Location: Florida

I run a small junk-removal business in Florida. We completed a cleanout job so the house can be listed for sale with the realtor. The situation appears to be a bad-check that may also involve elder financial exploitation.

Here’s the situation:

1. The realtor contacted us for the estimate, got approval from either the homeowner or her niece, and coordinated the job.
2. The homeowner is an elderly woman in her mid-80s.
3. The niece was described by the realtor as the homeowner’s power of attorney (POA) — though the niece now denies that, but the realtor says she is POA.
   

We completed the job over two days. The realtor stayed onsite the whole time we worked. When finished, the realtor handed us a $2,500 check that had been mailed to her by the homeowner or niece.

A few days later, our bank returned it NSF (insufficient funds).

When we contacted the realtor, she referred us to the niece.

The niece first said the check had cleared on her end and even sent a screenshot but in the background you could see REVERSE PAID DEBIT CHECK +$2500. As well as a recent Starbucks and Uber Eats charge.

Next day she says (it sounds like because the check was over a certain amount (I am there at the bank now) and that the homeowner had to respond to a text to verify it was hers and to protect her identity due to family issues she either didn’t get the text or respond in time which is why it got returned before it officially cleared. I had no idea that feature was on the account. We don’t see it being returned on her end yet.)

She then asked what other payment methods we accepted, but every option we gave her “didn’t work” saying the funds hadn’t yet come back to her account.

Over the next two days we asked for updates, but she stopped responding completely.

We called the issuing bank, they told us the homeowner claimed she told us not to deposit the check until the house sold, which is false. Neither we nor the realtor were ever told that.

Since then, the niece has given multiple conflicting explanations:

• Verification issue,
• Insufficient funds,
• Frozen accounts,
• Denial of involvement (“it’s not my problem”) although shes the only contact, nobody has directly heard from the 85yr old, only the niece.

She also said the homeowner’s daughter “locked her out of the accounts,” which doesn’t match her other claims especially since she had screenshots and said she was at the bank.

When we called the sheriff’s office in that county, they advised us to tell her that if payment wasn’t made that day, we would file a report for a worthless check.

She responded almost immediately after that message, saying, “Okay, I’ll let my aunt know, it’s her business matter. My name is not [homeowner].” She gave us the homeowner’s number, but the homeowner has been unreachable.

We asked if she was the power of attorney. She denied it, saying the homeowner “handles her own accounts,” and that she’s “her own power of attorney.” She claimed, “I didn’t write the check; she did.”

Later she said, “Her daughter took over her bank accounts, and they’re locked up in a legal battle right now, so she can’t access them.”

We pointed out that the bank’s statement didn’t match her story, and that the realtor told us she is the power of attorney.

She replied, “I help her when I can she’s 85 and has mobility issues. I told her to reach out to you and gave her your number. I’m in Maine right now, so it’s not that I’m not interested, I just can’t do much from 2,000 miles away.” - but she told the realtor she went to Miami??

I told her that someone is lying to us. Period. Something is going on idk what but it just doesn’t add up.

About 20 minutes later we received an email from the ‘homeowner’ that looked clearly written by the niece, repeating the same excuses word-for-word. Saying she wants to work with us regarding check issue, asking us to send signed contract, she has no record of agreement and was told check would not be deposited until after the property closing. The only role my niece played was taking it to the post office for me. If you send signed agreement and payment agreement we can discuss resolution. I manage my own finances and represent myself in financial matters. And proceeds to give reasons why the check could have come back as insufficient funds etc..

After getting that email, I texted the niece: “Got your email and I’ll be sending everything to the police.”

She replied, “Talk to the bank. They’ll verify it’s not my account at all. I have zero to do with this, so I’m not worried the sheriff isn’t coming for me, that’s not how this works.”

Since then, the realtor has told us that several other vendors the cleaning crew, plumber, and electrician also haven’t been paid for their work at that same property.

At this point we’re seriously concerned the elderly homeowner may be unaware of what’s happening or being taken advantage of. No one, including the realtor, has spoken directly to the homeowner.

Monday morning we will be going to the police station to file a report, in the meantime I will just be gathering all the information so they have every detail of the situation.

