#forged cheques

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“Girl of Many Aliases Sentenced To Three Year Penitentiary Term,” Montreal Gazette. August 8, 1942. Page 13. --- "l wonder what you'd get around here if you robbed a bank?" half-tearful, half-defiant Isabel Smibert Griffiths, alias Loretta Eccleston, alias Agnes Rodgers, soliloquized yesterday morning as she was led away to start a three-year penitentiary sentence on 29 charges ol forgery, uttering forged documents, obtaining merchandise under false pretences and receiving stolen goods.

Obvious reason for her query was the three-year sentence Judge F. X. Lacoursiere had imposed after the 24-year-old woman had pleaded guilty to the 29th accusation that of receiving stolen articles worth $50, property of Elizabeth Wilkes, an Oakville, Ont. teacher who boarded at a Dorchester street west home while visiting in Montreal. 

Until it was explained to her that Judge Lacoursiere's sentence was to be served concurrently with the sentences she had received earlier from Judge Maurice Tetreau three years for each of the 18 charges of forgery and false pretences, six months for each of the stolen goods counts the woman could not understand how such a long term could be exacted for such a minor amount as $50. 

'She realizes the nature of her anti-social conduct and understands the consequences," Dr. Daniel Plouffe, Quebec Government alienist, reported after he had submitted the accused to the mental examination ordered by Judge Tetreau. 

Completely garbed in black, the woman hung her head throughout the long lecture Judge Tetreau delivered in his private chambers. Her request that the sentences date from the time of her detention was denied, but she was granted permission to use the telephone. She had regained her composure by the time she was brought back before Judge Lacoursiere and bandied words with court attendants at she was led away. 

During the course of a severe reprimand, Judge Tetreau emphasized that the Eccleston woman was liable to life imprisonment for her crimes. 

Taken into custody after she had obtained merchandise from an uptown departmental store by means of a false cheque, the woman found charges mounting up against her when municipal detectives took over the investigation begun by Insp. Emile Paquette and William Coady; of the Broderick Detective Service. The investigators were heartily congratulated by Judge Tetreau yesterday morning on their fine work. 

With a long police record behind her before she came here to operate, the woman admitted 19 separate charges of receiving stolen goods, the Crown being satisfied with the pleas and dropping tne accompanying charges of theft. 

The woman, among whose possessions were found several National Registration certificates, was originally charged with petty larceny in Buffalo, N.Y., six years ago. Since then she had been deported to Canada and convicted in Toronto on several charges of uttering forged documents.

[AL: Curiously, Ecclestone’s prison record does not indicate any previous convictions, despite the statement of the Gazette. She was 23, single, Anglo, from Hamilton, and had no job at time of conviction. Like all women sentenced to a federal term (2 years or more) she was sent to the Prison for Women in Kingston, Ontario. She was convict #7027 there, and worked at sewing and cleaning. She was released December 1944, and went to Hamilton.]

[forgeofthenine]

Hi everyone, this is the surprise I've been working on! It's actually a collaboration with the lovely @swordcreature where we gave the other person a soulmate AU and a character to write a vaguely 1,000 word fanfic on. My prompt was 'you see visions of your soulmates life through your dreams' with my forge hubby Dammon. If you'd like to see what prompt I gave (for a different tiefling bachelor 👀) then you should go check out Worms blog ;)

Overall this collab has been so much fun, we've had a great time chatting behind the scenes with me teaching a little local slang and I hope you guys enjoy reading what's resulted from our shared love of soulmate AUs! Thank you so much for working on this with me Courtney, and I hope everyone enjoys!!

Of blacksmiths and thimbles (soulmate AU)

The dreams had always been there. Your Mother assured you they were normal, good even, that you should enjoy them. Every night you stepped into the world of someone else, someone with red-orange hands that reached up towards their own Mother. Those hands belonged to your soulmate. You watched each night as they grew up alongside you, playing with similar wooden toys, eating strange food, living somewhere that wasn't Baldurs Gate. Soon however, you learned to stop telling people of your dreams, unsure why so many people had to force smiles when you'd talk about what you knew of your soulmate.

It was when you turned ten that the dreams changed. Your own life had altered significantly, and you knew your soulmate would be seeing you learn to tailor, watch as your pinpricked hands hemmed pretty skirts and dresses. After work, every night, you'd watch him learn to forge. You could almost feel the heat of the fires glow on your skin, overwhelmed by the clang and clatter of the men hammering out metal platters and ploughshares. You knew nothing of your fated love than his hands and his skill in craftsmanship. Though, this wasn't the last time your dreams would change.

Soon you'd have nightmares each night, watching as an entire city was dragged down to the hells below you. Soon the lovely hands you grew to admire switched from crafting farming implements to weaponry. The forges grew larger, hotter, much more fierce. As you grew in your own craft, moving from hemming to pattern making to custom fitting boned bodices in silk dresses, you watched your soulmates life fall apart each and every night. Needles found your skin despite your thimble, your eyelids drooping while working, so tired from worry for a man you've never actually met.

It was then that you learned his name. Dammon. The tiefling you were destined for, stuck in Elturel. You heard the name called across the hectic forge, hands stopping their work as the man looks towards the call, your own dream ending right afterwards. It's no surprise you grasp at any news of Elturel that makes it's way into the Gates Mouth Gazette, much to the growing curiosity of your fellow tailors.

