Is there anything I can do if Grab support has been unhelpful in returning my lost item in a car ride?
TLDR: Driver asks for $200 to return lost laptop in Grab car and doesnt pickup calls otherwise
Wife forgot to take her laptop sleeve with her when she got out of the Grab ride around 10 in the morning. Called driver several times, didn’t pick up.
Contacted Grab support who said they were unable to contact him via call either and that they’ve left him a message.
Finally he calls my wife and says that he can return it next week. This is her work laptop and there was also hard drive with her important research data for which deliverables are due this weekend.
He then goes on to say “give me $200, I’m too busy and my boss will yell at me. Anyway I’m only asking $200 its such a low amount. And that he will return it by 3pm”.
In the meanwhile I myself contact Grab support to report extortion and they try contacting him and he doesn’t pick up. They tell me to wait.
My wife panics and we decide there is nothing we can do. She has already had a bad week so she transfers the money. Only then he picks her call and says he is having lunch and can return by 3:30. He does return it.
We did it thinking we will get the laptop back at least and then file a report somewhere. Wondering if anything we can do to get money back? FYI $200 is not a small amount.
We had already decided to give him $50 just for the trouble and perhaps missed rides during that time… until he decided to extort..
Edit:
Thanks to everyone here. We filed a police complaint now. Will update if anything happens.
I know the right thing is to not give in. But reality is the laptop was needed and we couldn’t risk him becoming awol or damage it. We were also in a time crunch because we had a plane to catch. Just bad timing and mental state overall. Lets see what happens.
Netizens’ comments
- You can still report to the police now. Accordingly, I believe the law is that if you find something of value, you should send it to the nearest police station within 24 hrs because keeping something you found is a crime. Now keeping it and then demanding it as ‘ransom’, well that’s worse.
- Good luck with grab support, they don’t give a damn about small individuals.
Maybe you could try the police route – report the criminal scum for unlawfully holding on to your possessions. - Should have reported to the police immediately when he asked money. Walao cannot do anything now