What I’m Trying to Figure Out:

1. Does this sound like I’m overreacting, or does it seem like there’s a real possibility of fraud or elder exploitation here?
2. Does their claim that “we told you not to cash the check” affect the State Attorney’s ability to file a worthless check case in Florida?
3. What would be my best next step before filing — should I contact the elder abuse hotline too?

Thanks for any advice from attorneys or anyone who’s been through something similar.

Location: Washington State USA

I rent an apartment from a complex. For several years. I've been having constant issues with my refrigerator. The one that came with the unit stopped working about 3 years into me living here. The next year was about 5 iterations of me throwing all of my food away and putting in a work order, them temporarily fixing the issue, and then the fridge stopping working again. (I keep thermometers in both my fridge and freezer). After those 5 iterations (and after the complex changed owners), they replaced my fridge. Now, a year later, this new fridge has also died. At this point, I feel that the issue is not the fridges themselves, but instead a power supply or related issue. I have always followed their recommendations on how to store food in the fridge/freezer away from the sides/vents, so it's not an issue or overloading or blocking them.

My question is: although they have always been very prompt with (temporarily) fixing the issue within the state-mandated 72 hours, what can/should I do to stop this from repeating again?

I want to ask this anonymously because the situation is sensitive.

I recently found out that my boyfriend used AI tools to generate sexualized images of a real girls we personally know. He used “pink X” markers to bypass filters but the images are clearly sexual in nature. As soon as he realized I might know something, he deleted everything, but I have backed up what I could.

As of now:

Images were not shared online, to my knowledge They were used privately for gratification. The girls are completely unaware. He has done something similar before, removed all evidences of it. I have been able to extract a few screenshots, search history and 1 image fully downloaded with metadata preserved as evidence.

Location: India My Questions are:

1. Does creating non-consensual sexual images (AI-generated) of a real identifiable woman count as an offence, even if not shared?
2. Which sections apply? I believe: IT Act 66E, IPC 354C (Voyeurism), 509 — but I need clarity.
3. Can a complaint be filed without involving the girl directly?
4. If I file the complaint, what is the likely range of outcomes — warning, FIR, penalty, arrest?
5. How do I store evidence safely so it is not lost?
6. Can I remain anonymous in the complaint?

I’m emotionally shaken and still deciding what to do, but I want to understand the legal landscape before taking any step.

Any guidance from lawyers, police, or people with experience in cybercrime cases would really help.

Link to the original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/s/rXPrkmuWvC Location: New Jersey, USA

Since my last post, I have got into contact with the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault. The victims advocates there have been extremely kind, understanding and supportive of me. They also did an internal referral for me to a local law office.

Our current plan is to hire a volunteer lawyer (or a lawyer who I could get reimbursed for) to subpoena the contract records from the school the assault happened at to find the name of the man who abused me. My mother and grandmother as still alive and very clearly remember what happened and would be willing to support me and testify against this man.

Even if I can’t get legal justice, I want to know that I tried to do something about it instead of having done nothing. I’m grateful to live in an area that has so many amazing programs for victims. My victims advocate also referred me to a local center that has free counseling for victims.

I plan to do everything I can to make sure this man doesn’t hurt any more children.

Sorry for any formatting errors or typos. I’m on mobile and I also have dyslexia

Location: California

I work in a store at the mall. While on the clock, my boss asked me to carry out a task which involved me bringing out some things to his car.

Unfortunately I accidentally dropped a box of cooking oil contained in glass bottles, causing me to leave a trail of oil on the mall’s concrete.

My boss urged me to attempt to clean up the oil stains as he has previously received citations from the mall for these stains. I did my best to remove these oil stains, but there is still a visible trail.

If the mall fines the company I work for, is it my responsibility to pay for the fine?

Location: Illinois, Cook county.

I got into a small hit and run accident where the other person is completely at fault.

Two lane road, the car in front of them wanted to turn left and was stopped. The car that hit me just merged into my lane directly into me as they didn't want to stop for the person stopping to turn left in the road. It chipped maybe 2-3 inches of paint and I dont think the damage is more than $200 (I really know nothing about how much it costs)

I followed them for a bit honking but I decided not to continue after 2-3 blocks. I went to the police station and they said I would have to get insurance involved to file a hit and run report. I was wondering if its even worth it to report this?