You watched on as he was cast from his home, joining a group of others who all found themselves driven from the only city they'd ever known. By day you were an up and coming tailor, by night you watched tiefling refugees try desperately to survive. It was months of near torture, and you were sure this Dammon thought you overly privileged, living in your parents home and sewing pretty dresses for a pay cheque. A vast difference from his own existence.

Slowly, he makes his way closer to Baldurs Gate. Closer to you. By now watching his escapades was a nightly adventure, but your work called each and every day. Clients of renown, endless comissions and repairs, the replacement of even your most trusty tools. It only took you losing your thimble, the small tool nowhere to be seen, encouraging you to venture to a blacksmith.

Blacksmiths in Baldurs Gate were bleak, rude, or downright incompetent. You trudged through the crowded streets, dodging refugees and steel watchers alike, before stumbling on a new blacksmith's forge. It was a gorgeous open air shop, with a large clear sign. 'The Forge of the Nine'. Worth a shot, you decided while climbing the cracked stone staircase.

Honing a blade on the whetstone was a tiefling, somewhat tall and very broad, his skin an oddly familiar red-orange. Small stones grind under your feet as you see the blacksmith perk up, ears lifting and a smile on his handsome face. "Oh, just a minute!" He calls out, voice soothing as he places the sword off on a random bench. Hands pat over his apron, wiping off any residue as he walks over to you. "Welcome to the Forge of the Nine, what can I do for you? A dagger, maybe? Or a bow?"

You let out a chuckle at his assumptions, it seems you've found another forge that can't meet your needs. If only you could find your soulmate, a proper blacksmith on demand would be so very useful. "Nothing quite so aggressive. I need a new thimble actually, for tailoring?" You ask, wondering if he'll be like the last blacksmith who made one almost the size of a cup by mistake. It seems you don't need to worry however, as his eyes light up in recognition and his smile relaxes into an easy grin.

"A tailor?" He questions, motioning for you to follow him further into his forge. "Interesting... Well, you have nothing to worry about, I have a few thimbles here I've already made." His voice picks up at the end, body turned away from you as he pulls out a small, ornamental box that rattles with thimbles and stacks of finely crafted sewing needles. "Pick what you'd like."

You peer at the shining metal, delicately picking up a gleaming thimble, the loveliest one you've ever seen from a blacksmith. "It seems odd, to have a stack of such nice sewing supplies premade. Most blacksmiths hardly know a thimble from a goblet.“ You chuckle, trying the thimbles size.

"Ah well, I've spent a lot of time watching them be used." The tiefling responds almost hesitantly, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. As he sees your confused expression, he explains further. "My soulmate, I believe they're a tailor. I've watched them sew in my dreams since they were young."

It's then that things click in your head, only one word able to leave your lips. "Dammon...?" Bright blue eyes light up as soon as you say it, all the air leaving your chest as you look at the man you've been thinking about for years. Dammons lips part slightly, closing again, a hand reaching out for you that you take instantly.

"It can't be... It's you?" He murmurs, seemingly not quite able to believe it. It's not long before a small laugh leaves you, your thumb running over his calloused hand as you pull him closer.

"Always has been." You respond, quickly being pulled into a hug you can't help but reciprocate, wrapping your arms around him. Like most tieflings, he's endlessly warm, but the difference is how his body seems to engulf yours. The smell of smoke and iron heavy on him as it surrounds you like a blanket. Finally, your soulmate, safe in your arms.

[ourtalechara]

Don't ask what I'm doing I'm not doing anything (VBS Data Stream guys look at it)

Kohane An Akito Toya and Luka

(actually nice and finished looking lyrics under cut)

Eventually, all walls meet demolition

So Wall Street had to keep the tradition

Their financial systems resigned to ignition

And out of the ashes, we have arisen

An empire is forged in the fire of ambition

In business, there isn't the time for attrition

Invest to suppress then ingest competition

Then each acquisition is new ammunition

When governments crumble and fall to the floor

That was paved with the graves of a corporate war

A fundament funded in blood just to shore

A foundation for founding our covenant

Born of a need for control of societal entropy

Enterprise at the price of your indemnity

Chart out the course and of course you were meant to be

Bent to the will of a corporate entity

Arasaka Security. You're in safe hands

We're the light in your screens, we're the lead in your veins

Then you wake from your dreams, so we can sell them again

In the light we distract with the shiny and new

So you're blind to the fact that the product is you

So let your brain dance and replay the dream

But don't drown in the data stream

'Cause we see where you are and we see where you go

'Cause we know what you own and we own what you know

From the top of all our towers, the corridors of power clearly need rewiring

Arasaka saw the spark and then embarked upon the path to turn that spark to lightning

There's no autonomous megalopolis so populous or prosperous you could reside in

And every citizen that's living in this city is a digit on the charts we're climbing

Political systems are too inefficient

They split like the atom and burned in the fission

Now every department and every decision

Defer to the herds of our corporate divisions

If you don't remember the ballot you cast

It's printed on every receipt you were passed

Each time you selected our products and services

We were elected in each of your purchases

What's left to do when you've got the monopoly?

