I’ve Made $20,000 on eBay Selling a Dead Woman’s Stuff. Now Her Daughter Want’s a Cut.

Pay Dirt Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Motortion/iStock/Getty Images Plus. Pay Dirt is Slate’s money advice column. Have a question? Send it to Kristin and Ilyce here. (It’s anonymous!) Dear Pay Dirt, My mom’s coworker, “Pam,” lost her 96-year-old mother earlier this year, and according to my mom, Pam was histrionically dreading having to clear out her mom’s “house full of junk.” I’m a stay-at-home mom and a passionate collector of vintage dishes, furniture, costume jewelry, and books, all of which Pam’s mom was apparently into, so I offered to help. My mom basically brokered an agreement for me to buy the entire contents of Pam’s mom’s house for $2,000, on the condition that I clear it completely out between a Friday and the following Monday. The house was not filthy, just very cluttered, so between me, my husband, and kids, and a couple of friends, we got the job done. We junked half a dozen pickup loads and took a couple more to Goodwill. The rest we either moved straight into our house, or stored in our barn to sort through, clean, and sell later. So far I have made almost $20,000 on Ebay and Etsy, and have barely disposed of half of it. That’s not even counting the beautiful handmade wood furniture that I’ve replaced most of our IKEA and Wayfair crap with. It would cost well into the five-figures, if not low six figures, for new stuff of even close to the same quality and style. Unfortunately my mom must have let some of this slip to Pam. Pam went to their HR but was dismissed because the matter was not work related. Now Pam is bombarding me on social media, mailing unhinged letters, and even contacting my husband’s workplace. She’s accusing me of cheating her, demanding money, and threatening to sue. She doesn’t seem to believe I kept so much of the furniture, and wants at least half of its value regardless. I have emails confirming our agreement, and I held up my end. Do I need a lawyer to resolve this? Even if not actually illegal, did I do anything in any way unfair? What do I do? —Not All Junk Dear Not All Junk, You don’t need to hire a lawyer yet. A consultation and a letter can cost a few thousand dollars, though if Pam actually sues, you’ll have to hire one anyway. If she does sue, or if the harassment turns serious, such as threats or showing up at your home, that’s when you act: hire an attorney for the lawsuit, or go to the police and file a harassment complaint. Legally, you’re probably on solid ground. You agreed on a price in writing, Pam set the terms, and you held up your end, which included hauling away truckloads of trash on a weekend deadline. Buyers generally don’t have to tell sellers what their things are worth. That’s the whole premise behind the History Channel’s “American Pickers” show: Old stuff lying around in garages, barns, and basements is actually worth big money. It doesn’t sound as if Pam had the contents appraised. Your mother said she called it “junk.” You asked if you were unfair. In your telling, you did what you said you’d do: You (and your family) did the hard work of emptying a life’s worth of possessions over a weekend. But you also knew far more about those things than Pam did, and finding out what she gave away was worth real money likely came as a shock. That doesn’t excuse the harassment, of course. It may explain it. Right now, you should stop responding to her: No replies, no posts, no calls, no contact. Mute her so you don’t see what she says online and you don’t get her texts. Save the paper trail: the emails, proof you paid her, the letters, and screenshots of every message before she deletes any. Ask your mother not to discuss you or your business with anyone at her job.If you decide to talk to an attorney now, let them handle the workplace contact. If contact continues, a police report or an order against harassment might be next steps. You also haven’t finished sorting what’s in your barn. If you find family photographs, letters, or other personal papers, you might offer them back to Pam through your attorney. It costs you little, it’s the right thing to do, and it may calm her down. If you haven’t hired an attorney at that point, you might want to consult with one to see how to word the letter so it doesn’t compromise your position. Finally, keep records of what you spent and what you sold, and talk to a tax preparer. Resale profits are generally taxable income. You made a smart deal. Make sure it stays a clean one. —Ilyce Classic Prudie My sister seems to be saying some… questionable things. For example, the other day, my sister and my father were both playing a game, and my sister lost. When my sister lost the game, my dad joked about how she lost and teased her. In return, she picked up a pair of scissors and declared “Daddy, if you do that again, I will stab your eye out and you will go to heaven.” Never miss new Slate Advice columns Get the latest from Prudie and our columnists in your inbox each weekday, plus special bonus letters on Saturdays. Advice Personal Finance Relationships