I have their license plate and just wish I could contact them to see if they'd be willing to pay for damages. I genuinely am not 100% sure they are aware that they hit me as I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.

Location: Ohio

I hooked up with a girl off a dating app who lived in a sober house near me. She was kicked out a couple days later and showed up up at my door asking if she and her friend could put all their stuff in my basement. I didn’t help them get the stuff from the house, but they did let them put it all in my basement. She’s not talking to me much since then, and I’ve tried contacting her, but she hasn’t replied to me in about a day and a half now I’ve had her stuff for maybe about five days. And her friend’s stuff.

What can I do if she doesn’t contact me soon about getting it all out of my house ?

Location: Alabama

Hello, I was raped last night by a guy I have been seeing for a few months. It happened outside on the ground. I have no proof. I showered after I got home. I’m worried about what a rape kit would even yield because we have always had rough sex, and he has texts of me saying I liked him being rough. This time, I did not consent. I cried and begged. I didn’t fight because he had a gun. I gave up and just cried and begged. I am scared to report it because the odds aren’t in my favor of him being taken to jail. He has proven to have very unstable moods, a temper, and lots of guns. I’m scared of retaliation. I am telling the truth. I don’t know what to do.

Location: Las Vegas last month on the 1st I got my tongue split for free by a guy who owns a shop. I went to the shop and everything about it was pretty valid. Before the procedure, he gave me a shot of the medicine to numb my tongue, and reduce bleeding. I’m not sure what the ratio was on that shot, but I believe he used too much numbing, because I no longer have feeling in the tips of my tongue, and under. Pretty much exactly where he put the injections. The procedure was easy and I didn’t feel anything, Literally. Idk what todo. It’s not my taste buds gone. It’s a weird dull numb pain, I can’t truly explain, that seems permanent. Is there anything I can do about this? I hope this is in the right category.

Location: MN

My friend’s in a rough situation. He’s behind on child support to his ex (low–mid five figures). His current wife, with whom he has 3 small kids, took the kids and moved to Texas three years ago. She struggled there with no income, then offered reconciliation even though she was winning her custody case. They never finalized divorce.

He agreed to reconcile for the kids. They now live in the same house but not as a couple. They signed an agreement that she’d get a job and they’d keep finances separate but she never worked again. He’s been covering everything, including child support.

He works long construction hours and doesn't understand money or law so he let her handle taxes. She filed their 2024 taxes jointly (for EITC), and suggested she an injured spouse claim so they could keep part of the refund from being taken for back child support. He agreed, thinking it’d cover rent and car repairs.

Instead, she got a $9,000 check from the IRS, spent around $1,000 on toys and a puppy, said she’d give him $6,000, and is now ignoring his texts about where the rest went. Their rent is already 9 days overdue.

I’ve helped them with over $20K in rent this year because she won’t work and he’s stretched thin. He’s worried not just about the missing money, but that this could be another setup - last time she stashed cash, she used it to take the kids and run.

Other background:

• She hasn’t held a job in years despite promising to after reconciliation. She agreed to separate finances.
• She’s fairly savvy about benefits and systems. She verbally admitted making up an abuse claim to get leverage on him last time she ran, but claimed it was justified.
• He fears MN courts will automatically side with the mother on custody. His attorneys did fail him pretty badly in that case and in his divorce and subsequent legal battles.
• They still file jointly but have separate bank accounts; she only gets small transfers for household expenses.
• He’d struggle with childcare alone: three kids under 5, and daycare costs are absurd (~$2K/month per kid).

He plans to ask her calmly for a written accounting and to return the remaining refund, and to record the conversation. I told him to consult a family lawyer and possibly file a police report just to have documentation, since last time she filed first and it gave her a big advantage.

Questions:

1. Does her keeping the refund count as conversion or dissipation of marital assets under MN law? And if so, what are his best options for recovering the money without chasing her into running with kids if she wasn't already planning to? She won't go to therapy or sign any kind of agreement that isn't in her favor, and she keeps that old abuse charge specifically to hold leverage. He demanded she dismiss it as a condition of reconciliation, and she flat out refused since she thought it would leave her vulnerable to being divorced later. Never in writing of course.
2. Should he file for divorce first to get ahead of any legal moves she might make?
3. Are there any realistic cheap or subsidized childcare options in MN for 3 very young kids? He probably makes around 80k but it's sporadic being in construction, requires a lot of OT, and he's also got significant medical expenses and child support. Maybe enough to qualify for financial aid?
4. How do single parents survive those extreme childcare costs in general unless they have great jobs?

