Recovery playbook

6 stepsGuide

Build your paper trail, find the record and prepare your next step.

Educational only, not legal advice. Procedures and limits vary by country, state, and amount. Confirm specifics with a qualified attorney or your local court before acting.

A timeline of four steps: a signed agreement, a coin passing between two wallets, a calendar with one day circled in red, and a sealed letter.
From an agreement to a letter: the path Recovery walks you through.

  1. Lock down your paper trail

    Screenshot the agreement, the original request, every payment confirmation and message, timestamped. Courts rule on documentation, so capture it before they delete it.

    Open guide

  2. Identify who they really are

    A court can’t serve a username. It needs a real name and address. Warden dossiers link handles to real identities and payment accounts. This is where most lenders get stuck, and where Warden pays for itself.

    Find dossier

  3. Send a formal demand letter

    A dated written demand with a firm deadline. It often prompts payment on its own, and many courts expect you to try it first. Template included.

    Use template

  4. File in small claims

    The right venue for most P2P amounts: low fees, no lawyer required. File where the borrower lives or where the agreement was formed. Small-claims limits and fees vary by region. Check your local court.

  5. Present a clean case

    Show the agreement, the transfer, the default, and the demand, in that order. Warden corroboration from other lenders strengthens a pattern of intent.

  6. Collect the judgment

    Winning is half the battle. Collecting is the other half. Wage garnishment, bank levy, and payment-platform records turn a judgment into money back in your account.