Link: https://old.reddit.com/r/tifu/comments/1vgsn0w/tifu_by_getting_scammed_by_a_pay_upfront_stylist/

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The original was posted on /r/tifu by /u/G0TH1C_IDIOT on 2026-08-06 03:17:00+00:00.

The FU has actually occurred over a series of weeks. I'm (20f) a bit embarrassed to even admit I've fallen for something like this. But I have very thick 4b hair that is very difficult to take care of, especially during the summer. So I like to get my hair braided during the hotter seasons. My usual stylist is amazing, but there are some styles I like that she doesn't know how to do. So back in 2025 when I noticed my friend had gotten her braids freshly done, I ended up asking her who did them and asked for her socials.

I reached out to this stylist (20sf) and told her that my friend recommended her to me and asked when she'd be able to do hair. I asked for her website so I could book an appointment and ended up getting emailed an invoice. When the appointment came, everything went well, so I ended up going to her another 3 or 4 times.

But fast forward to this summer, I reached out to her again because I wanted purple box braids. We initially settled for a Friday last July, and the day before I asked for her address again (she moved and I couldn't remember what her new address was), but then she told me she actually had a doctor's appointment and asked to reschedule. I agreed, but thought that was weird, because why would you agree to do hair if you have a doctor's appointment on that same day? Unless she forgot. But it was fine, we rescheduled for the following Sunday, but then a few hours before the appointment, she told me that she got into a wreck Saturday night and was in the ER all night. And that she had just gotten home but had to go back. I told her I was sorry to hear that and waited a little bit to ask if we could reschedule, since I figured she needed space.

But then I saw that she was posting selfies on her Snapchat and thought it was strange that there was no mention of an ER or wreck, just a picture of her in a crop top with her tongue out. I messaged her asking to reschedule, and we agreed on a Thursday at 11am. I asked her again to send the address and she said she would, but when Thursday rolls around, she doesn't. In fact, she asks if I can come at 12pm instead because she's still finishing hair on someone else. I reluctantly agreed since I worked later that day and wasn't totally sure she'd be done on time, but then 12:38 rolls around and I still don't hear from her. As of today writing this post, it has been 5 days since I've heard from her. Snapchat says that she hasn't opened my message, yet she's constantly posting on her stories.

That's just it. And then I thought about how stupid it was of me to trust someone who asks to pay upfront before offering services, but since I had previously paid her before and gotten my hair done, plus we had somewhat of a decent rapport whenever she worked with my hair, I sorta assumed she'd be fine and that the upfront charge was just a way to discourage last minute cancellers or no shows. But no, I've been scammed and lost $195. The style I wanted was $165, but I paid her separately an extra $30 for a blowout. Here's where I realize I've FU even more: on Cashapp, I've gotten so used to titling my transactions as "gift" so that business owners don't get an extra charge. The $165 transaction was listed as a gift, but after she flaked on me the first time I titled the $30 transaction as "blowout".

I've vented about this ashamedly to coworkers and then my mother, and they all advised me to take her to small claims court to try and get my money back since she's ignoring me, but part of me is scared that this won't work since one of the transactions is listed as a gift. Plus, the most damning evidence of a scam was deleted by Snapchat since the messages had grown old, and at the time that she was messaging me about the doctor's appointment and then the wreck, I didn't think she was trying to scam me. I do have a picture of our exchange when she tells me to come later, then completely ghosts me, but I don't think it's enough. I filed a police report and was told that what she did may count as a misdemeanor theft crime, but that my best bet would be an affidavit since the transactions were a mutual agreement and that there currently wasn't much they could do.

I guess I've learned a very important lesson.

TL;DR: I trusted a stylist who had previously done my hair before, to do it again, only to get scammed and ghosted by her. And I didn't get a chance to take a photo of all of the evidence that she ghosted me, so I likely will not get that money back.