Another Rough Day

This one for Erin who was the victim of an attempted mugging at the mall.

The Higgi called in sick to the game. So I called Erin from work to plan dinner. Last night (Friday) we were planning to meet for dinner. She called me and changed from Food Court #1 to Food Court #2. Then Thomas decided to go with us for dinner. Then she called me again to change to Cheesecake Factory for dinner.

I arrived first, Thomas arrived a few moments after me, and she said she was pulling into the mall momentarily. She asked us to get the table and wait for her. We did indeed.

We were seated way in the back, so I called her to tell her. I got her voicemail, which was odd, but perhaps she was on the phone. Another 10 minutes went by and I called again. No answer. I was a little concerned considering there was parking aplenty.

A few minutes later the phone rang, she said she was robbed and hung up. As you can imagine that didn't sit well. I called her back and asked where she was, but she didn't say other than to say she was with security and to just wait and she'd come by. With no way to actually find her (the mall is enormous if you've never been to Sawgrass Mills), we decided we'd order without her and just wait. She finally traipsed in some time later covered in mud.

What happened? A young female (probably a teen) came up to her in the parking lot and asked if she had a dollar. Erin replied that she didn't carry cash. Then when Erin tried to put her phone in her pocket, the female hit her wrist had to make Erin try and drop her phone. Erin did but started to chase the crook (crookette?) but Erin slipped in the mud and lost her. Thankfully Erin is okay and nothing was taken. Mall Security was unable to find the perpetrator nor were the police. She, understandably, ditched the game -- at least the Panthers won in her honour.

Me, I awakened at 310am with violent and explosive diarrhoea and vomiting. Felt like food poisoning. Not sure it was dinner (Orange Chicken on a bed of rice with Snow Peas from the Cheesecake Factory) or lunch (a pork sandwich and baked beans from the hitching post). I might have to throw away my orange chicken leftovers. I probably shouldn't eat it though it was very tasty.

Erin came over and we did geeky computer things together. Yay. I even updated the Panthers Hockey Message Board to phpBB version 3.0 -- woo-hoo!

I still have the frequent diarrhoea, though calling it that implies there is some substance to it. More like pure water. Where it's all coming from I have no idea. Sorry. You didn't want to read that did you.

Fraud Case Update Part Two

My money is back in my account as of this morning. YAY!

However, there's more. Because my old on-line banking account was locked out because of fraud, I had to go to the branch (my local branch) to reactivate it with the new account. Well guess what, kiddies? There was a new on-line account created so someone could monitor my account online.

To avoid revealing evidence, I'll skip the details. However, this got caught when they asked me my security question and we found the answers were all changed. Tomorrow, I will advise BankAtlantic of these new details. It gets curiouser and curiouser. The lady at BankAtlantic was kind enough to let me know they log IP addresses. That will be useful.

I've also never used phone banking. Honestly, I didn't even KNOW there was such a thing. However on 1 February 2008 there were two phone banking calls as well. Obviously not by me. Too many red flags with too much information to be anything but an inside job.

I'd really like to thank my friends who showed support, offered to lend me funds temporarily, took me out to eat, and all that sort of stuff in addition to the moral support. I won't update this story again until I get some real news, but this was of enough interest to share with all of you.

Fraud Case Update

This is an update to my previous post. I can't reveal much more yet due to an ongoing investigation and the fact I don't want to compromise it. This will take quite awhile so don't expect much more than what you read here for months.

Happily, I should have my money back within 48 hours. I didn't even have to ask, which made me happy. I will keep my account at BankAtlantic based on their actions.

The case is being investigated by both the FBI and US Secret Service as well as the Broward County Sheriff's office. I will be fully cooperating. I will not release any further information at this time. Draw whatever conclusions you feel appropriate based on these statements.

Eric Defrauded. Police Called. People Arrested.

First, I want to assure you I will gladly and fully cooperate in any investigation and gladly testify and cooperate in any way. I want the people who did this to stay in jail for a very, very long time.

Here’s what transpired so far. This is edited to remove details from an ongoing investigation.

On the morning of 2-7-08 I received a call at work from Marvin at the Bank Atlantic in Lauderhill, Florida. He asks if I’ve written checks to Renee Johnson and Eldora Golden. I tell him no. He asks me again if I’m absolutely sure because I had also written one yesterday. I tell him I didn’t write one yesterday either. He says he’ll call the police and call me back.

Around noon I speak to Marvin because I hadn’t heard back. He said they were arrested by Detective Charles Smith. I leave a message but don’t hear back. Marvin also tells me to call the Metro-Dade Police (where I live) which I also do. I leave work early because I am too upset to concentrate. They come to my home around 330 or so. The detective asks for my Lauderhill case number which we don’t have. He calls Detective Smith but gets no answer. Then he’s directed to the BSO who finally tells him it was actually processed by Detective Alexis. The Miami Detective (Werente) asks me to call Detective Alexis and get some information while he does some paperwork. I then put Detective Alexis on the phone with the Metro Detective. They talk while I sit and try not to panic any worse.

Both Detetives Alexis and Werente we very nice considering I was pretty shaken and in an especially cranky mood over this. I’m glad everyone was patient with me.

At this point all the paperwork still shows one check because the bank informed me and Detective Werente when he called from my house that only the one check was cashed. However when I get to the bank, their computer shows three checks are cashed effectively wiping out most of the account. Eventually I hope to recover this, though the banks says it will take up to 30 days.

I had originally suspected Maid Brigade’s cleaning crew because someone obviously got a hold of a paper check. I don’t use paper checks and I’ve only written a few in six months and half were to Maid Brigade. Most of my banking is done using on-line checks.

I had the fax copies of the checks used to defraud. My original checks were Smithsonian Space Logo checks and are small. These checks are completely different colour, shape, and size.

