Ted

“Ted,” who has a history of mental health issues and learning disabilities, met a woman on an internet dating site. Claiming that she did not have a bank account, the woman asked Ted to deposit her tax refund and use the money to purchase gift cards and send them to her, leaving $200 for him for his efforts. Ted did as he was asked – he deposited the IRS check (which turned out to be fake), bought gift cards, and sent them to her. The bank then notified Ted that the check was fraudulent, his account was overdrawn, and he owed almost $2,000 from using a line of credit before the check cleared. Although the bank offered a payment plan, even a modest payment plan would have presented an enormous challenge to Ted, whose sole source of income is disability benefits. CLA Staff Attorney Franci Gazzaniga, who works on the Civil Legal Aid for Victims of Crime Initiative (CLAVC), successfully advocated with the bank to wipe out the entire debt.  If CLA had not stepped in, Ted, someone already struggling to make ends meet, would have been legally responsible for the charges. Thanks to CLA’s advocacy, Ted did not have to suffer the potentially devastating effects of this scam.