(I’m making this post on behalf of someone else. I won’t disclose unimportant details like the exact amount for safety and privacy reasons.)
So my friend’s ex-gf had my friend buy her a really expensive phone by signing a data line worth about RM300+/month. At first, the ex promised to pay back the amount every month, and she did not appear as the type to deceive throughout the relationship. But after their break-up, she stopped paying him, and my friend had to pay for her phone himself.
It’s starting to take a toll on his financial situation, but when he tried to terminate the contract, the penalty was thousands of ringgit (<5000). Is there any way for him to get the money back from her without resorting to court, if possible?
Note he gave:
- The contract did not have her name on it.
I don’t think the telco would care, the contract is valid, they cannot resell the phone.
What you can do is ask her either pay it herself (change to her name) or ask for the phone back. If she refuses to do both, let her know that it is your property, and that you can make a police report against her for theft. If she is not fazed, then go ahead and make that police report.
You can at best case scenario retrieve the phone back (with all the accessories and box if possible) and resell it to pay for the penalty. You may not recover everything, but it’s better than nothing. You can also ask if you can cancel her sim card and use the line for your own. You may not get the phone back, but at least you can make use of the line somehow (hotspot or sth).
Thank you for the suggestion, we never had the thought of it being his property. We’ll try that.
has he contacted the telco to explain about the situation?
He hasn’t.
then ask him to do that, that’s the most basic step he could undertake.
If everything is under his name, from this point on treat it as theft:
- cancel sim
- lodge police report
- bring police report as support document as you go in person to the service centre. No need to tell long story - just say someone took your phone under contract so what can you do. Might still be on the hook for something, but establish the phone has been stolen
Thank you. That will be his last resort if she doesn’t pay him back the total amount.
The longer you wait the more it looks sus (re: police report), but best of luck. Hope you guys resolve it soon.
If the phone is logged in under an account he has access to, brick that phone. ETA: doesn’t even need to be that evil, if telco acknowledges he owns the phone, ask if there’s some way to deactivate the phone or something
Unfortunately, yes, this is the way. Technically the phone is his.
