as the above advice I would also read any paperwork that you signed and also look at the PayPal payment you made to see what exactly you paid for.

Money making schemes usually have clauses stating it is not guaranteed, and if that is the case then even the legal route won't work.

joe565

Thanks gb12345 and soolin. I didn't atually sign anything with him unfortunately :-( I'm kicking myself now for being so silly. Everything was done via email and paypal in May 2012 :mad:

gb12345

joe565 wrote: »

Thanks gb12345 and soolin. I didn't atually sign anything with him unfortunately :-( I'm kicking myself now for being so silly. Everything was done via email and paypal in May 2012 :mad:

Did any of the emails that you had from him give any indication of there being any risk involved in the investment?

What sort of scheme was it and what sort of return was he offering you and where did you get his name/postcode from?

Also, what does the transaction on your PayPal account say the money was for?

miduck

I agree with soolin - before taking legal action you need to establish exactly what you agreed to.

It is also worth trying to find out if the individual has any assets - all a CCJ gives you is an order to be enforced, some respondents will pay up straight away, but others will continue to ignore you. Getting a judgment is the easy part, getting your money back can be far more difficult.

DCFC79

How did you get in contact with the guy ?

soolin

gb12345 wrote: »

D

Also, what does the transaction on your PayPal account say the money was for?

This bit is important, what exactly did you pay for and can you confirm whether you paid for goods or services and Did NOT send money as a gift or personal payment.

Have you anything at all in writing to prove you bought something and had any guarantee abut return of your investment.

Unless you have something to go to small claims with I would hesitate in suggesting you spend yet more money chasing this.

joe565

I saw this investment opporunity on Ebay. He sent me an invoice through Paypal and I've been looking and he just put down investments? Can't see if it was sent as goods or services?

I have all his emails and he has stated he will give me my money back etc and says he still stands by his promise and guarantee!

However, since not getting my money back last week he's now ignoring my emails and calls.

gb12345

joe565 wrote: »

I saw this investment opporunity on Ebay. He sent me an invoice through Paypal and I've been looking and he just put down investments? Can't see if it was sent as goods or services?

I have all his emails and he has stated he will give me my money back etc and says he still stands by his promise and guarantee!

However, since not getting my money back last week he's now ignoring my emails and calls.

So you bid on an item on eBay or he used a Buy It Now and then you got an invoice through the eBay/PayPal system.

Sounds to me like a Ponzi scheme, where the "investors" are paid a small amount to keep them happy, which is taken from money from the new victims.

I'm not sure what the court's view would be on the only evidence being in email form, as an email is very easy to fake.

joe565

Well the only details I have is his name and address which is correct as I've found him on 192.com. Would you send him a letter if you were in my situation?