Ex owes me 18k for 1.5 years, keeps ghosting..what should I do?
Hi everyone, I need some advice.
I gave my ex 39,000 in October 2024. He returned some of it, but 18,000 is still pending.
Since May 2025, he has not paid anything. His pattern is always the same he says he’ll pay next month, then disappears for days or even weeks. He ignores my calls and messages.
Sometimes I ended up texting his current girlfriend (he cheated on me with her and even denied knowing me), which makes him respond, but only to argue not to actually pay.
The last time I followed up was August 2025. After that, I stopped messaging him for my own mental peace and trusted that he would return the money himself.
Now it’s April 2026, I reached out again because I actually need the money. He again said he’ll pay after his salary, but now he’s ghosting me again.
At this point I’m tired and don’t know what to do.
Is it worth taking legal action for 18k in India?
Has anyone dealt with something like this?
What’s the most practical way to recover this money?
I do have some proof of payment and chats where he acknowledges the money.
Any advice would really help.