Paid for goods or rent — the seller disappeared: what to do under Georgian law

What to do

1. The same day: screenshots of the listing, the profile and the correspondence, and the receipt with the recipient’s details; a report to the police — fraud, meaning taking property by deception with intent to appropriate it (a fictitious seller or listing) (Criminal Code of Georgia, Art. 180); damage exceeding 150 lari is “significant” (an aggravated offence) (Criminal Code, Art. 177); the applicant is entitled to a written certificate that a report of a crime was filed (Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia, Art. 101). Notify your bank and the recipient’s bank (a request, not a duty of the bank); complain to the platform.
2. The bank will not reverse it on its own: a transfer confirmed by the payer is an authorised operation, even if induced by deception (Law of Georgia on Payment System and Payment Services, Art. 22); a payment order accepted by the bank cannot be revoked by the client (same law, Art. 29).
3. Victim status: if the application for victim status is not granted within 48 hours — once to the superior prosecutor, then to court (Criminal Procedure Code, Art. 56). Then ask the prosecutor to freeze the recipient’s account: on a motion from the prosecution, the court may arrest property obtained by criminal means, so that it cannot be hidden or spent — ask the prosecutor to freeze the recipient’s account (Criminal Procedure Code, Art. 151). The investigation obtains the account holder’s details.
4. Claim against the recipient (often a “drop”, i.e. the holder of the card): a claim for return of what was received without legal grounds (Civil Code of Georgia, Art. 976), or for compensation of harm from an intentional unlawful act (Civil Code, Art. 992); the limitation period for a tort claim is 3 years from when you learned of the harm or of who is obliged to compensate it (Civil Code, Art. 1008); a claim may be accompanied by security (arrest of the defendant’s account) if enforcement would otherwise be difficult (Civil Procedure Code, Art. 191).
5. Where to apply: police (Ministry of Internal Affairs) or prosecutor’s office; your bank and the recipient’s bank; the listing platform; superior prosecutor; district (city) court.
6. Evidence: link and screenshots of the listing and profile, correspondence, phone number, transfer receipt (IBAN or card, recipient’s name), photos of the empty parcel and the waybill.
7. Pitfalls: disputing with the bank as an “unauthorised debit” — the client confirmed the transfer personally; waiting “until the seller replies” — money from a drop card is moved within hours; paying “intermediaries” who promise to recover the money for a fee — repeat fraud; not requesting victim status — without it there is no access to case information and no right to challenge decisions.

Be sure to check

• immediately record evidence and file a fraud report; obtain a certificate
• the bank will not reverse the transfer on its own — the operation is authorised
• victim status and a motion through the prosecutor to freeze the recipient’s account
• claim against the recipient (unjust enrichment or tort), 3-year limitation period