Turn the consumer into the commodity

It isn't hard where you've hardware neurology

Honestly, do read the company policy

Take information and trade it for wealth

You pay it in each augmentation we sell

It's easy to cut out the middleman

When he's cut out most of himself

Arasaka Finance. Investing in your future

(chorus)

All that you say on the net we composite

To maps that go straight from your head to your pocket

Complain if you want, you're still making deposits

Of data — each day you log on is a profit

Society currently lists electronic

So isn't conducting resistance ironic?

We've plenty of skeletons locked in our closets

But yours are assembled from old-stock hydraulics

So lucky we know just the pieces you need

All plucked from your social media feeds

The places you go and the posts that you read

All snatched for a new algorithm to feed

Now, holding our gold isn't par for the brand

Our silver is sat in the palm of your hand

Quit whining and sign on the line in the sand

The supply does not get to make the demands

(chorus)

Arasaka Manufacturing. Building a better tomorrow

Name, age, qualifications

Race, faith, career aspirations

Political leaning, daily commute

Marital status, favourite fruit

Family, browser, medical history

Hobbies, interests, brand affinity

Fashion, style, your occupation

Gender identity, orientation

Lifestyle choices, dietary needs

The marketing contact you choose to receive

Posts, likes, employers, friends

Social bias, exploitable trends

Tastes, culture, phone of choice

Facial structure, the tone of your voice

If it's inside your head, we know

You can't escape the ebb and flow

(chorus)

When guiding the hand of the market

If it's holding a cheque or a gun

The fingers go deep in your pockets

And you can live under the thumb

You seem so surprised, what did you expect?

We're thinking outside of that box that you checked

The terms were presented in full to inspect

You scrolled to the end just to get to "Accept"

Arasaka would like to know your location

Arasaka would like to know your location

Arasaka would like to know your location

Arasaka would like to know your location

[shepherds-of-haven]

Oh, if we’re talking about subtle hilarious SHOH moments… I always laugh at the scene during the briefing for Lockwood when Chase, Tallys, and MC are clowning Lavinet for sending such a huge cheque in the mail like “she’s SO naive lol we can cash this and she wouldn’t even be able to dispute it for weeks teeheee” and Shery is just like “…..is it naive for her to trust OFFICERS OF THE LAW not to swindle her??” and everyone just goes dead quiet.

Lol, I'd forgotten about that moment, thanks for remembering it for us! 😂😂 Sometimes the Shepherds are so chaotic that Shery--when she can forge past the excruciating experience of Being Seen--is the necessary moral compass that keeps them in check... the only one who can shame them...

[purgatorypoetry]

can't fit no more brass rings round the heart,

no more black hair ties round the wrist,

you ain't know its torn me all apart,

been past as good as it gets,

done been forged,

all them cheques -

all tracked through the carpet old, love you,

a thousand-thousand times before,

loved you then and still

as a dead heart still

as the deepest dark still

love you,

still

[haveyoureadthispoll]

Frank W. Abagnale, alias Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams and Robert Monjo, was one of the most daring con men, forgers, impostors and escape artists in history. In his brief but notorious career, Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and co-piloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as the supervising resident of a hospital, practiced law without a licence, passed himself off as a college sociology professor and cashed over $2.5 million in forged cheques, all before he was 21 years old. Known by the police of 26 foreign countries and all 50 US states as 'The Skywayman', Abagnale lived a sumptuous life on the run - until the law finally caught up with him. Now recognized as America's leading authority on financial foul play, Abagnale is a charming rogue whose hilarious, stranger-than-fiction international escapes, including one from an aeroplane, make 'Catch Me if You Can' an irresistible tale of deceit.

[arcanemoody]

Emotions are a lot tonight. I got my second new work schedule in less than two months and this one includes three ten-hour shifts, two of them back-to-back. Effective Monday.

I just finished my lesson plan for the infant room I've been working in. No idea if I'm going to get to implement it or if it will be implemented by the lead teacher -- because there's a good chance I won't be assigned to the room as a shared assistant teacher with any consistency that week.

The plan has always been to quit once my debt was zeroed out. It's all but zeroed out -- I sandbagged it with my last three cheques and payed both credit cards down to less than $50. The approval of my ADA request meant I didn't give two weeks notice on Wednesday. Now, I'm facing down the possibility of hanging on a bit longer -- padding out my savings, but exhausting myself further. And, when I do quit, leaving behind a lot of kids who I've forged good relationships with.

So. I'm stressed, feeling melancholy, feeling a bit trapped. Feeling like I can’t talk to ANYONE.

[this-boy-reporter]

What is the situation with your mortal family, if that isn't too personal of a question? Have you kept an eye on any of them to see how their lives play out? What do they think happened to you?

Look it's, uh, a hugely personal question. But I don't mind answering it. It's probably good for me to talk about it every now and again. It's just... the answer isn't all that interesting, I don't think.

What I like to think is there was a place kept at the table for me, and it wasn't too painful for the ones I left behind. Something like what's written in this fanfic: Radio Silence.

But, to be honest with you anonymous? I don't honestly know.

I never told any of them what happened to me, of course. And I've already outlined just how easy it was for me to fall off the face of the (human) earth the way I was living back in the 70s & 80s. Can you imagine them actually meeting Armand? No, I don't mean Armand the blood drinker, and sociopath. Not the guy who didn't allow any humans to live who knew his name.