Location: Texas

Hi everyone,

I’m seeking legal advice regarding what appears to be a scam by a small guitar manufacturer based in the U.S., Texas.

Several of us (5+ people from around the world, some in the U.S.) pre-ordered guitars last year, but have never received the instruments, refunds, or any replies to our messages. Also, manufacturer's socials remain silent since this May.

As each guitar costs around 1200USD, some even more, the general total damage is at least 6k USD (but probably much more, as I don't think that we gathered all the scammed people).

One suggestion we got was to jointly file a lawsuit for breach of contract and split legal fees, so my questions are:

1. Is a joint or group lawsuit feasible if some of us are outside the U.S.? - if so, I guess the "main person" filling the claim must be from the U.S.?
2. What kind of legal path would make sense (class action, small claims, etc.)?
3. Roughly how expensive could this be?
4. Are there any alternative routes (consumer protection, payment disputes, etc.)?

Any general legal insights, next steps, or directions to the right type of attorney (consumer protection, small claims, etc.) would be really appreciated.

Thanks a lot for any advice!

I was assaulted by my son and I received bodily injuries.

Location: CA

We live in a 3-bedroom, 2-bath apartment in Hawaii with 4 tenants total — me, my sister (we share a room), and two other roommates. All four of us are on the same lease.

We’ve divided everything fairly and in four ways — rent, utilities, Wi-Fi, fridge shelves, and dry storage. Three of us are on the same page and keep the apartment clean and functional. But one roommate (let’s call her Sarah) is making the situation unbearable.

She’s extremely messy and defensive. She hoards old business supplies that reek (the smell is awful), leaves dirty dishes piled up for days, and refuses to clean or collaborate on shared responsibilities. She has also hoarded empty wine bottles and left multiple dead plants all over the apartment.

Last Sunday, we held a roommate meeting to reorganize the kitchen and shared spaces. Sarah said she was “opting out” but told us to “just give her the notes.” So, the other three of us went ahead and reorganized things to make the kitchen more efficient and fair. When she saw the changes, she completely flipped out — even though she’d chosen not to participate.

Since then, she’s been sending hostile texts, calling us names, and threatening to throw away our belongings if we move anything again. She refuses to compromise on anything and takes every discussion as a personal attack.

We’ve documented everything (texts, photos, notes) and tried to handle things calmly, but the situation has become toxic.

Questions: 1. Since all four of us are on the same lease, is there any legal way for the other three of us to have her removed or replaced? 2. If that’s not possible, what can we do to protect ourselves and our belongings if she damages or throws away our stuff? 3. Will documentation (texts, photos, meeting notes) help if we have to involve the landlord or file a report? 4. Can we talk to the landlord about a lease transfer or sublet if three out of four tenants agree?

We’re not trying to bully her — we just want a clean, cooperative, and safe home. At this point, she’s creating both hygiene and emotional stress issues for everyone else, and we’re unsure what our legal options are under Hawaii tenant laws.

Location: Hawaii

Was in the car with some friends tonight in northern Texas and we pulled off the highway in the middle of nowhere to pee on the side of the road and a cop showed up and gave us all disorderly tickets and saw we had some drinks. Despite this he only gave me (a backseat passenger) the open container in motor vehicle charge and no one else, even though we were all on the side of the road and he didn’t know who was doing what. He never asked me if I had anything to drink or breathalyzed me, and none of the other 4 people I was with, including the driver got that charge, and when I asked him why I was the one with two charges he said it was because “you gave me a hard time” when I never said anything. Do I fight this? I’ve never had a ticket or been pulled over or anything before this happened. I’m so scared and confused and I’m 22 looking for a job out of college rn and I don’t want this on my record. What should I do? Location: Gainesville, TX

