The day started off as another typical day of my routine. I woke up, got ready for work, and grabbed my breakfast protein shake and laptop before heading to work. My oh so dreadful job! Thankfully, this particular workday went pretty quickly since I was updating the network and some individual computers. As an IT professional, I have to be prepared for anything to go wrong at any given time. Today seemed pretty calm, yet I had enough to do to keep myself busy, and it made the time go by fast. Before I knew it, it was time to leave and face the 45-minute traffic to get back to my apartment. This is where the real story began.
It took me about an hour to get home that day. This included traffic and stopping to pick up my dinner from whatever fast food chain I was feeling that night. As I walked towards my apartment door, I noticed a strange envelope was taped to my door. I have never been late on my rent, so I figured it was the typical cable or internet advertising or some type of junk mail. As I was unlocking the door, I took the envelope off the door and set my food down on the table with the letter. I made my way to my bedroom to get out of my work clothes to get into something more comfortable. Being comfortable helps me wind down, and I really prefer to wind down while eating dinner after work.
As I took a bite out of my burger, I opened the envelope and found a shocking surprise. It was a letter addressed to me, but it wasn’t handwritten or typed. What I was staring at was a letter constructed of letters that were snipped from a magazine. I damn near dropped my burger on the ground in shock. This can’t be what I think it is, can it? Trying my best not to let panic take over, I started reading the mismatched letters that were all different sizes, colors, and fonts:
Dear Mr. Kowalski,
This is not to be taken lightly. We have taken the correct measures to ensure you know we are very serious! First, we would like to assure you that your wife and children will remain safe with us as long as our demands are met. We are aware of your finances, and to keep your family safe, we are demanding 500,000 dollars, which you will transfer to us using Bitcoin. Use the QR code at the bottom to make the transfer. Do not contact the police! If you do, you will never see your precious family again! Once the transaction is complete, we will release your family in a disclosed location. You have 72 hours! Tick-Tock!
P.S. We will be watching you!
I couldn’t believe what I just read! Is this real? I’ve only seen things like this on a true crime show or in movies. I immediately made sure my door was locked and looked out the window to see if I could see anyone scoping out my apartment. Obviously, I needed to contact the police, but I didn’t even feel safe using my cell phone. I took some time to think and decided that it would be best to deliver the letter directly to the police, but I had to ensure I did it in the safest way possible. A million things raced through my mind! Who were these people? Do they know me? Do they know what I look like? Do they know where I work or what I drive? How was I going to leave the apartment?
After a little thought, I remembered I had a few Halloween wigs from previous costumes over the years in my closet. I threw on a blonde wig and put a cap on with sunglasses to try to disguise my appearance. I kept checking through the blinds to see if I could see anything suspicious or any kind of unusual activity. Everything seemed to be normal, but I wasn’t risking anything. I ordered an Uber to pick me up and take me down the street to the police station. I had no clue if they knew my vehicle and didn’t want to be followed. I really wasn’t even sure who I was dealing with.
I snuck out the back door and walked cautiously in my disguise, trying to be more aware of my surroundings. I approached the Uber, got in, and asked the gentleman to take me to the police station. Traffic was light, so we got there pretty quickly, which helped ease my anxiety, but not by much. I tipped the driver and walked towards the front entrance of the station. I approached the officer sitting at the front desk inside and pulled out the letter. The officer’s expression change as she read, from calm to concerned in a heartbeat. She asked, “Are you Mr. Kowalski?” Without any hesitancy, I replied, “Yes, officer, but I don’t have a wife or kids.” They had gotten the wrong Kowalski.
What a crazy coincidence it was, but that was the last time I heard from the ransom criminals! To this day, I wonder how the other Mr. Kowalski is doing and whatever happened with this whole situation. It sure does make a great story to tell friends and family, but I still hope that family ended up safe. By the way, I moved out of that apartment that weekend, and I never got another ransom note. Well, yet!
