What do you guys think?

spleen1015 · 09-27-2011, 06:26 AM

I got letter in the mail yesterday from the Safe Children Coalition in Brandenton, Florida. It says that they are a family finder specialist and they believe I am a relative of someone.

I've googled this place and it looks legit. It appears to be affiliated with the YMCA or a part of the YMCA.

I googled the kid's name and found mugshots of the kid when they were arrested for burglary and 3rd degree grand larceny back in 2010.

There is a phone number for the person who sent me the letter. I am thinking about calling them today and asking some questions.

What do you guys think? Has anyone ever gotten a letter from this place? I wonder if this is some kind of hoax, but things appear to be legit.

SegRat · 09-27-2011, 06:45 AM

Call from a dispossable phone.

JonInMiddleGA · 09-27-2011, 07:05 AM

Depends upon whether you're interested in taking this possible long-lost relative into your home.

The Safe Children Coalition is a community coalition blending available resources to assist abused and neglected children and their families in reaching permanency in a safe and stable environment.

CrimsonFox · 09-27-2011, 07:23 AM

Anyone with "Coalition" in their name should be made fun of....and then kicked.

spleen1015 · 09-27-2011, 07:43 AM

I called the number this morning and got the lady's voicemail. It seems legit from the sense that I first dialed into a menu system and was asked for an extension.

Further digging kind of proves that I'm not this kid's father. If the arrest record I found it correct, then this kid was conceived before I lost my virginity.

Looking at the kid, they don't look like me or my brother or sisters, but they do look like some of my cousins.

If this isn't a hoax, I am interested to find out why they think this kid is related to me.

CrimsonFox · 09-27-2011, 07:46 AM

I think you should play more werewolf. That's what I think.

tyketime · 09-27-2011, 09:04 AM

Uncle Spleen... Is that you? Can you wire me some bail money?

wishbone · 09-27-2011, 09:37 AM

I have been called callous and told I have no heart. What I would do is write it off as a scam and forget about it. I am unaware of any relatives that are missing that I would/could take in or help in a significant way. All that said, when a brother, sister, niece or nephew needs help I have been there. I'm not willing to commit to a relationship with a stranger based on their need for emotional or financial support.

Ksyrup · 09-27-2011, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Depends upon whether you're interested in taking this possible long-lost relative into your home.

The Safe Children Coalition is a community coalition blending available resources to assist abused and neglected children and their families in reaching permanency in a safe and stable environment.

If you're not interested in this for more than the mere curiousity of it, I'd think twice.

Rizon · 09-27-2011, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I got letter in the mail yesterday from the Safe Children Coalition in Brandenton, Florida. It says that they are a family finder specialist and they believe I am a relative of someone.

I've googled this place and it looks legit. It appears to be affiliated with the YMCA or a part of the YMCA.

I googled the kid's name and found mugshots of the kid when they were arrested for burglary and 3rd degree grand larceny back in 2010.

There is a phone number for the person who sent me the letter. I am thinking about calling them today and asking some questions.

What do you guys think? Has anyone ever gotten a letter from this place? I wonder if this is some kind of hoax, but things appear to be legit.

Has anyone else in your extended family received the same letter?

stevew · 09-27-2011, 10:06 AM

Maybe he jumped a bond and they are looking for help to track him down?

spleen1015 · 09-27-2011, 10:07 AM

I talked to the lady that sent me the letter a little bit ago.

She is a social worker looking to help this kid as they are a foster child in her system. She uses one of those internet search places and it links the kid to me and my parents, no one else with my last name. She wouldn't tell me the names of anyone else on the list.

She gave me the kid's mother's name. Googling her, I see someone with that name having lived near my parents in MD and in Florida near the area where this kid is.

I don't recognize either name, so I guess there's nothing to this.

Rizon, I have texts out to my family to see if anyone recognizes this name.

I am leaning heavily towards forgetting about this and chalking it up to a computer making a mistake. My only issue is that my parents are linked. It makes me wonder if my father is responsible for this kid and I have a have sibling out there. This is a possibility just because of who my dad is.

I haven't talked to my father in more than 8 years, so asking him about it is not really an option at this point.

GrantDawg · 09-27-2011, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I talked to the lady that sent me the letter a little bit ago.

She is a social worker looking to help this kid as they are a foster child in her system. She uses one of those internet search places and it links the kid to me and my parents, no one else with my last name. She wouldn't tell me the names of anyone else on the list.

She gave me the kid's mother's name. Googling her, I see someone with that name having lived near my parents in MD and in Florida near the area where this kid is.

I don't recognize either name, so I guess there's nothing to this.

Rizon, I have texts out to my family to see if anyone recognizes this name.

I am leaning heavily towards forgetting about this and chalking it up to a computer making a mistake. My only issue is that my parents are linked. It makes me wonder if my father is responsible for this kid and I have a have sibling out there. This is a possibility just because of who my dad is.

I haven't talked to my father in more than 8 years, so asking him about it is not really an option at this point.

Deep dark family secret: I have possible sibling that I don't know. Could all be rumors (actually, most likely are rumors). I am not sure I would want to know in a way, but then in another way it is hard not to. Feel for you.

JonInMiddleGA · 09-27-2011, 10:30 AM

This sounds to me more & more like a government funded program gone bad (they're working under a contract with DFACS according to their FB page)

They're all about getting kids into (or out of) foster care, which is all well, fine & good ... but it doesn't mean they're above using some very sketchy means to do it either. All sorts of red flags here IMO.

spleen1015 · 09-27-2011, 10:33 AM

My stepson has a potential half brother on his father's side that everyone except his father thinks is his. My stepson has no idea that he might have another brother. I have known about this for about 12 years and I think he deserves to know and find out if it is true. I leave it up to his dad to tell him about it right now, but he is 18 now and I'm not one to let shit be for the sake of someone's feelings.