I mean, Armand the male person I was dating, when being gay was both a criminal offence and a psychological illness. I know what I was doing in bars in the 70s wouldn't have filled my family with joy, even before the whole vampire part of it. I think anything they could guess happened to me would be better than what they'd think of the truth.

There was a short period, after my writing and my name got out there, when my mother did find and get back into contact with me. But it was also a period I was so mired in shame, so filled with imposter syndrome, that I couldn’t forge more than a superficial kind of connection with anyone. Let alone the woman who gave birth to me.

What I do know is: Armand's made sure my family have remained very comfortable since... around Pompeii? Knowing that has been good, knowing my parents lived out their twilight years in comfort. That's all I needed to know. It wasn't always easy for them to put food on the table for me and my siblings.

Maybe Armand even puts my names on the cheques. I don't know. Again, I haven't asked and don't want to.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"FEARS LEST ST. PETER MAY BE BE NEXT JUDGE," Toronto Star. July 27, 1933. Page 25. ---- Walter Lasher Claims Burwash Inquiry Prejudices Him in County Jails ---- Specal to The Star Hamilton, July 26. - Pleading not to be sent to the county jail on remand because it was his complaint that had brought about the Burwash investigation, Walter Lasher, Montreal, to-day in police court was remanded one week on one charge of forgery and uttering and one of false pretences.

Bail was set at $5,000 cash.

"Please don't send me to the county jail for the remand," Lasher asked. "I am the man on whose complaint the Burwash inquiry was instituted and, if I am sent to any county jail, St. Peter will be the next judge I will face. County jail officials are appointed by the province. Let me stay in the police cells."

"What inquiry are you talking about?" Magistrate Burbidge asked. "I don't know anything about it."

Lasher said he had had a "tough time" during the inquiry and provincial authorities had tried to drive him out of Canada and prevent his sister from giving him shelter. The magistrate suggested Lasher had a persecution complex and said he was unable to influence the police in their administrative arrangements.

[bastardblvd]

hear me out, bank teller!Nanami being the only employee (besides security on a good day) at the Grimetown Bank. the poor guy has stories for days because the shit he has witnessed is otherworldly. from forged cheques by landlord!Sakuna, to attempted robbery. customers (drug dealer!Naoya) fist fighting security, to slimeball!Denji trying to deposit Monopoly money into his saving’s account. it’s a miracle he has survived these past six months at this job; he’s yet to find an outlet. bank teller!Nanami has been considering taking up smoking, but feels like he needs something stronger. this job has truly aged him.

POOR NANAMI 😭 his shift just started and he’s already having to explain to a very disgruntled denji that monopoly money doesn’t actually have monetary value. when he isn’t a bank teller, he’s a financial advisor and his 12pm meeting gojo satoru tells him he opened a tj maxx (toji maxx) credit card since his other eight are maxed out.

[alsoaless]

✼  ʾ   𝑎𝑐𝑡.   𝒊   ,

full name: alessandro lombardi. alias(es): aless. birth date: october 27th birth place: milan, italy. age: twenty three years old. pronoun(s): he , him. gender: cis male. orientation: bisexual. occupation: model, actor & musician.  languages spoken: english & italian . 

✼  ʾ   𝑎𝑐𝑡.   𝒊𝒊   ,  tw: death , terminal illness .

you  come  into  the  world  ,  silent  and  slippy  .  your  father  is  a  globe  away  but  your  mother  waits  with  baited  breath  for  them  to  give  you  yours  ;  your  first  cry  is ��her  favourite  melody  for  her  entire  life  .  in  that  moment  ,  a  promise  is  forged  between  mother  and  son  -  you  will  never  be  alone  .  

each  year  passes  with  calendar  marked  dates  and  birthday  cards  from  the  american  man  .  your  mother  makes  you  cupcakes  every  birthday  ,  asks  you  what  your  wishes  are  and  holds  you  in  her  lap  when  she  sings  her  sweet  songs  .  you  lean  your  head  against  her  chest  and  your  wish  is  silent  but  never  changes  …  you  want  to  stay  like  this  forever  .  loved  .  safe  .  content  .

your  mothers parents call  you  fatherless  in  the  english  language  ,  slanted  american  accents  and  much  laughter  over  a  punnet  of  grapes  .  you  laugh  too  ,  you  think  yourself  better  without  the  birthday  cards  and  cheques  ;  tell  your  mother  that  you  will  never  need  money  because  you  are  to  be  a  self  made  man  .  your  grandparents  laugh  but  love  you  anyway  ,  no  matter  how  pig  headed  you  can  be  .

it  all  starts  with  a  cough  but  even  the  smallest  cough  cannot  be  concealed  ,  lungs  full  of  darkness  discovered  on  a  scan  .  your  mother  becomes  sicker  by  the  day  but  you  know  she  will  never  be  alone  …  it’s  hard  to  fit  in  the  catalogue  jobs  ,  commercial  modelling  without  her  to  chaperone  but  at  only  thirteen  ,  you  still  succeed  .  your  grandparents  become  too  frail  to  help  out  ,  you  as  a  son  ,  a  carer  ,  a  provider  .  your  mother  hires  nurses  and  nannies  but  you  refuse  to  give  up  your  responsibility  .  you  have  to  be  the  best  son  else  you  have  failed  .

