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Ask HN: Company won't return lended prototypes
Hello we lended some company prototypes for limited time (2 weeks). Did not charge for the lending, but signed NDA. It was a favor to them pretty much. Now they went dark and won't return calls or emails. They are on Twitter.
We need our prototypes back. What is the best course of action that does not involve some crazy legal expenses?
- uptown 10y agoIf you have an attorney, have them send a letter. If you don't, you should get one.
- cyphar 10y agoThis is the only right answer to questions like this. Get a lawyer and get their advice. Not random people on the internet.
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- tonyedgecombe 10y agoGo and stand in their reception until they return them.
- up_or_down 10y agogeography makes it impossible
- cweagans 10y agoYou know we invented airplanes a while ago, right?
- up_or_down 10y agoyes, unfortunately they also invented borders and visas
- cweagans 10y agoIt sounds like you just need to decide how much trouble this is worth to you. Is the cost of losing your prototypes greater than the cost of international travel?
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- HeyLaughingBoy 10y agoWhy? Are they off-planet? It's either worth your time to walk/drive/fly over there and retrieve your property or it's cheaper to just build more. Which is it?
- dman 10y agoIf they have raised money, mail their investors. I would expect a prompt reply from the company after that.
- ajeet_dhaliwal 10y agoWhy do they want to keep them?
- bbcbasic 10y agoCould be to copy the ip. Or to sell on. Or they have gone bust do cannot be contacted. Or to cheap to mail them back. Or it's a one man band and the owner passed away or...
- chrisBob 10y agoAre they in Ann Arbor Michigan, USA? If so I can go over and take a look for you. Anywhere else you would need to find someone else to approach them and help you out.
- stevenwiles 10y agoYou're saying you're willing to hunt down this company for a random user on the internet? Why are you so eager to get involved?
- mysterypie 10y agoIt'd be nice to know their motivation. Another person commented on the obvious possibilities: company went bust, they're too cheap to mail it, etc. But thinking out of the box for a moment, are any of these scenarios possible? - Your prototypes were lost, stolen, or broken and they don't want to admit it? - It was taken by someone else (not stolen) and they can't get it back? For example, taken by a bank, investor, landlord, or government as collateral until a loan, investment, rent, or taxes are paid? - Does your prototype involve something like crypto (in certain countries) or weapons systems such that a government agency could have classified it or seized it? - Are they trying to exert leverage against you to do or not do something, but can't come right out and say it? That is, they want you to say it first?