Not legal advice. Just some steps that we have seen work.
Every so often a member tells us they paid someone for a repair, the work wasn't done or wasn't done right, and the person stopped answering. The 411 can't decide who's right in a dispute, and we won't host a call-out post — that helps nobody and can cost you legally. What we can do is point you at the doors that actually lead somewhere. Here they are.
1. Write it down today, while it's fresh
Dates, amounts, what was promised, what was delivered. Screenshot every message before anyone can delete them. Save the payment record. If another repair company has looked at the work, ask them for a short written statement of what they found. This packet is worth more than any argument.
2. Ask for the money back, once, in writing
One clear message: what you paid, what you didn't get, the amount you want back, and a date. Keep it short and calm. If they've blocked you, send it by email or text to any address you have. You're not expecting a yes; you're creating a record that you asked.
3. Dispute the payment
- Credit card: call the number on the back and dispute the charge. This is the strongest lever if you have it.
- Venmo / Cash App / Zelle: file a dispute in the app anyway. Payments sent "friends and family" usually aren't protected, but a filed dispute is still part of your record.
- Check: talk to your bank about a stop payment if it hasn't cleared.
4. File the complaints that create a paper trail
- Colorado Attorney General consumer complaint — file at StopFraudColorado.gov (the AG's consumer complaint portal) or call 1-800-222-4444. Free. It won't get your money back by itself, but it's how patterns get noticed.
- Police report if you believe you were deliberately deceived — paid for parts that were never installed, for example. Ask for the report number.
- Better Business Bureau if the business has a listing.
5. Small claims court
In Colorado you can sue for up to $7,500 in small claims without a lawyer. The filing fee is modest ($31–$55) and the forms are on the Colorado Judicial Branch site. Your packet from step 1 is your case. If you win, the judgment is a public record.
6. Look them up, and tell us what you find
Search the business name at the Colorado Secretary of State business search. If the person who took your money isn't a registered business and isn't operating under their own legal name, that's worth knowing — and it's worth telling us privately through the feedback form or by messaging an admin.
Before you hire, next time
- Hire from the Verified roster when you can.
- If someone DMs you off an ISO post, ask them for their 411 verification. If they don't have it, ask why.
- Don't pay for parts upfront by Venmo or cash. Pay for parts when you see them, or buy them yourself.
- Get the name of the actual business, and look it up before you pay anything.
- A stranger who wants you to move to a different app or profile to pay is telling you something.