the  night  she  takes  her  final  breath  ,  you  are  by  her  side  .  the  nurses  have  to  pull  you  off  of  her  for  all  the  crying  you  are  doing  ,  denial  stronger  than  any  love  .  you  promise  you  will  be  the  best  son  if  she  will  just  open  her  eyes  but  deep  down  ,  you  know  that  isn’t  real  .

there  is  nobody  to  take  custody  ,  your  grandparents  unable  so  late  in  their  life  with  so  much  left  of  yours  …  international  enquiries  and  the  american  man  steps  forward  .  you  don’t  need  any  white  knight  ,  any  father  ... so  late  but  he  comes  to  collect  and  like  a  belonging  ,  you  are  in  transit  to  the  united  states  and  to  a  family  you  have  never  known  .  you  loathe  him  for  it  .

settled  in  the  united  states  then  you  have  a  new  step  mother  ,  new  step  siblings  …  perfect  in  every  way  …  you  wonder  what  made  them  worth  fathering  and  you  quite  the  opposite  .  it  doesn't  matter  how  present  he  is  now  ,  how  he  tries  to  fulfil  your  very  whim  …  you  will  never  forgive  him  enough  to  admit  to  that  growing  hole  in  your  soul  where  the  support  of  a  parent  is  meant  to  be  .  the  lullabies  are  sung  under  your  breath  ,  recordings  played  under  covers  and  resentment  growing  and  taking  root  in  every  corner  of  your  body  as  you  reach  full  maturation  .

the  world  of  nepotism  ,  your  fathers  money  about  as  close  to  blue  blooded  as  you  will  ever  be  ⎯  green  blooded  ,  green  eyed  …  like  you  .  you  have  a  serious  case  of  the  green  eyed  monster  ,  all  the  work  you  pour  into  being  the  best  at  everything  ,  a  war  waged  against  nobody  but  yourself  because  the  bitterness  took  root  long  ago  .  growing  into  an  adult  with  a  temperament  for  demands  that  can  never  be  met  ,  a  need  and  desire  for  attention  that  can  never  be  fulfilled  .  you  need  to  be  gratified  .  you  need  to  be  a  shining  star  …  a  great  showman  .  you  have  to  be  somebody  .  you  are  somebody  ,  aren't  you  ?

✼  ʾ   𝑎𝑐𝑡.   𝒊𝒊𝒊   ,   

tristan carvalho. cousin . bitterness and envy rooted in nothing other than having no other space for your resentments .

alexandra fairchild. subplot / enemies , you are trying to get back in her favour , you need her .

[perregrinstudiessometimes]

Spoiler Free Book review of:

Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake by Frank W. Abagnale with Stan Redding

Good reads synopsis/summary: 

“Frank W. Abagnale, alias Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams and Robert Monjo, was one of the most daring con men, forgers, impostors and escape artists in history. In his brief but notorious career, Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and co-piloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as the supervising resident of a hospital, practised law without a licence, passed himself off as a college sociology professor and cashed over $2.5 million in forged cheques, all before he was 21 years old. Known by the police of 26 foreign countries and all 50 US states as 'The Skywayman', Abagnale lived a sumptuous life on the run - until the law finally caught up with him. Now recognised as America's leading authority on financial foul play, Abagnale is a charming rogue whose hilarious, stranger-than=fiction international escapes - including one from an aeroplane - make Catch Me if You Can an irresistible tale of deceit.”

Format: audio book read by Barrett Whitener (an amazing reader 10/10 for performance) 

Source: Libby (app that my local library partners with)

Book started on: Jan 8th

Book finished on: Jan 8th

Book Grade (out of 100): 95

Book emojis: 🧑🏻‍✈️🪪🕵🏻🧠🧑🏻‍⚖️🚓💶🧳👮🏻‍♂️

Spoiler free thoughts: While the accompanying movie that was based off this book is far more popular, and far more talked about. The book is, in my opinion, better. The true story of frank Abagnale is far more interesting than the fictionalized version of his story portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. I will say, I would love to read a book from the perspective of the FBI regarding this case.

This is the first time I have read this book, and frankly, I am upset that I waited this long to read it. I have seen the movie countless times over the years as it is one of my favorite movies and I think I may return to the book as well. I don’t know what it is about the story of Frank Abagnale maybe it’s the confidence, maybe it’s the stupidity, Maybe it’s the skill. Maybe, and most likely it is that you rarely hear of such serious crimes where the number of individual victims is low, while the severity of the crime is high. Frank Abagnale rarely prayed on individual people. Instead, his targets were big businesses, big banks, and large hotel chains. Even with his crimes did pray on specific people, he was so charming that the people rarely upset (except for that one model/se worker) whatever it is about his story, there is some thing, both terrifying and comforting about it.

Warnings: I suppose it would be fair to warn you that this book contains large amounts of crime. Frank focuses mainly on check fraud what does also delve into regular old fraud. There are also mentions of horrible treatments within prisons Specifically his time in a French prison is one of the most heartbreaking things I have ever read. There is also briefly a sex worker though she is not discussed much.

