1 on 1 talks on this sort of thing are usually better than phone calls,debts get paid in their order of priority and standing there man to man usually makes that individual priority Then you can tell whether you want to goto court or you want to settle right there.Number 1 motovator of children and men is fear and if he fears you ,then he will pay you,I am not telling you to get beligerant or threaten him all I am saying is to chose your words wisely and he may see the light.Then after all logical roads have been traveled down .....then its time for commando tactics and it does not hurt to put a foot up the arse from time to time,heck its only 24 hrs in the pokey and the same lame paperwork you will have to do ,now he will have to do too if he wants to pursue it.Words are powerful and what those words make another man think,just may get you a refund.Some debts are high priority and some are not,I just showed you a way to make your deposit high priority. Just remember he has probably had some discomforting phone calls and letters .e-mails and such already and may be in a state of mind to pay the first real encounter he has with one of these people and he may have 3,4,500 bucks in his pocket right then{just for that purpose} and may feel compelled to pay a partial restitution,You may not want to get this motavated about collections,if so,then the way Bob pointed out would be best for you then.