Woman Refuses To Pay Salon, Learns Expensive Lesson

She Needed Help

The story goes that Melissa walked into a local salon one day.

In the midst of her frantic preparations for her engagement party, she needed her hair done as soon as possible. 

Rebecca, her stylist, knew her day would be long when she looked at her. But she didn’t realize how long and hectic the process would be.

A Difficult Client

It was annoying and demanding to work with Rebecca’s client; she didn’t even have an appointment and begged to be treated.

The crying woman’s plea touched Rebecca’s heart, so she agreed to see her. 

She had no idea she was at the center of a scheme that would leave her with nothing in her pocket.

Remaining Professional

The hair was done according to the client’s request by Rebecca, who remained professional throughout the process.

Her chair was empty when she returned after getting more hair products from the back. It had only been a few minutes since she left. 

Despite the stylist’s best efforts, none of the other customers noticed her client leave. Rebecca ran outside to look for her client, but she was nowhere to be found. What was the situation with her client? 

Where Was She?

After the stylist frantically asked the receptionist if she had seen anything, the receptionist told her that there was a strange lady who just walked out moments ago.

After trying to stop her, she ignored the receptionist and hurried away. 

Upon realizing she had been tricked, Rebecca burst into tears. As a security precaution, she requested the video footage from the building. The video footage would be the only proof of what really took place.

The Proof Is In The Pudding

During her stealthy exit from the salon, Melissa was captured on camera driving away in a white SUV with no license plates. Rebecca was stunned by what she saw.

She could clearly see the color style from a mile away since it was her specialty balayage. There was a line of women waiting outside her salon from all over the city, just to get their hair done by her.

Rebecca filed an official police report. After several weeks of searching, the police finally found her, and they were shocked. 

Not Melissa

Melissa was not the woman they caught. There was no connection between her name and Melissa.

It had been her strategy to manipulate both the police and the stylist into believing she was someone she wasn’t. 

After apologizing for causing her inconvenience and ruining her day, the officer told her about the scams that women like Melissa pull.

Similar Experiences

The stylist, Rebecca, was in a state of frenzied panic as she described the woman’s manipulative behavior.

As a way to assist the police, she alerted other salons about Melissa. 

A woman who described herself as Melissa was reported to other top salons, but when she was caught, it was not Melissa.

She’s Done This Before

Her expensive treatment was described by Rebecca.

She seemed very knowledgeable about hair and had just had professional hair extensions applied just a few weeks earlier.

Her roots needed to be touched up with a balayage, along with new extensions. The total cost of the treatments was $900.

Humiliation

The fake Melissa held Rebecca captive for hours while she told her fake story about her fiancé and engagement party.

Apparently, her bridal stylist became ill just before the wedding. 

Her initial mistake was not knowing she was being scammed. Melissa was an actress who told a convincing story. As a result, Rebecca felt stupid and regretted believing her story.

A Thorough Search

More salons were reached out to by the police after reviewing video footage.

Her real name is Laury White, and one of the regular stylists recognized her. She was a notorious con artist.

The hair salon scams she committed around town were perpetrated under the alias Melissa. Is she going to be caught this time?

Connecting The Dots

With the help of stylists, the police did a more thorough search.

They saw a pattern with the stories in salons around the same area. The problem was that Melissa kept changing her hairstyle so it was hard to spot her. 

Melissa was also quite a common name which is why it was so easy for her to pull the same stunt so many times.

Another Sighting

There was another report at a salon in Burbank where she had left her old iPhone as a supposed indication of her trustworthiness and claimed that she was going to withdraw cash to pay for the treatment. 

However, she never returned.

Melissa matched her description, and they were sure they would catch her the next time.

On The Ball

The police were adamant about bringing Melissa to justice and kept their eyes on the ball for weeks on end.

They patrolled the roads with the most hairdressers on them and kept a picture of the woman close at hand.

They even went as far as speaking to pedestrians and asking about the woman, but they kept coming up empty-handed.

Still No Clues

Days had soon turned to weeks, but the authorities still had no clues to go on.