Do I recommend this book? Absolutely! This book is fabulous and while it doesn’t quite put the movie to shame, it does certainly top it. Regardless of whether you watch the movie or read the book I implore you to look into Frank Abagnale’s story as he is deeply interesting. It’s probably weird to say and think this, but I believe Frank may be my favorite criminal. (I am well aware that I should not have a favorite criminal.)

If you enjoyed this book and are looking for other recommendations: if you haven’t seen the movie, I would recommend the movie. If you haven’t read the book, I would recommend the book. I wish I had more things to recommend you, but I’ve simply not come across anything that affects me the way frank story does. If you have any suggestions for me, please leave them in the replies or the tags. :)

[serenafainx]

!! hello 2023 !! this is just a thing to help remember and summarise what my kids have done this year, and potential plans for the new year but pls note — the code is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules ... (hehe pirates)

content warnings: mentions of depression, brutal injury, homelessness

༶ ⋆ SERENA 

in 2022:

moved into elias, with sorrel as her roommate

continued her diploma of costume design with walt university

still working at the drycleaner’s/laundromat

regular stall-holder in the maker’s market

assisted with 2 productions by walt uni, in the costume dept

now lead costume designer for romeo & juliet 

reunited with jasper skellington and twas cathartic

maybe falling for ….. a blonde 👀

for 2023:

wants to learn how to drive !!

will focus more on her visions-ability ; she’ll start to take this part of herself more seriously, and offer more help with it. so far, she’s kept it a very close secret.

may get more confrontational if villains keep making her friends miserable >:((

where will her costume design hobby take her ? she may start to take commissions from her friends, if they would like certain outfits ?

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ- BELLE 

in 2022:

moved to elias, living with adam

worked at the public library for a few months

now works full-time as the executive assistant to sulley, in sullivan inc.

plays fortnightly d&d games !!

joined a bookclub

( kept her depressive episodes a secret from her friends, and also her concerns about her father’s health - to date, she’s only told penelope )

for 2023:

...she should probably take care of her mental health more

should open up to her friends more :((

will pursue her degrees in archaeology, history, and/or library sciences ? and then go on to do her master’s degree in archaeology? and then her pHD ?!?!?!? this will take years

she’s going to start realising that perhaps elias is not so much an adventure when all she pursues is work. she’ll start to be a bit more self-focused this year. ( “ i want adventure in the great wide somewhere !! ” )

⍋*:･ﾟ NICK     ( aka. money money money - abba.mp3 )

in 2022:

stole watches and sold them smh

got to know what little there is of elias’ criminal underground (mainly NPCs and decha and beck, he avoids the big guns)

making friends! wdym he actually likes it here in elias ?? :/

didn’t really care for his studies, he’s just passing rn, i think he’s doing business or communications ?

in 2023:

starting to work with some sketchy ppl - namely, selling counterfeit items when he can (not much though)

working with a forger; he can now help make fake IDs, forge documents, birth certificates. does not deal with money though, won’t forge cheques or anything like that.

just wants money !!!! 

nick on christmas day 2022: “i should probably date someone ://” and he’ll be a menace, a slut, you might say-

✫⌒ BEATRIX

in 2022:

regularly attended therapy in elias after she was kind of traumatised from brutalising a criminal back in townsville (still has told NO ONE about it, except her sisters, who only know because of the professor)

still has not found a ‘hobby’ to counteract her love for fighting

...instead, she has been partying and going clubbing a lot wee-woo

MADE FRIEENDSS and bothers them all the time ://

started working at bueno nacho, come thru for the free food guys

for 2023:

.... i’m not actually sure, but i know that she’s going to need to work on opening up to her friends. this might be her focus-on-emotions year.

she may end up quitting university to work full-time and do something else (sorry professor)

♛･*˚ KIT    

in 2022:

god what hasn’t this man done

lots of community service, still doing things for ulstead too

hired beverly as an assistant in december 2022, to assist with elias plans and business. he currently is thinking of starting a foundation in elias, but TBA and still quite up in the air

reunited with his oldest friend elsa and i cried

mourning the curse on his brother ... struggling a lot internally rip

for 2023:

working on building the foundation

LIFTING THE CURSE OF PIP ??

idk he just needs to feel normal and not work all the time, so any friend who can do that is a golden friend indeed

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ MEG

in 2022 (mainly off the dash bc she arrived in december hehe):

was pawning off the last of hades’ things

lived in a homeless shelter for a month or two before the goddess hestia gifted her an apartment 

got a job at sk8es and the movie theater

had a short friendship/relationship with roxas reyes, and it did not go well

wherever hercules is, she avoids it

for 2023: 

more friends, more connections, because it’s her connections with people that keep her grounded and not like a lost spirit

want her to explore her hobbies more: being a movie and food critic, and also a gentle interest in architecture

she’ll probably buy a new pair of headphones. and a new phone ://

[forensicated]

05x04 - The Mugging And The Gypsies

TW: Traveller racism.

Yorkie and June pull into a traveller camp and find a disturbance and a car that has been set on fire. The local residents are shouting at the Travellers that they are trespassing. June asks if the residents have specific complaints and the residents accuse them of local burglaries and crimes.

