TexasCHLforum.com

The dilemma is short, but let me provide context up front:

I recently received my CHL in July, until a week ago I have not (sorry, it has not sunk in as habit yet) been consistently carrying my weapon (check sig for my available carries) and I received a call from a close friend concerning an issue with identity theft that had gone further than fraud, but to physical impersonation as well. The bank management issued a dire warning to this individual that due to the reaching nature of the ID theft, that they were in fear for the personal safety of this individual at their home. The recommendation was made to gather important documents, etc... and spend a few nights away from home or hire armed security.

Bear in mind, I'm not the theft victim. My friend called because they know that I can carry (they too are prepping for their CHL course) and because my friend did not want the two individuals going back to the residence without armed protection, again considering the perceived threat.

Here's my mental checklist:
A. I do not want to serve as protector. This is not why I have a CHL.
B. The police refused to come out and at least take a statement from the ID theft victim. This is not a negative review of Dallas PD as the circumstances are understandably low priority and purely speculation.
C. The area of town that this house is located is in the nicer part of the not-so-safe anymore part of town. For you Dallas area members, I'm referring to Oak Cliff.
D. Considering what was at stake, the ID theft victim could not be reasoned with to save this for another day... and even then all it would do is delay the inevitable, potentially risky trip back to their home. The depth of this ID theft did not make either day or night any safer than the other.

Given the circumstances, I did carry my firearm and I did accompany these friends to the ID theft victim's residence and we were able to pack up and secure important details. We were also able to eventually get the police involved and whatever uneasiness I had was put to rest once the officer arrived. For this, I'm glad to have been insistent.

My dilemma is this, and it is obvious that I chose to accompany my friends (their age does make them vulnerable should the worst had occurred):

Option A: I do not look for danger. I do not willingly put myself in a situation just because I have a CHL and so that means I can go anywhere. That's not my heart in this matter, nor is it the reasoning behind why I got one. I like my own house, my own family, and my own personal safety because that is what I'm responsible for. I also want to support the 2nd Amendment and joining the cause for this particular freedom is a meaningful thing to me.
Option B: I do love my friends, and given the circumstances, and the initial refusal by police to be involved it did not seem right to me that my knowledge of the situation regardless of the speculation involved would allow me in good conscience to say "No."

I shouldn't have to ask, "What if?" but nonetheless the question presents itself and while I do not regret the successful outcome of the trip (nothing happened, the police created a file for the friend), I do regret what appeared to me as putting myself into a risky situation instead of successfully formulating a plan to avoid it altogether.

As fellow CHL'ers, I ask for your input and also to what extent you feel our rights to protection allow for this kind of proactivity?

P.S. I do not broadcast my license, the only reason these people knew is because I encourage them to get their own CHLs and that line of discussion led to their knowledge of me.

johnj5036 wrote:The bank management issued a dire warning to this individual that due to the reaching nature of the ID theft, that they were in fear for the personal safety of this individual at their home. The recommendation was made to gather important documents, etc... and spend a few nights away from home or hire armed security.

Wow!
I've never heard of a warning like this before.

I'm sorry. I don't have any advice for you.

C-dub wrote:

johnj5036 wrote:The bank management issued a dire warning to this individual that due to the reaching nature of the ID theft, that they were in fear for the personal safety of this individual at their home. The recommendation was made to gather important documents, etc... and spend a few nights away from home or hire armed security.

Wow!
I've never heard of a warning like this before.

I'm sorry. I don't have any advice for you.

Yeah, I was shocked as well. Typical ID theft is usually a stolen credit card number, and that's usually it most of the time. You close the account, and get on the phone with credit bureaus to fix it. However, the depth of this theft included account numbers, combination numbers, and worst of all: physical impersonation (hence the warning from the bank, because that "crossed a line") It looks, smells, and tastes like an inside job as my friend in this matter is NOT a member of the middle class and recent deaths in the family have put assets under their control that amount to substantial wealth. I should also mention that in spite of closed accounts, changed locks, shifting of finances etc... the theft has continued even after the bank has been made aware and things changed. It has not been easy. Prior to my knowledge a week ago, these events have occurred over the past five months, and have escalated to the situation I described above.