Now, here’s the kicker. The fake checks are encoded with my HOME address. My PO BOX address is on my real checks. None of my financial data is sent to my home address with the SOLE exception of Bank Atlantic and the IRS. I don’t give anyone my home address. Even my utility and credit card bills go to my PO BOX address. I think we can rule the IRS out as a feasible suspect. That leaves a Bank Employee with access to my data. That also explains the signatures and the fact someone got checks printed with the right check numbers, MICR encoding, and such.

Further when Detective Werente and I called in the afternoon trying to get information from the bank for his paperwork, they also said an ATM card was issued on the account. That requires a social security number because they're debit cards. That information can only come from the bank. It certainly rules out the maid service. I still have my original checks with these numbers in my possession.

Upon returning home I checked my other financial accounts (credit cards, credit reports at the three major credit bureaus, and so forth). There were no unusual transactions or information on any of them. This doesn’t appear to be identity theft. It does appear to be criminal fraud in cahoots with someone at the bank with access to my information.

Renee Johnson is a minor and will be released into the custody of her parents. Eldora Golden is an adult and is being held on Grand Theft charges. On Saturday morning I will go to the Lauderhill PD and swear additional complaints and agree to press felony charges.

I am sure this isn’t done, but this is accurate up to now.

I was In a Car Accident Today

Today, I was in a relatively minor car accident. Or, more accurately, I was rear-ended by a cel-phone wielding blonde bitch. Maybe she isn't but her attitude bears me out.

I left work a bit early today to go to the post office and pick up some stuff while they were still open. So, along about 435pm or so, I am on the NW 36th Street access road (the road that runs right next to NW 36th Street). The road merges from two to one lane as it hooks left onto Ludlam Road. I was in the left lane (the through lane) and the right lane merges into it (they have the merge sign, and therefore the left lane has right of way).

I am driving substantially below the speed limit because it's raining and the road is wet. Right next to me in the right lane is a dark blue Kia Sportage. In the right lane following the Sportage is a gold Honda Civic, driven by a blonde who appears to be on a cell-phone. In front of me is a white Nissan Pathfinder (or maybe it's a Q45; I'm not positive as I wasn't paying attention to that). I slow a little more to let the Sportage in, and continue as the lanes merge. Please keep in mind there is no median and it's a blind curve so you cannot weave into the oncoming lanes without risking a fatal head-on collision.

I am still driving WELL below the speed limit, going approximately 20 to 25 MPH due to the fact we're merging, the road is wet, and we're on a blind curve. Three wonderful driving conditions.

Apparently the lady in the Honda decides to merge and lean on her horn at the same time. It is my understanding that, apparently, if you're a blonde on a cel-phone merging left, leaning on the horn gives you the right of way even if a car is ALREADY in the space you wish to occupy. Apparently it does not dawn on her she can slow down or stop and get behind me.

It is FAR more convenient for her to actually clip my back bumper and keep leaning on her horn. I pull over in front of Miami Aviation (or whatever that abandoned building in front of the UPS Air terminal is called) and get out and grab my (OFF as always) cel phone. She exits her car and is gabbing on the phone -- which is why I assume she was on it when she hit me as she didn't likely have time to make a call in the few seconds that elapse.

She starts yelling at me in Spanish and I yell back at her in English (no foul words were used). I ask what she wants to do because, happily there is almost NO visible damage to my car. She yabbers something so fast, I cannot understand it to translate it with my semi-limited Spanish. I say "Policia?" and she says "Si! Policia" so I call the Police (she is still on her phone call). I call 911 and transfer to the non-emergency number and give them the details calmly, and politely as a cop drives by and totally ignores us -- we're standing in the rain. I probably should have mentioned that because it adds to the joy of my situation.

Amazingly, not 4 minutes later the police show up -- okay, it's a PSA but still four minutes is rocking. I like the police. We greet him simultaneously, me in English, her in Spanish. She's hung up the phone at some point. He looks for the damage on my car and doesn't see much, and then looks at her damage. He asks me to describe what happened and I tell my side pointing at the clearly marked lanes and road signs. He asks her for her side in Spanish. I should mention the PSA is very professional -- some guy named Officer Delgado with a scary looking scar on his left arm.

It's quite clear she rear-ended me while not having the right of way. He doesn't TELL me that, but he talks to her in Spanish and I don't think he realizes I speak a little. Sometimes silence is good: keep your mouth shut. He asks what I want to do. I told him she wants a police report, so we should let her have what she wants. I explain, again, that nobody is hurt and I have no serious damage -- it's all on her front bumper and the rear of my car, hence the overwhelming evidence she rear-ended me. I've just got a few nicks I can probably fix myself.

He talks to her in Spanish and tells her that she can drive away and he won't write anything. He asks if I'm okay with that, and despite my desire to punish Blondie as she so richly deserves, I'm very tired of being in the rain. Apparently she is too, and decides it's okay to leave with no report. He instructs her to leave first and stops traffic so she can get back on the road. I notice she jots my plate number down as she drives off -- which is why I am writing this so when I get a legal document, I have everything written here while it's fresh in my memory along with a nifty time and date stamp.

I stay a few moments more chatting with the officer before I get in my car and get to the post office just before they close at 5pm.

I'd have posted this earlier, but I got home a little later than expected as I got stock in 5pm traffic, in construction (yet another batch of new construction -- this time on 25th street and Milam Dairy) on my way home. Then I had to call Thomas to find out how his hip replacement surgery went -- it's fine. He's awake and as alert as he was before the operation (take that as you will). He'll be in the hospital until this weekend approximately before he goes to a rehab center. He's watching baseball -- he says he likes it, but I think it's to dull the plain. Watching baseball makes me numb....

So how was YOUR day?