So, if this kid in this letter is somehow related to me, I would like to know.

Lathum · 09-27-2011, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Deep dark family secret: I have possible sibling that I don't know. Could all be rumors (actually, most likely are rumors). I am not sure I would want to know in a way, but then in another way it is hard not to. Feel for you.

Oddly enough so do I. My Dad was previously married and I found out from my Aunt one night when she was drunk they had kids they never told me about. So somewhere out there I have half siblings. I honestly don't have much interest in meeting them, they are likely much older than me and obviously my Dad didn't want them to be a part of his or our lives.

JeeberD · 09-27-2011, 02:15 PM

When she was in high school my wife found out that she had a half-brother that she never knew about. Apparently her father knocked up an older girl when he was in high school, but after he married my mother-in-law they kept the kid at a distance. I can't remember what made my FIL finally tell my wife and her brother about his first kid, but they eventually met, and my wife said it was pretty awkward...

Matthean · 09-27-2011, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Deep dark family secret: I have possible sibling that I don't know. Could all be rumors (actually, most likely are rumors). I am not sure I would want to know in a way, but then in another way it is hard not to. Feel for you.

Hopefully Spleen's name isn't Dexter...

Rizon · 09-27-2011, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I am leaning heavily towards forgetting about this and chalking it up to a computer making a mistake.

It can only be attributable to human error.

09-27-2011, 06:45 AM	#2
SegRat High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Oshkosh, WI	Call from a dispossable phone. __________________ USFL: Charlotte Fightn' Squirrels Last edited by SegRat : 09-27-2011 at 06:45 AM.

09-27-2011, 07:05 AM	#3
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	Depends upon whether you're interested in taking this possible long-lost relative into your home. The Safe Children Coalition is a community coalition blending available resources to assist abused and neglected children and their families in reaching permanency in a safe and stable environment. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

09-27-2011, 07:43 AM	#5
spleen1015 Coordinator Join Date: Sep 2003	I called the number this morning and got the lady's voicemail. It seems legit from the sense that I first dialed into a menu system and was asked for an extension. Further digging kind of proves that I'm not this kid's father. If the arrest record I found it correct, then this kid was conceived before I lost my virginity. Looking at the kid, they don't look like me or my brother or sisters, but they do look like some of my cousins. If this isn't a hoax, I am interested to find out why they think this kid is related to me. Last edited by spleen1015 : 09-27-2011 at 07:43 AM.

09-27-2011, 10:30 AM	#14
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	This sounds to me more & more like a government funded program gone bad (they're working under a contract with DFACS according to their FB page) They're all about getting kids into (or out of) foster care, which is all well, fine & good ... but it doesn't mean they're above using some very sketchy means to do it either. All sorts of red flags here IMO. __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis

09-27-2011, 02:15 PM	#17
JeeberD General Manager Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Town of Flower Mound	When she was in high school my wife found out that she had a half-brother that she never knew about. Apparently her father knocked up an older girl when he was in high school, but after he married my mother-in-law they kept the kid at a distance. I can't remember what made my FIL finally tell my wife and her brother about his first kid, but they eventually met, and my wife said it was pretty awkward... __________________ UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO

09-27-2011, 07:23 AM	#4
CrimsonFox General Manager Join Date: Dec 2009	Anyone with "Coalition" in their name should be made fun of....and then kicked.

09-27-2011, 07:46 AM	#6
CrimsonFox General Manager Join Date: Dec 2009	I think you should play more werewolf. That's what I think.

09-27-2011, 09:04 AM	#7
tyketime College Benchwarmer Join Date: Nov 2003	Uncle Spleen... Is that you? Can you wire me some bail money?

09-27-2011, 09:37 AM	#8
wishbone High School JV Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hillsboro OR	I have been called callous and told I have no heart. What I would do is write it off as a scam and forget about it. I am unaware of any relatives that are missing that I would/could take in or help in a significant way. All that said, when a brother, sister, niece or nephew needs help I have been there. I'm not willing to commit to a relationship with a stranger based on their need for emotional or financial support.

09-27-2011, 10:06 AM	#11
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	Maybe he jumped a bond and they are looking for help to track him down?

09-27-2011, 10:07 AM	#12
spleen1015 Coordinator Join Date: Sep 2003	I talked to the lady that sent me the letter a little bit ago. She is a social worker looking to help this kid as they are a foster child in her system. She uses one of those internet search places and it links the kid to me and my parents, no one else with my last name. She wouldn't tell me the names of anyone else on the list. She gave me the kid's mother's name. Googling her, I see someone with that name having lived near my parents in MD and in Florida near the area where this kid is. I don't recognize either name, so I guess there's nothing to this. Rizon, I have texts out to my family to see if anyone recognizes this name. I am leaning heavily towards forgetting about this and chalking it up to a computer making a mistake. My only issue is that my parents are linked. It makes me wonder if my father is responsible for this kid and I have a have sibling out there. This is a possibility just because of who my dad is. I haven't talked to my father in more than 8 years, so asking him about it is not really an option at this point.

09-27-2011, 10:33 AM	#15
spleen1015 Coordinator Join Date: Sep 2003	My stepson has a potential half brother on his father's side that everyone except his father thinks is his. My stepson has no idea that he might have another brother. I have known about this for about 12 years and I think he deserves to know and find out if it is true. I leave it up to his dad to tell him about it right now, but he is 18 now and I'm not one to let shit be for the sake of someone's feelings. So, if this kid in this letter is somehow related to me, I would like to know.

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