I know I have gotten some people worried and I am in a dark place, but I will not hurt myself. It is just that I feel so alone and when things happen to me I no longer have my aunt to call and that just compounds things. After the latest episode, I just felt like a hamster on one of those wheels... churning my legs for all my worth but never being able to get anywhere.
I want to explain what happened and why I am in the shape I am in.
If you followed my blog you know that I bought a house and invited people who I thought were my friends to stay with me. I came out to them about being transsexual and life looked like it might fall into place.
It turns out that these people weren't really friends, and they decided to rob me blind. I wound up getting arrested on something bogus, and while I was in jail these people drained my bank account, ran up my credit cards and stole furniture/electronics from me. Though that was bad, I filed fraud charges and thought that I would recoup what was stolen (over 1700 dollars) and move on from there. But, the bank is battling me on this though I promised myself to be patient figuring things will work out in the end. Then yesterday I noticed a ACH charge (that's where they use your routing number from a check) came out for 200 dollars. I went to the bank today to fight that only to get my banking privleges revoked. THe only thing I can do is withdraw money in person, I can't even pay my bills or use my debit card to pay for gas. It's extremely frustrating and where I should be in good shape financially, now I am looking at what services I can do without. (I was thinking of dropping my cable/internet for a while and using wifi hotspots, but one of the items I no longer have access to is the laptop).
I think what bothers me, outside of being robbed blind (these people even stole salad dressing, mops, and toothpaste) is that I thought they were my friends. I will be looking into renting out the spare bedroom in order to help me get back on my feet and hopefully the financial stuff will fall into place eventually. I am going to have to open a new bank account at another bank as soon as I can and though I been a loyal company with my current bank, the way they have treated me will probably end that relationship.
Comments
Here's what happened
Hope that you see JUSTICE on what happened on the cads and bank!
May Your Light Forever Shine
Salad Dressing???
Jeez! Who steals salad dressing? And toothpaste?
I've had a "friend" or two like that. One that got a place to stay and repaid it by taking off with some valued musical instruments, among other things (no condiments, but maybe she didn't have time to snag anything from the fridge). Didn't get to my or my roommates' bank accounts though, thankfully. Betrayal hurts, especially by people you thought you could really trust.
Is there anything they stole that's traceable? Something you have serial numbers for that might turn up in a pawn shop or on eBay or Craigslist or something? Can you press charges? Of course, it doesn't sound like you've been having very good experiences with law enforcement lately, but burglary and bank fraud are quite illegal last I heard.
You "sound" a lot less upset now, maybe moving on to being merely very, very irritated?
I wish you much peace of mind. You deserve it.
what happened
did u fill a police report for the stolen items, their prints would be on things
hugs :)
Michelle SidheElf Amaianna
Unfortunately...
...as they'd been living with Katie at the time, their prints would have been on everything anyway. What's more concerning is the draining of the bank account - as Katie was in custody at the time, if should be patently obvious to the bank that she could not have made those transactions. I suspect the bank may be haggling over the (unavoidable!) delay in reporting the fraud. Even so, you would have thought that as soon as it was reported they would have cancelled all the cards on it and issued new ones, to prevent any further loss. That would have been far simpler than refusing all transactions except those where she turns up at the bank in person with ID. There may also be something wrong with their internal fraud prevention procedures - I'm not familiar with US banking, but here in the UK any suspicious card transactions are automatically flagged up to their anti-fraud team, who'll give you a phone call to verify it was you making the transaction (asking a bunch of security questions for good measure) before authorising it.
Unfortunately, while to any one of us the best part of $2,000 is a considerable amount of money, to the banks and police it's peanuts and considered a small claim, and they'll probably consider it not worth their effort to pursue unless the proverbial metaphorical bomb is placed up their backsides.
Katie: check your bank's terms and conditions - find out exactly what they claim to do in the event of fraudulent transactions and if they're not doing it, throw their own words back at them. If banking over there has any kind of regulator, complain to them. If there are any consumer advocacy organisations, contact them as well. If the charges against you which resulted in that brief spell behind bars have been dropped / quashed, use that to your advantage as well.
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
new card
In fact, the first thing they did after the initial claim was to issue me a new debit card and pin. After a month nothing happened bad on the account, but the other day they did an electronic debit transfer using a stolen check (the checks were canceled the day i noticed them missing), so there really wouldn't be any way to stop them other than to get a new account (which I was planning on doing tomorrow when my direct deposit came in.) I wanted to keep the account open until I could change the direct deposit info with my employer because I've heard horror tales of people not getting paid for a month at other companies in similar situations.
As it is, tomorrow I will simply open an account at a different bank and when the fraud claim finally goes through I will close the account completely (since no more transactions can be made it is safe now) and never bank with them again. I understand the banks position, but it still pisses me off.
Katie Leone (Katie-Leone.com)
Writing is what you do when you put pen to paper, being an author is what you do when you bring words to life
Empathizing
I can relate to trusting people only to have them turn on you. I had my bank account emptied by my ex, she wrote a major check to the base comissary and it bounced. the furniture in the house was taken as well as my own personal electronic devices. I tried to file chargers against her and was told I was being vindictive. I lost my comissary priviliges for a year. All I could do was open a new checking account, I did that on the first available day I could. I closed the other accounts and thus the large check bouncing. I was told it was my fault the check bounced. It is amazing when a crisis happens the victim somehow becomes responsible.
I perservered and ignored the police. I went to court filed against my ex. She had to pay for the bounced check as for everything else the court rejected my filing for personal items taken. Told me I would have to suck it up there was nothing I could do.
I did get my revenge and she's not allowed to be around children. Thoise 800 numbers to report child abuse, well lets just say a lot of people know all called the same number and made the same complaint.
She moved to North Carolina and I have since then prospered. I own a house after having to let them foreclose on my first house. She is struggling for financial reasons and my daughter reminds her she could be part of what I have had she not gotten stupid.
I don't want her back n my life, I'm better off without her.
Had to rebuild but by the grace of God I am far better of thenI was when I was married to her.
I know this may sound cliche but "Take it one day at a time" it really does work.
Jill Micayla
Be kinder than necessary,Because everyone you meet
Is fighting some kind of battle.
A quote
I saw "the best exotic marigold hotel"at the movies, the one guy said something in it that is my favorite saying at the moment. It is - "It will be alright in the end and if it's not alright then it's not the end."
All my best wishes to you Katie. Stay positive.
Relieved
Hello Katie,
I am relieved. I was very concerned that you might be considering taking your life. At least now I know that was not the case. Still, you had frightened me.
I am so pleased that Erin talked with you, and that you have clarified things. I feel so badly that you have been betrayed by those who you thought were friends. That is the unkindest cut of all.
I would wonder if the law is on your side, ultimately. Obviously, this is not ony a case of theft, but also of fraud and identity theft. I would assume the cops are not just uncooperative but marginally hostile towards you, so I wouldn't expect any help from them. However, I hope that you have engaged a lawyer to help you recover your property, clear your name, restore your financial status, and help to restore your credit.
Remember, you have an extended family here. As you just discovered, we care about you.
Be well, Sister
Red MacDonald
TRUST
After reading your blog it is hard to TRUST anyone (with I don't),Even your friends turned on you that is so sad .The only peole I interact with are the friends I have here at BCTS and those I can keep at arms length.I FEEL FOR YOU KATIE & I hope it will work out in your favor -- LOVE TO ALL --RICHIE2