Teenager daughter conned by schoolmate

miket1964

Forum wisdom required on this one please.

Earlier this year one of my teenage daughters friends (14) offered to get tickets for a concert they would all like to go to and also stated that her mum would take them all.

Thought it sounded a bit to good to be true, as the concert is in London and we are up north, but my daughter assured me all was good

So we handed over the £60.00 for the tickets, as did parents of another friend, with instructions we talk with said friends mums, never happened.

During the summer the friend in question announced that she no longer liked the band and so the trip was off, the family has since moved out of the area.

I have asked on several occasions for tickets or money back, no joy, said ex friend not replying to any forms of communication.

So I have manage to find the families new address and wrote to the ex-friends mum, all in a polite way, explaining the situation and that we would like the tickets we paid for or our money back.

I very much doubt that we will get a reply and we have since found out that ex-friend as done this at least twice before to other kids in the same school and because she has got away with this so far wouldn't surprise me if she has tried the same scam at her new school in the town they have moved to.

So question is, how would you deal with this? Forget it and lesson learned or is there some legal form of redress we could use etc.

Thanks

Counting_Pennies_2

I think you might need to put it down to experience.


Have you got any documented proof? Emails from her etc?


Perhaps talk to your neighbourhood policeman and ask their advice?

Kernow666

forget it lesson learned end of discussion

RAS

is this girl a facebook friend of anyone?

fivetide

Stop being polite.


Tell the other parents you will be reporting it to the police unless the money comes back. Stress you know this person has done it to several other children and you will have no qualms, as a group, giving evidence to that effect.


It is up to them if they'd like their daughter to get a police record etc.


See what, if anything comes back. Even if it is a bit of a bluff, it is worth a shot I think. It will just keep happening otherwise.

moomoomama27

If you know what new school this girl attends I would contact them, and make them aware of this. They can then take steps to prevent this happening again to any other children and their families.

Flossie.

fivetide wrote: »

Stop being polite.

Tell the other parents you will be reporting it to the police unless the money comes back. Stress you know this person has done it to several other children and you will have no qualms, as a group, giving evidence to that effect.

It is up to them if they'd like their daughter to get a police record etc.

See what, if anything comes back. Even if it is a bit of a bluff, it is worth a shot I think. It will just keep happening otherwise.

I agree with this, but I guess it depends OP, on how much proof you have that you gave them the £60.

Why should they get away with stealing your money!?

bagpussbear

I would pursue it. Just not right this girl/family can keep conning people time and time again.

Perhaps send another letter recorded delivered, and firmly tell them you expect the money returned within 7 days otherwise you will be contacting the police.

And do so if they don't respond. How far you'll get with it, well I am not sure, but it's worth a try.

fabforty

I would pursue it - even if it came to nothing, although if enough victims get together, perhaps it will be taken seriously. It sounds as if your daughter has been scammed by the family, not just the girl. Any decent 'innocent' parent would be mortified by the situation and would have paid up without question. They have obviously realised that people are more likely to chalk it up to experience and not pursue the matter if the perpetrator is a child/teenager.

Pollycat

Flossie. wrote: »

I agree with this, but I guess it depends OP, on how much proof you have that you gave them the £60.

Do you have proof? Was it a cheque?

miket1964 wrote: »

I very much doubt that we will get a reply and we have since found out that ex-friend as done this at least twice before to other kids in the same school and because she has got away with this so far wouldn't surprise me if she has tried the same scam at her new school in the town they have moved to.

So question is, how would you deal with this? Forget it and lesson learned or is there some legal form of redress we could use etc.

Thanks

Do you have proof that this girl has conned other girls?

I think if you do intend to go to the police with this, you will need proof.

Of course, there is nothing to stop you writing to the mother again if you get no reply and telling her you will get the police involved if she does not return the money.

Are you representing the other girl in your letter or are you just asking for your daughter?

Might be worth getting the other parent to write too.

marisco_2

The parents sound like total low life scroats, to think nothing of raising a child with no morals, who puts the value of friendships at £60. They are failing her on so many levels. She is naively putting herself in a position of real vulnerability, cutting herself off from decent friends, and risking crossing someone who will react really badly to being conned. Cant help but think one day she is really going to pay the price for being influenced by such inadequates.