The first time the email came in, my blood ran cold. It was from the U.S. Department of Justice, and there was no mistaking the source. This was no scammer email—this was Legit. And even though subsequent messages would be received on a monthly or semi-monthly basis, the Sender line always gave me a start when I saw it in my in-box.
An email from the DOJ!
A few years ago, when I was operating my own business, I purchased what I thought was a good healthcare insurance policy. The premiums weren’t horrible, and they paid claims on time.
Until they didn’t.
That’s when I discovered I’d been scammed by a group of three operatives that left me hanging out to dry to the tune of several thousands of dollars owed to doctors, hospitals, labs, etc.
And I discovered I wasn’t the only one.
I registered as a victim of their scheme, hopeful I would be helped in some way by a victims’ compensation fund. Never saw a dime. The trio were all convicted of fraud and various nefarious crimes, and locked away in prison.
Good for them.
One of the scammers died in jail. I’ve lost track of another one.
But the emails I semi-regularly receive keep me posted on the ring leader, still behind bars.
He is not eligible for parole, but his release date keeps creeping forward. In 2023 alone I have received seven such emails notifying me of his ever-changing release date, from April 20, 2030 forward to December 30, 2029.
Recently a family friend drove to the airport to pick up a relative.
This friend is a real prankster, playing at the professional level of prankage. He took his entire family to greet his uncle, who he had not seen in some time. The group met the man at the gate with a hand-printed, bright yellow poster, “Welcome Home from Prison!”
I think I may have snorted coffee through my nose when I saw the photos.
But back to the DOJ notifications.
Thanks for the warning.
I’m not planning any ‘welcome home’ party.
