Almost everyone I know has gotten one of those internet letters from Nigeria asking for money to be sent to a person no one has met.
The scam that happened to me is a bit different. Someone somehow actually hacked my email password and took over my email account. They thus had access to all my correspondence over the past years to friends and sources. The hacker gave information about me and my account to the “scam artists” who run this con. The scammers used my name to try and trick people familiar with me to send them money.
What happened to me now is so mild in comparison to dirty tricks that were played on me in the past.
In 1989 I was involved with human rights groups seeking independence for Lithuania.
I was on the board of directors of the Baltic American Freedom League, which was seeking independence for the Baltic states of Lithuania, Lativi, and Estonia from the Soviet Union.
I was a vocal agitator against Soviet human rights violations. I organized a lot of demonstrations against the Soviets at the Soviet Consulate in San Francisco and at the Los Angeles Federal Building.
My activities were not appreciated by local pro-Soviet Marxist front groups.
I became familiar with some of their dirty tricks and intimidation tactics. The most egregious one was when an anonymous caller called me and described where my mother lived and then screamed, “Watch out you crazy looney Lithuanian!”
I could tell you how someone had changed my P.O. Box address and forwarded all my mail to Oakland. I could tell you how I had my tires slashed, was a victim of arson, was spat upon, had water thrown in my face by pro-Soviet goons.
You can hear more about that if you want at my Sunday Coffee Chats at the Starbucks in front of City Hall, from 10 a.m. to noon.
I will also be giving out yard signs saying “Stop Red Light Cameras,” at the intersection of Jefferson and Overland every Monday and Friday from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
