Scammed . . . . I guess I can begin by saying that it was stupid of me to believe this guy to begin with, and I didn't except that I didn't realize how much information I was giving away. About 2 or 2:15 this afternoon I received a call from someone identifying himself as "Lee," and giving the "Operator #27401," from "Bell Atlantic." I am looking at the note I wrote out for my husband, Keith Henson, who has been systematically harassed for more than three years for attempting to perform the public service of exposing the $cien- ologists as dangerous lawbreakers. "Lee" said something vague about someone was using our phone number. I was not friendly, but confirmed for him my name and my husband's name and our phone number. I told him our phone account was in my husband's name. I even apologized to him for being suspicious, and said the $cien-ologists (pronounced money-ologists) had been harassing us. I unfortunately said that my daughter had a cell phone with a certain carrier (not giving a number), trying to figure out what could be causing our phone number to wind up where it didn't seem it should be. I also unfortunately gave "Lee" my husband's work number as well as his pager number, believing that the $cien-ologists already had this information. I knew they know where he works, because they've subpoenaed the place. "Lee" gave me an 800 number where he wanted Keith to call. I told him to tell Keith to please call me back after they had talked, so I would know what was going on. Keith received no calls or pages. When he returned home I gave him the phone number "Lee" had given me. It turned out to be US West's repair service. Bell Atlantic's 800 number, according to directory assistance, only has one number in common (and not in the same position) as the number I was given. Neither Bell Atlantic nor Pacific Bell, our carrier, has anyone available this weekend to talk with me about this--not security, not a fraud division, not any office anywhere. I can't reach anyone now to report this except my local police department, who have given me an incident number and an agent name in case there is further harassment. One phone call doesn't constitute harassment. There is no law against lying. But if they call again . . . Arel Lucas
October 15, 1999