Yorkie asks the loudest man to move on because the Travellers have already said they will be leaving, but can't whilst the residents crowd them. He advises that they take up their complaints with their MP.

Bob is having a meeting with a Social Worker. One of the residents who lives nearby has spotted a Traveller repeatedly beating his daughter. Bob assigns Taffy who admits that he's aware of the complaint, a man came home after a drinking binge and laid into his 9-year-old. Unfortunately, when they tried to police it they got nowhere and couldn't get anything to stick. He said none of the children looked like they'd been assaulted. The social worker says the child seen being beaten is called Teresa and there's a place of safety order for her and she wants to enforce it.

Con O'Neill pops up as Ricky Denball. He's been arrested for forging a signature on a cheque. When searched he has a wallet full of credit cards in different names.

Taffy and the social worker are driven to the camp by Yorkie and June. The caravans are in the process of leaving as they arrive. "We're too late, it's the next divisions problem now." Yorkie claims. The social worker She spots the caravan in question leaving the pitch and asks them to stop them. They don't have to - the engine fails and the caravan is forced to stop.

Hello boom mike 🤣🤣

Taffy tells Mr Beecher that they have a place of safety order for their 9 year old daughter Theresa and they're going to have to take her whilst the case is looked into.

It's also June and Marie's first meeting. Melanie Hill guest stars as Mrs Beecher, Theresa's mother.🤣

Alec recognises Ricky Denball. Denball insists that he's got the wrong bloke. Ken brings through his previous - he's been arrested 6 times for mugging. He admits to forging the signature but claims he found the wallet in a bin and didn't steal anything. He insists his previous has nothing to do with it. He found the wallet and that's that.

June asks the social worker if she's sure it's not a wind-up because the travellers are unpopular. She admits that she can't be certain either way but the case has landed on her desk and she has to see it through. The Beechers disappear inside their caravan and won't come out to speak to the police. June is sent to direct the traffic as the caravans are blocking the road whilst Yorkie, Taffy and the Social Worker attempt to talk to the Beechers.

Ken rings the owner of the card that Denball was using. The victim claims he was mugged and the car stolen the night before. Denball insists he didn't mug him so Viv and Tosh are asked to visit the victim.

Mrs Beecher won't open the door, telling the Social Worker that Theresa is well-fed, clean and loved. She won't let her take her away. Theresa appears in the window and tells her that her parents love her and have never done anything bad to her. Mr Beecher tells Taffy he should be ashamed of himself because he's an Ethnic Minority too.

Mr Guthrie, the alleged mugging victim, tells Tosh and Viv that the attack came completely out of the blue and he doesn't remember much after he left the restaurant he'd been at for the evening with his wife. He claims he struggled to his feet, worked out where he was and then staggered home but kept falling over. His wife says she felt tired so returned straight home whereas her husband had decided to go 'for a stroll'. When he returned home she was shocked because he was covered in blood. She rang for the doctor who told her that Mr Guthrie had been punched and was suffering from concussion. They were just about to inform the police when Ken rang.

Taffy and Yorkie try to force the caravan's door open and fail. Taffy asks Mr Beecher to come and speak to him or they'll be arrested for obstruction. "Oh don't be ridiculous…" June sighs to Taff.

Viv tells the Guthrie's that the man they've arrested claims he found the cards in a litterbin approx 3pm that afternoon. Mrs Guthrie asks if the only link between the suspect and her husband is the cards and Tosh admits it is unless Mr Guthrie can remember anything else. "And you can't, can you love?" she asks with Mr Guthrie agreeing. Tosh asks him to attend the station for an ID parade to jog his memory and he and his wife both seem unsure.

The officers and social worker retire to the police car when it starts to rain and discuss what to do next. Yorkie suggests towing the caravan back to the station if they won't get out of it. "Oh, they're gonna love us…" June sighs before they agree that it's probably the only thing they can do.

Mr and Mrs Guthrie attend the station after Mrs Guthrie asks to attend so her husband is not 'talked into anything'.

In the station yard, Taffy, June, Yorkie and the social worker are watching the caravan. Alec and Tony are amused. Alec asks Mrs Beecher if she'll tell him his fortune. "You'll come to a bad end, you!" "I could have told him that!" Tony smirks before asking for some pegs. Mr Beecher tells them to leave them alone. The social worker claims they'll have to come out eventually to go to the toilet.

The Guthries are led inside the station whilst the Beecher family pleading with them for help and claim they're being held hostage by the police. Mrs Guthrie asks what they're doing there and Yorkie explains that the child has been abused and is being taken into protective custody. Mrs Guthrie clings onto the arm of her husband.

Denball is still insisting he didn't mug Mr Guthrie. Tosh tells Mr Guthrie to take as long as he needs and to point the man he suspects of attacking him out to the Inspector. Mrs Guthrie shouts that he mustn't go in and she pushes her husband against the wall to stop him. She accuses the police of telling him which man to recognise even if he doesn't. "I know you, you're weak and spiteful. You're preparing to frame someone!". Mrs Guthrie snaps back that it wasn't a man who did it - it was her. Mr Guthrie is as surprised as the officers and Tosh leads them up to CID to discuss what happened.

