Crime victim = Trusting the wrong people

This deals with a neighbor/acquaintance, both terms I use loosely who I thought I knew but now find out I didn't know at all. Showed up at the front door last Tuesday and seemed to imply he needed a ride to alcohol rehab. Since he appeared almost passed out then, I figured I could do my good deed for the day.
He invited himself in, which I wasn't comfortable with and at some point, found my checkbook and slipped it in his pocket. I was horrified yesterday to discover $400 missing from my account. Saw a copy of the cancelled check that he made out to himself and forged my signature.
After making a copy of it, I headed right to the police station. Spent the rest of the morning filling out reports. If any good came out of this, I discovered, thanks to FDIC, I was able to recoup ALL of the $400.
Only $473 had been in the account prior to that. I'd left my ledger in the checkbook so he knew exactly how much he could get away with.
Ugh, I feel SO stupid letting this happen to me! I'd always wonder how this could happen to other people and then I became a victim myself. My sister thinks he'll come back but I can't imagine how he would, knowing what he's already taken from me. For sure will be time to call 911 if he does show up.
Every day I seem to hear something new about 'Tommy' and the stories only get worse. That he even stole from his grandmother to buy crack cocaine. He looks to be about 40 so not sure about all that.
Needless to say, I'm quickly learning to be a LOT more careful. Sad when you feel you almost can't trust anyone anymore.

Tim

Sorry to hear this happened.

Don't give Tommy the power to make you suspicious of everyone. Yes, there are sick people out there who take advantage of the kindness of others.

But being kind should remain central to our humanity. Don't let Tommy kill that part of you, most everyone is good and decent and sincere.

Remember, you live in a world where 10,000 volunteers made this happen, just yesterday.

Yea,that San Francisco was great to see.Shows their are a few decent people left in the world.

Drug/alcohol addiction; cunning, baffling, powerful. An Addict doesn't think like a rational person. Consequences be damned. All that is important is that next hit or drink. He has destroyed your trust; a casualty of his disease. I'm glad that you were able to regain your monetary lost. Regaining faith in him will be a lot harder.

Tim, you weren't stupid, and somebody reading your today story will be more alert to similar trickery, the sad story, the knack of catching us off guard. Thanks for sharing.

We would know what to do if the person came at us acting mean and ugly, we'd slam the door. But they are slick and know how to appeal to the kindness in us. And this was someone you actually knew. Who would do differently?

As bad as your experience was, consider how you would be feeling right now if you had turned the guy away. I'm betting you'd be second guessing yourself, perhaps for a much longer time than it will take to get over this insult.

For some reason the "need money to get to the bus station/rehab/job interview/dying mother" con lives on.

A girl I worked with some years ago, smart, educated, gave her PIN to a phone caller "from the bank." We ALL know you don't do this, right? She knew better, but the caller was so slick. The second she hung up the phone she knew, and by the time she called the bank, of course, her ATM card had been used. She hadn't even realized her purse was missing.

They catch us off guard, know how to get us to throw caution to the wind.

The ordeal continues. I put in an order for new checks yesterday and thought it went through. Then I got a notice the order is on hold...for security reasons.
It all seems so backward. Someone can scribble my name on a check and pull out $400 and me, the honest person now has to go through all this extra work to prove I'm the honest one. And I've had my checking account there since 1984 - crazy.

Tim

Ghilcoot, you say "most every one is good". Then why do you say all those bad things about Republicans.?

Chilcoot, I love that Batman "boys wish" you are showing. How cool is that!!!!!!!!

It was pretty great, that Batboy event, and reminds me of how great most people are. The jerks are exceptions, including the one Tim Murtaugh ran into.