Well, if your friends are prepping for their own CHL's they may well
have a gun of their own already.

Under the Castle Doctrine they can protect themselves in their home.
Their gun should be loaded and available to fire immediately (either safety-equippped
or a Point-and-shoot such as a revolver or a Glock). It should not be locked up or unloaded.
Keeping it away from children is necessary, but if they are not parents, then the gun's availability
is paramount in case of a home invasion.

Under the MPA (Motorist Protection Act), they are also able to keep a concealed
handgun in their vehicle.

Knowing this, your friends have the ability to be self-sufficient in their defense while
at home, or driving. That should take some of the burden off you.

SIA

Yup,.......

They don't need you and you don't need to be there.

Just tell them to get their own gun and protect themselves in their residence and explain to them that it is legal.

You might also want to ensure they understand that if/when they shoot to stop a threat, that they make sure the threat is stopped (multiple hits).

Change banks too.

Definitely change banks. Any reputable bank would have called the authorities as well as the customer. This is theft. Period. And if it has continued, which I inferred, since the bank notified to customer, I would consider litigation against the bank as well as moving my business elsewhere.

It sounds like the bank has a LOT of explaining to do. As well as make whatever reparations for the losses are required by law.

Then again, there may be a lot more to this than meets the eye. If the substantial wealth described has come through recent inheritances and such, it could be a family member with knowledge of all the account information, not happy with their slice of the pie, trying to even it all out. Just another bad scenario there, but just as likely as an inside job by a bank employee. The net of suspicion on this one should be cast very widely.

Definitely believe that you are not a bodyguard. These folks have the same rights to protect themselves as we do. If they don't own weapons, they should get them and train with them. They should carry under MPA in their vehicle and on their person in their own home. Next step would be CHL.

While I am perfectly capable of using a firearm in extremis, I would not go to anyone's house to protect them. They can come to mine where I can defend them. I would not go where there is a much higher likelihood of trouble than my brain finds acceptable. There is risk in everything we do, and danger everywhere we go as it is...I don't need any extra.....IMHO, of course.

<insert random, pithy comment here>

My bogus-story meter just went off scale.

lonewolf wrote:Definitely believe that you are not a bodyguard. These folks have the same rights to protect themselves as we do. If they don't own weapons, they should get them and train with them. They should carry under MPA in their vehicle and on their person in their own home. Next step would be CHL.

While I am perfectly capable of using a firearm in extremis, I would not go to anyone's house to protect them. They can come to mine where I can defend them. I would not go where there is a much higher likelihood of trouble than my brain finds acceptable. There is risk in everything we do, and danger everywhere we go as it is...I don't need any extra.....IMHO, of course.

Lonewolf, that makes perfect sense to me, thank you for the input. I needed that perspective as I'm a newbie.

WildBill wrote:

<insert random, pithy comment here>

My bogus-story meter just went off scale.

Well done on the pithy comment, although I can't say it was random :)

If you really thought the story was bogus, I don't blame you. Before I was given much detail, the idea of everything I posted seemed preposterous to me as well. However, this friend is not the alarmist-type and my personal knowledge of this friend does not logically conclude to bogus in terms of their situation right now.

Friends help you move. Good friends help you move bodies.

Some of my friends are as close to me or closer than my own family. If one of them asked for this type of help, I would probably give it. BUT, I can count this number of folks on one hand with change left over.

If a close friend asked for my help and something happened after I refused, I would never forgive myself.

Sleep in shifts, make sure 911 is on speed dial. No ones gonna come in if they know people are up and about and armed.

But like I said, pick your friends wisely.

TD,
I understand what you're saying, but rather than help by potentially placing myself in danger, I would encourage them to remove themselves from the danger. Everyone is safer that way. Including you.

Just my .02