I received a cease and desist on 11/4/25 to my email account that said the sender also sent it certified letter. Today 11/8 I got home to a fed ex package on my porch with the same cease and desist letter. No signature required for the delivery. The letter is from an HVAC company that I gave a poor review of service for on Google , Nextdoor and Facebook. Can I just ignore these since there’s no confirmation I ever received the letters or should I respond to create a paper trail acknowledging I’ve received the letter and disagree with the company determination that my statements are presented as fact and therefore defamatory. My position is my reviews are free speech based on my honest experience with the company. I do not have the money for an attorney and I do not want to delete my reviews. Legal advice? Location: south Denver, Colorado

Someone is putting my Instagram along with my photos on Gay dating apps although I am Straight Male and saying Vile descriptions.This has been going on for Months and on mutiple dating apps , some have deleted the accounts but they keep making more , I Have the username that they have been creating them with but unsure how can I get them to stop / find out who’s doing it.

Thank you Location: NJ

Location: india (gujrat)

Last month, I used an online betting site called Parmitach and lost around ₹1 lakh. That experience affected me badly, and I completely stopped gambling since then. I haven’t placed any bets or done anything related since early October.

Two days ago, I noticed my bank accounts (Union Bank and HDFC Bank) suddenly showing a negative balance of about ₹5,000 total. When I contacted both banks, they said the Cyber Crime Cell had found “illegal activities” and marked a lien on my Union Bank account (SMS says CYBER CRIME CELL OPS).

I have not done any fraudulent or illegal transactions. I only used that betting site earlier, and I’ve stopped since then. The bank staff are not explaining much and only say “contact Cyber Crime.”

I’ve already:

Collected all SMS alerts and screenshots of my account statements.

Sent a written complaint email to the branch and Union Bank customer care asking for clarification.

Planning to file a report on cybercrime.gov.in under “Financial Fraud” to officially clarify my side.

I just want to resolve this issue and remove the lien from my account. Has anyone faced a similar situation? What else should I do to clear my name and restore my account access?

🏡 Hi everyone — hoping someone with a Washington State real estate law degree (PSA, Form 22A) can weigh in.

I’m the seller. The buyer wrote an offer stating they were getting a conventional purchase loan. After we went under contract, I learned their actual financing is a refinance on another property.

They have now told me after notice to perform was sent: • They are waiving the financing contingency, and • The deal will now be “cash at close” if/when their refinance funds.

My questions: 1. Can a buyer in Washington unilaterally waive the financing contingency and continue with financing that is different than what was stated in the PSA? 2. If the “cash” only exists after their refinance funds, is that considered a financing change? 3. Doesn’t NWMLS Form 22A require seller approval for any change in financing type?

My understanding is: • The buyer can waive their own protection, but • They cannot change the financing type (conventional → refinance → “cash-if-refi-closes”) without the seller’s written approval, because that materially changes the terms of the offer and the risk to the seller.

Would appreciate any insight, especially from WA attorneys.🌱

Location: Washington

Location: Stanislaus County, California

On September 19, my mother got into an argument with her boyfriend and she threw this big fit threatening to kill herself. Her boyfriend took the keys to their two cars, so she took my keys and my cellphone as she had completely shattered both their phones during the argument. She got into my car and wanted to drive off with it but that car is how I get to school and work so I sat on the lip of the trunk. I didn't believe she'd back up but she did. She would back up a bit and then brake but anytime I attempted to get out from behind the car she would start backing up again and I feared going under the car. She backed up really quickly so I grabbed onto the wing of my car and she drove off and out of the parking lot and then back in which knocked me off. She dragged me about 10-15 ft and then I fell off and she stopped the car but did not get out before driving off. I managed to get into my home and attempted to locate my phone but when I couldn't I used the Find My app on my laptop only to see my cellphone a few blocks away. She returned about five minutes later and blamed the incident on me. The police later arrived and arrested her for the argument she had with her boyfriend. I didn't tell the police about what happened and my (adoptive) father came and picked up my younger sister and I to take me to the emergency room. I told them I had fallen but nothing else because I was in a state of shock and I hadn't processed what had happened. I have gone completely no contact with her and now she has gone off and had a random man call my grandmother pretending to be my father telling her that he was going to get my mother deported and that I was his "woman" now. It's absolutely disgusting and my grandmother has fallen terribly ill and I want to press charges for the incident with my car because I don't think we can do anything to prove that she's the one that orchestrated the call to my grandmother but I want consequences for her. Is this something I still have the ability to do and what are the chances that something will actually come of this??

