Small Business Owner Scams Customer With $400, Ends Up Losing $15k 2026

This story unfolds on Reddit’s r/ProRevenge, shared by the avenger’s companion, Redditor u/Three-Nations. The tale recounts how their friend retaliated against a scammer who attempted to deceive them while selling a used water heater. Weeks after the transaction, the scammer returned, claiming the item was faulty. In a gesture of goodwill, the friend offered a full refund, only to be slapped with a $400 invoice for alleged repairs, accompanied by threats of debt collection.

Choosing to settle the invoice and close the chapter, the friend’s perspective shifted when they overheard a revealing conversation in a bar. A boastful employee of the scammer’s company spilled the beans, confirming the entire episode was a calculated scam. To make matters worse, the loudmouth identified the scammer as her boss and the company’s owner.

So keep on scrolling down below to read the whole story narrated by OP and make sure to read it till the end otherwise, you won’t be able to connect to the story.

1. OP’s friend was selling his belongings online and among the items, there was a water heater it was in working condition and he wanted to sell it online for 150$ he got an email from someone wanting to buy this heater for $100 cash.

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2. Two weeks later, he got an email from the person saying it was not working so OP’s friend offered him a full refund or cover repair cost if it was under $100 it turns out that the guy instead sent an invoice for $400 saying if he doesn’t pay in 48 hours he will send a debt collector so he paid it out of fear.

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3. Month later OP’s friend was in a bar and he overheard some girl talking about how her boss who runs a landscaping firm screwed someone over selling a water heater, he got interested and asked if he could join.

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4. She told them how he bought a water heater from a second-hand store for $25 and a working one for $100 and billed the seller for the repair of the busted one, so he asked who did this so he doesn’t have to hire that guy to fix up his yard. She says the company name and it was on the emails of the guy who bought

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5. He told OP that he was pretty angry about it but COVID happened and he had other stuff to deal with

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6. OP’s friend was browsing the website where he sold the water heater on and what he saw was strange, if you are selling a generator you need to provide a warrant of fitness proving it works and it’s safe and when he looked at that generator he noticed that there’s no way it would have a warrant of fitness

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7. He talked to his flatmate about it and they agreed that they would go 50/50 on the generator but he would have to transfer the money

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8. The owner made sure that there was no refund and the flatmate showed him the transfer confirmation and they took the generator for $800

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9. They took it to a friend who is an electrician and he agreed to check it and give an invoice for repairs he also said that they shouldn’t have bought it and it would have been cheaper to buy a new one

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10. They got in contact with the seller quoting the repair cost them around $5000 and he simply told them he was not paying as there was no refund then they asked him if there was any warrant of fitness for the generator

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11. He went silent for two days and then eventually he emailed them that he would take it back for $800 they said no and requested a warrant of safety and they got no reply, so they printed out the original screenshots that had been archived on the website and reported to the government.

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12. 4 months later, OP’s friend is in court and the guy goes up to him and tells him he will take the generator back for $800 and drop the case but they declined the offer.

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13. The government sent out to inspect the generator and it stated that it was in poor condition, it shouldn’t have been sold and it’s highly unsafe.

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14. The judge ordered the landscaping firm to refund the flatmate $800  and pay $5000 for repairs to the generator and was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine which was going straight to the flatmate

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15. When they left the courtroom the owner confronted him saying it was uncertain terms and he was paying them a lot of money to which he replied remember the water heater

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16.

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17. He got what he deserved and paid them $15,000 two days later and they split it as they agreed and went on a wonderful dinner

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18. You reap what you sow

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19. This is a pro revenge story!

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20. Presenting you the definition of pro revenge

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21. Indeed it was

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22. Have some patience, my friends.

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