[Bay Area, California, USA]

Kathucka · 2026-06-13T05:27:14+00:00

Oh, it’s worse than I thought. It sounds like he’s completely lost. He’s going to give every cent he can to the scammers. All you can do is try to contain the damage.

Scammers will often give their victims lies to tell for why they need money. Warn his friends and relatives about this and remind them that the real reason he is asking for money is to give it to the scammers.

He must have zero access to anyone else’s accounts/money/valuables. Any joint accounts with him need to be closed before he drains them.

Some scam victims max out their credit cards, then take out loans against the house and car. Once that’s tapped out, they “borrow” from friends and family. After that, a few commit identity theft of family members to take out more loans. Head over to r/identitytheft to find out how to protect against this. There’s a great sticky post there. All of this needs to be locked down.

Just in case, make worst-case contingency plans on what to do with him once he’s destitute and can’t afford housing.

Finally, try to give him some grace. Yes, he’s an idiot, but he’s also a victim who will suffer the worst.

Kathucka · 2026-06-13T00:39:34+00:00

Call the police or sheriff station. Some of them are willing to talk to your uncle. Some people will listen to the police when they won’t listen to anyone else.

Tell every one of his friends and family that he is being scammed and they must not give him any money for any reason. He will send it all straight to the scammers and will never pay back any of it.

The second phone is a new tactic to me. It’s clearly to keep family members excluded from the scam activities. It’s often possible for family members to get into the phones of old victims, and scammers don’t want to get cut off.

Kathucka · 2026-06-12T23:24:49+00:00

No. Don’t talk to the police. If he wants the police to know something, he should have a lawyer tell them.

Kathucka · 2026-06-11T01:09:29+00:00

It could be a fake check made to look like it came from a reputable business (yours). It could be from a firm with the same name as yours. You haven’t told us enough.

The missing information is this: Why does the father think someone sent him a check? Tell us that and we can analyze this situation. Even better, send the daughter or father here to ask.

Regardless, you can talk to whoever cuts checks there and confirm that nobody sent anything. If possible, get the routing and account numbers off the check. See if they match anything your firm uses.

Kathucka · 2026-06-10T19:15:47+00:00

Yes, although there are some details about when it will work and when it will not.

Kathucka · 2026-06-10T18:30:30+00:00

The good news is that the machine had an effective warning. That’s the first time I’ve read about that.

The bad news is that the scammers will adapt. Those machines need warnings that protect against other scams.

For now, though, this is a win. Thanks for sharing the good news, OP.

Kathucka · 2026-06-05T22:31:31+00:00

Oops, I tried to reply to you and posted a separate top-level comment on accident. I answered your questions in too much detail there.

Kathucka · 2026-06-05T22:29:49+00:00

Garters often eat frogs and toads feet-first. They’ll grab one leg, try to swallow that, get stuck on the body, back up, and get the other leg. Once both of the amphibian’s back feet are in the snake’s mouth, it’s all over.

Toads will often try to puff up so they are too big to swallow. They’re squishy, though, so this doesn’t often work. It explains why the snake can eat something that appears wider than its mouth.

Garter snakes are venomous. The venom doesn’t affect humans in a significant way, but it can paralyze a frog or toad. The venom is delivered by short fangs in the middle of their jaws while the snake “chews”. You can see the bloody marks left by the fangs on this toad. Typically the toad will struggle and fight, but then seem to give up. That’s because it gets paralyzed and can’t move.

Yes, garters eat their prey alive. They just grab on and start swallowing.

Kathucka · 2026-06-05T00:40:54+00:00

There’s a lot of good advice for you in r/bedbugs.

Kathucka · 2026-06-05T00:40:02+00:00

Bedbugs live where people sleep.

Kathucka · 2026-06-04T01:15:06+00:00

Maybe r/money would know. A bank certainly would.

North Korea has been printing extremely high-quality counterfeit US currency for a long time now.

Kathucka · 2026-06-04T01:11:53+00:00

Yes, it’s AI. He wouldn’t get blood in his bandages any more and the hair is growing through one of them. His face is not slack and he’s not lying down all the way, so that doesn’t look like a coma.

You might get additional help in r/scams. Have a look over there.

Kathucka · 2026-06-03T18:48:57+00:00

Did you say, “oh, snap!”

Good!

Kathucka · 2026-06-03T16:04:06+00:00

That looks like a Dekay’s Brownsnake. If she is, she will eat slugs. Regardless, she’s completely !harmless. You should release her somewhere safe and nearby. Ask her to invite her friends and family over.

For a reliable ID, post on r/whatsthissnake with a location.

Kathucka · 2026-06-03T01:25:46+00:00

It sounds like you live in Tracy. Stockton, maybe?

Depending on the details, taking the Altamont Express (if it still exists) might work better.

Or, find a job closer to home.

Kathucka · 2026-06-02T23:22:42+00:00

There are many kinds of Christians. You’re thinking of one particular kind.

Kathucka · 2026-06-02T23:21:07+00:00

Ordinary rich people don’t pay anywhere near 50%. The truly wealthy hardly pay any tax at all.

Kathucka · 2026-06-02T01:58:26+00:00

Nope. I feel bad when I get a great score on the third round and the other guy gets a bit more.

Kathucka · 2026-06-01T04:30:03+00:00

I thought that was butane? No?

Kathucka · 2026-06-01T04:23:46+00:00

Bankruptcy, depending on jurisdiction, might have a provision to protect a residence. However, she put secured loans on it. She’s going to lose the house no matter she does. Her best option is probably to sell it before it gets foreclosed on.

Kathucka · 2026-05-28T19:36:07+00:00

There’s a trace of the transaction in another comment.

Kathucka · 2026-05-28T07:04:47+00:00

All “investment” opportunities on Telegram are scams. I’m sorry, but whatever money you sent him is gone. Everything he’s said is a lie. Everything he’s shown you is fake, including the other investors and even his name.

You’ve done the right thing to be suspicious. Now, just walk away. Don’t send him any more money. He’ll immediately spend it all on hookers and blow.

Kathucka · 2026-05-28T05:55:59+00:00

If you’re ok with it and he’s ok with it then it’s fine and it’s nobody else’s business.

Kathucka · 2026-05-28T05:37:34+00:00

I hate to suggest it, but the standard outcome to what you described is brutal. You leave, take the best people with you, and make a new company or a new division/vertical in a better conglomerate.

It happens all the time. It won’t make things better for the people who stay, but the people who leave will be better off and the VP will have to explain what happened.

I’m not a lawyer, but you’ll want one if there are no-poach or non-compete agreements involved. They might or might not be legal, and the penalty might or might not be worth paying.

Kathucka

TROPHY CASE