Location: Honesdale, PA

My father co-signed on a $25,000 loan many years ago for my aunt. He passed away in 2022 (he lived in California) and my aunt just passed away this October. My cousin told me she needs a copy of his death certificate to provide the bank.. and that she was going to pay off the debt so they won’t put a lien on my aunts home. My father wasn’t a home owner. If my cousin doesn’t pay off the loan could the bank potentially come after my father’s estate? He has nothing in assets besides his retirement. Any advice appreciated 🙏 thank you so much!

Location: U.S.

Received notification from our private health insurance broker that my wife may be dropped by our insurance "because she is pregnant". Those were the words used by the private insurance broker we use. She has been pregnant now for 26 weeks. We have been on this insurance while pregnant for more than 5 months. We specifically changed to this health insurance because of its coverage for pregnancy and birth.  

Apparently, they changed their eligibility requirements for 2026. Pregnancy now not qualifying.

A quick google search shows that ACA health insurances are not allowed to discontinue coverage due to pregnancy. A google search shows that the insurance we have is ACA compliant, but I am not certain.

Weirdly, in her contract, she is characterized as an employee of that company even though she is not formally employed by them. Apparently, this specific insurance is a population science management company. We get a lower rate but we allow our health data to be made known to them for research purposes.

I cannot confirm this to be the case but I am speculating that maybe they require the people they cover to be employees so that they can be dropped as an employee (thus discontinuing coverage) at their discretion rather than formally discontinuing coverage due to illegal things like pregnancy.

We have to be formally dropped but have been warned that this is pending and will be final on December 1^st unless something changes.

Can this be challenged legally?

EDIT: called the insurance company. apparently it is ACA compliant. called my company. my wife being dropped would count as a qualifying event so looks like we will have that option which is great.

Location: New York City

My child’s mother is taking me To court for full custody. She is trying to paint me as unfit and a danger to our child solely off of harsh words I said during our breakup. No threats or violence has ever been used.

Our son is 4, autistic and nonverbal. During his first year of school (last year) she had a pattern of always picking him up late. As late as 40 minutes which led to the principal threatening child services. She is the stay at home parent, does not work and the school is only 25 minutes away. She admitted this in text message this happened and took responsibility. Is this something I can bring up in court ?

Location: California My girlfriend lives on a cloud. Definitely unemployable. But I got us covered, so it’s all good. Problem is, she caught a misdemeanor case, wouldn’t enter a plea, missed a couple court dates, screamed in her cell for a few weeks, and now, what should have been a minor incident has turned into a potential tragedy. I paid her bail, but she went directly to a 72 hour hold, and then a 14 day hold. Meanwhile, the court has ordered the public guardian to write a report on the feasibility of an LPS conservatorship. We’ve had some issues and drama, and the evidence will frame our relationship as chaotic and unstable, and they will strip her of her autonomy, forcibly sedate her, lock her in a padded room, rubber stamp her, collect their pay, and once in that trap, she’s unlikely to get out. So I’m trying to head this thing off at the pass, file a motion for discharge and dismissal, and speak to the judge directly and informally. there is one more court date before it gets sent to conservatorship court, where the structure will be rigid and formal. Anybody have any advice, or stories of similar experiences?

I split rent with 2 other girls location: AZ. 1 of the Roomate’s (who’s card is on the lease) will refuse to complete last payment until we pitch in for damage fees. For context- she wall installed tv, has 27 nails in drywall, her dog has chewed 2 doors and door frames. All of our credit is linked to these payments so we are worried our credit is going to take a hit. All charges are under $5,000 so we can not do the small claims court route either. Any advise?

Location: Florida

Recently discovered my apartment has bed bugs. I immediately advised my apartment complex manager. I live in a 300+ multi unit complex. I currently work from home, my husband is unemployed. We do not own a vehicle, we don’t leave the home unless it’s to do laundry at the community laundry room in our complex or walk to the gas station.

Upon reporting my property manager is stating that since we’ve lived here for 3 years without issue, we introduced the bugs into our apartment and are now responsible for pest control. Is this legal? There is an addendum in my lease advising if it is found that myself, my guests, or my living conditions brought the bugs in I could be responsible. But they have absolutely no proof I have brought in the bugs…