It seemed like Melissa had been staying under the radar.

But the officers knew that wouldn’t be the case for long. Her hair would need a touch-up soon enough, and when that happened, they’d be there to stop her from running off again.

A Few Weeks Later

As expected, the police department received a call about a cut and run a few weeks later.

The salon owner, who was a friend of Rebecca’s, was warned about this hair fiend, and she called the police the second she heard the frantic woman’s story. 

It was exactly the same story that had been told to Rebecca, and the woman had also introduced herself as Melissa.

We Are On The Way

The local police department immediately sent out a vehicle to intercept the hair fiend before she managed to get away.

They spotted a white SUV with no number plates close to the salon and knew they had their woman.

The officers parked a little further down the road and waited for their suspect to make her escape. But this time, they won’t be letting her slip through their fingers.

She Sneaks Out

The officers waited for about an hour and were starting to get a little stiff.

One of them was about to get out and stretch his legs, but before he could open his door, Melissa peeked out of the salon door. This was it. She was about to make her escape. 

The officers watched on as Melissa sprinted to her car and sped off. There would be no denying the evidence this time.

The Chase

The police officers followed Melisa’s vehicle for a few miles before realizing that she was heading out of town. 

As soon as the traffic became a little less dense, Melissa pushed down on the accelerator, and the officers were forced to turn their surveillance mission into a full-blown chase.

It wasn’t long before Melissa realized she was being followed, and her driving quickly became reckless.

A Dangerous Situation

Melissa’s driving was becoming dangerous.

She was swerving between cars in an attempt to lose the officers that were hot on her heels.

The officers knew that this had to come to an end before any pedestrians got hurt or worse. They called in for backup, and before long, there were officers coming from every direction.

We Have You Surrounded

Thanks to their quick thinking, the officers managed to corner Melissa’s as she was trying to turn into a small side street.

The officers who started the chase blocked her in from behind while another patrol car blocked her off in the front.

The police officers quickly apprehended their suspect and had her down at the station before she could fully comprehend what had happened.

Confirmation

While at the station, the officers managed to confirm Melissa’s identity. She was, in fact, Laury White, as they had suspected.

White had been on the run for a while now, and the authorities were starting to wonder if they would ever be able to catch her, as they didn’t know what she looked like.

But thanks to a concerned citizen, they can finally put her behind bars.

Consequences

Laury White was arrested for burglary thanks to her attempts to get free hair treatments, and her bail was set at $20,000.

But that wasn’t the end of her story. Laury still had to appear before a judge and receive her final verdict. Such charges are not something that can be taken lightly.

And Laury was caught red-handed, so she had no foot to stand on.

A Fair Trial

Within a matter of days, White appeared in court.

She was ordered to pay a fine of $900 and had to do 200 hours of community service. But that wasn’t all.

White was also ordered to pay back the money she owed to all the salons she had scammed over the years. But would this be enough for the lying lady to change her ways?

What She Had To Say

White was extremely embarrassed and very defensive.

She didn’t take getting caught lightly and put up quite a fuss. But in the end, it was the fact that she used the same name and story that ended in her being caught.

If she had been a bit more clever, no one would’ve known that she was the same woman who cheated Rebecca out of her money. And she might never have been caught.

A Lesson Learned

White claimed that she was humbled by the experience and that she realized that she had made a huge mistake.

She said that she never imagined that her actions would have such severe consequences and that people would be so hurt by what she had done. 

But Rebecca wasn’t fooled by her apology at all. “A leopard can’t change its spots,” she said.

I’m Sorry

Over the next few months, White worked hard to make amends.

She did her community service and paid back every penny she owed to the salons she had scammed. It seemed as though she was determined to bring back some pride to her name.

However, Rebecca didn’t forgive her that easily and said that it would take time to trust her again.

The Last Laugh

At the end of the day, the hairdressers got the last laugh.

But even though Rebecca didn’t believe a word White said and couldn’t forgive her, she did feel bad about how things ended.

In an attempt to get some reassurance, Rebecca posted her story online. But she never expected it to get so many mixed responses.

