"You have been officially notified..."
Those were the last words of the voicemail message the attorney left on my phone.
I was officially notified yesterday that I am, in fact, a criminal. A check bouncing, fraudulent criminal. I listened to the voicemail and my heart fell through the floor. The attorney politely and sternly told me that I was charged with writing a worthless check and with the intent to commit fraud. He told me I'd written a check from an account that I don't have at a bank that I don't know. He told me that the charges were filed in a county I haven't been in ages, and that he'd confirmed my residence at an address I have never lived. Then he told me it was in my best interest to call the legal department handling my case. He gave me the number to call and bid me adieu with these parting words:
"You have been officially notified."
I immediately imagined myself standing in court, spending hours on the phone, filling out mountains of paperwork, and spending my entire life savings on attorney fees. The weight of the situation sunk in and ruined my lunch.
"I'M GOING TO JAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"I'M A FRAUD! I'M A CRIMINAL!"
"MY IDENTITY HAS BEEN STOLEN!!!!!"
With my lunch turning sour, I picked up my keys. I was headed out the door to go find a lawyer, or go to the police to report a phishing scam, but before I did, I listened again, and again, and again. Until finally I made out the name of the person the attorney was addressing. Although he kept calling me "Laura," the full name was different, and it WASN'T MINE!
The last words were not just "You have been officially notified," but
"Christina Laura Sirigivinano, you have been officially notified."
I called them back and told them it wasn't me. They apologized and took my number off of their list.
Crisis averted. I still have my identity.
Crisis averted. My name is Laura Elizabeth Reed Parnell, and I am not a fraud!
Dear Mr. Lawyer, You have been officially notified!
Those were the last words of the voicemail message the attorney left on my phone.
I was officially notified yesterday that I am, in fact, a criminal. A check bouncing, fraudulent criminal. I listened to the voicemail and my heart fell through the floor. The attorney politely and sternly told me that I was charged with writing a worthless check and with the intent to commit fraud. He told me I'd written a check from an account that I don't have at a bank that I don't know. He told me that the charges were filed in a county I haven't been in ages, and that he'd confirmed my residence at an address I have never lived. Then he told me it was in my best interest to call the legal department handling my case. He gave me the number to call and bid me adieu with these parting words:
"You have been officially notified."
I immediately imagined myself standing in court, spending hours on the phone, filling out mountains of paperwork, and spending my entire life savings on attorney fees. The weight of the situation sunk in and ruined my lunch.
"I'M GOING TO JAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!""I'M A FRAUD! I'M A CRIMINAL!"
"MY IDENTITY HAS BEEN STOLEN!!!!!"
With my lunch turning sour, I picked up my keys. I was headed out the door to go find a lawyer, or go to the police to report a phishing scam, but before I did, I listened again, and again, and again. Until finally I made out the name of the person the attorney was addressing. Although he kept calling me "Laura," the full name was different, and it WASN'T MINE!
The last words were not just "You have been officially notified," but
"Christina Laura Sirigivinano, you have been officially notified."
I called them back and told them it wasn't me. They apologized and took my number off of their list.
Crisis averted. I still have my identity.
Crisis averted. My name is Laura Elizabeth Reed Parnell, and I am not a fraud!
Dear Mr. Lawyer, You have been officially notified!
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