Mr Beecher and Theresa leap out of the caravan whilst Yorkie is petting the horses and June and the social worker are sat in the car. Taffy slams the gate shut just in time as the officers grab Mr Beecher and the Social Worker and June grab Theresa and Mrs Beecher.

Not the last time those two will be close. (I amuse myself!)

June, Yorkie and Alec discuss what they could charge The Beecher's with. June doesn't think it's worth wasting court time over as she doesn't think they've really done anything wrong outside of wasting police time. Yorkie says to slap their wrists and get shot of them. Alec agrees to let them go if they promise not to do anything like it again. He tells them that Theresa is currently at the hospital and, depending on what the hospital says, she may have to be put into care. They'll be allowed to see her tomorrow and the police mechanic has fixed their engine so they can drive it away with the caravan.

Tosh asks Mrs Guthrie to explain what happened. She says that her husband had been drinking and when he's drunk he starts making vicious remarks to her. He provoked a fight when they left the resturant and was shouting at her on the street, calling her a sterile cow. She admits hitting him but doesn't think it was as hard as he made out and she believed he was pretending to be out cold. She walked off home. Mr Guthrie accuses her of lying to him and the police. "I've been lying my whole life." She respond calmly. He continues to get angry and tells her that she's crazy and vicious. Mrs Guthrie insists she knows what her husband is capable of. Tosh tells her she could be charged with crimes and that they're going to have to make statements.

Denball admits finding Mr Guthrie unconcious on the ground and stealing his wallet. Alec charges him with theft.

Bob tells Yorkie, Taffy and June that the child at the hospital is not Theresa. It is infact Caroline Warne and The Beechers had substituted the child for another one. Taffy laughs and June points out that they won't be seeing them again as they legged it. Taffy and Yorkie remember unloading the scrap from the lorry so the likelyhood is they'll be back at the camp reloading it. They head out to aprehend them.

[mailchequeswithapi]

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Cheque fraud is a significant concern for businesses of all sizes. Fraudsters can alter the payee name, cheque amount, or even forge signatures. In addition to the risk of fraud, sensitive information on cheques, such as account numbers and personal details, can be intercepted during the mailing process, leading to identity theft or other security breaches.

2. Implementing Secure Cheque Printing Practices

To mitigate the risks associated with cheque printing, businesses should adopt secure practices at every stage of the process.

Use of Secure Cheque Stock: High-quality, tamper-evident cheque stock with built-in security features like watermarks, microprinting, and holograms can deter fraudsters.

Encryption of Data: All data related to cheque printing should be encrypted to protect it from unauthorized access. This includes the information stored on servers as well as the data transferred between systems.

Authorized Access Control: Implement strict access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel can initiate cheque printing. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security.

Regular Audits and Monitoring: Conduct regular audits of your cheque printing processes and monitor for any suspicious activities. Automated systems can alert you to any unusual behavior, such as attempts to print cheques outside of normal business hours.

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The mailing process is another critical point where security must be maintained. Here’s how to ensure cheques are mailed securely:

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Mailing Controls and Verification: Implement controls to verify the accuracy of mailing addresses and ensure that the correct cheques are sent to the correct recipients. Address verification software can help in reducing errors.

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Automation plays a crucial role in securing cheque printing and mailing processes. Automated systems can provide several security benefits:

Digital Signatures: Automating the signature process with digital signatures that are securely stored and encrypted reduces the risk of signature forgery.

Audit Trails: Automated systems maintain detailed logs of all activities related to cheque processing, providing a clear audit trail for security reviews.

Error Reduction: Automation reduces human error, which is often a source of security breaches. By automating data entry and cheque printing, businesses can ensure that the correct information is always used.

5. Compliance with Security Standards

Businesses should ensure that their cheque printing and mailing processes comply with industry security standards. This includes following guidelines set by organizations such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA).

PCI DSS Compliance: For businesses that handle credit card information, ensuring PCI DSS compliance is essential. This includes securing all data related to financial transactions and implementing robust access controls.

NACHA Guidelines: For businesses that engage in electronic funds transfers, following NACHA’s guidelines on security and data protection is crucial.

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Proper storage and disposal of cheques are also important aspects of security. Cheques that are no longer needed should be securely destroyed, and those that are stored should be kept in a secure location with restricted access.

Secure Storage: Store printed cheques in a locked, secure location. Access should be limited to authorized personnel only.

Secure Disposal: Shred any cheques or cheque-related documents that are no longer needed. Consider using a shredding service that provides a certificate of destruction.

7. Conclusion

Secure cheque printing and mailing are critical components of a business’s financial operations. By implementing best practices, utilizing automation, and ensuring compliance with industry standards, businesses can protect themselves from the risks associated with cheque fraud and data breaches. Investing in secure cheque processing systems is not just a matter of protecting financial assets but also maintaining the trust and confidence of your clients and partners. As cheque fraud becomes increasingly sophisticated, so too must your security measures. Taking a proactive approach to securing cheque printing and mailing will safeguard your business against potential threats and ensure smooth, secure financial operations.

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[fagmolloy]

So today I found out my dad's dad literally served time in jail for 1) abandoning his wife and two children 2) forging cheques and 3) dodging the draft for WWII. my grandma also had an affair with a chinese man who ran an opium den out of his café in regina. also my uncle was arrested for trafficking heroin. Lol