Online Remarks

White’s actions sparked outrage on social media, with many people calling for her to be held accountable for her actions.

Some people argued that this type of behavior was unacceptable and that those who didn’t pay their bills should be punished. 

They felt that the salon owners and stylists deserved to be paid for their hard work.

Many Naysayers

Others argued that the root cause of this type of behavior was poverty and the lack of access to financial services.

They felt that the government should do more to help those who were struggling to make ends meet. 

The online argument caused a stir, but the verdict was final, you have to pay for services rendered. 

Vindicated

Even though there were a lot of mixed reactions online, Rebecca felt vindicated.

Those people were right. She relied on getting paid to make a living, and she couldn’t just let White get away with what she had done.

If she did, the same thing would keep happening. And just like with many others in the service industry, it was something she couldn’t afford.

Facts Are Facts

Rebecca now knew that regardless of the opinions of others, the fact remained that Laury White had stolen from the salon and that she was facing serious consequences.

Rebecca wanted justice and the reputation of her business to be upheld.

White was going to have to pay her outstanding bill and face the consequences of her actions. There was no reason for her to be treated any differently.  

Not That Easy

White understood Rebecca’s issue with her. Her experience taught her a valuable lesson, and she learned to appreciate the hard work of others. 

She also learned that there was no easy way out of financial problems and that she had to be honest and upfront about her situation.

Her stealing caused a lot of problems for innocent people, many of whom were having the same problems that she had.

Let This Be A Reminder

White’s story spread quickly and became a cautionary tale for others who might be tempted to walk out of a salon without paying.

People learned that it was wrong to take advantage of others and that honesty was always the best policy. 

But will this really change the hearts of the schemers out there? In a world full of people looking for a quick fix, it’s hard to tell who’s really genuine.

Not All Is Well

In the end, White rebuilt her life and established herself as a responsible member of society.

She learned that every action has consequences and that it was important to always be honest and treat others with respect.  

She tried her best to get Rebecca to forgive her, but Rebecca said that she could never be her friend.

An Opportunity

Even though Rebecca didn’t want to have any kind of relationship with White, her encounter with the woman did lead to something completely unexpected.

Rebecca learned a lot from the woman who had stolen from her and took it upon herself to help in any way she could.

Rebecca was more open to her customers’ needs and even added a little program to her salon to help those who were going through financial difficulties.

Think About Others

White’s story reminds us all that we should always be mindful of the impact of our actions on others.

Whether we are struggling financially or not, stealing is wrong. 

Many people are going through the same financial struggles, and it’s not fair to impose that on anybody. If you want to enjoy the finer things in life, then you have to earn them.

Money Doesn’t Grow On Trees

If you’re ever tempted to walk out of a salon without paying, remember the story of Laury White and think twice before taking advantage of others. 

Ask yourself if you really need a new haircut.

Or if it’s something you can do without? If you have no other choice, find a way to pay for the services you receive and treat others with respect.

Keeping Strong

Rebecca continued to work as a hairdresser. All the drama with Laury made her quite popular, and she got many new clients. Most of the ladies just wanted to hear the story from the horse’s mouth. 

It was all the gossip for a few months, especially with a woman really named Melissa.

Stylists tried to laugh it off, although identity proof became a regular request.

Another Culprit

There were also other reports of sly women trying to pull the same stunt all over the country. Some women seem to want expensive hair care but don’t want to pay for it. 

Rebecca’s other stylist friends prevented a few more hair chancers from a cut-a-run.

Their immediate answer is to name and shame these women, so they won’t be able to continue their scams. Rebecca started a Facebook page for salons around the area to post pictures of the scammers or go live on their feed if there are any altercations.

Protect Your Business

The lesson to be learned from this story is to never judge a book by its cover, and to always be cautious when dealing with people who are not forthcoming about their identity. 

Rebecca had to take extra steps to get justice done as a business owner. The next time a frantic bride walks into a salon and says her name is Melissa, the stylists will think twice before taking her on as a client.

Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.