Federal Reserve Police Deptartment Office Left Card in Mailbox

[lynnrose21]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

I came home today to find a business card from a Lieutenant of the Federal Reserve Police Department. There was nothing written on the card, no name for whom it was meant, or anything else letting me or my husband know what to do. I have contacted my lawyer, but wondered if anyone had heard of this happening and why/what do Federal Reserve Officers do with civilians? It seems to me that they deal with banks.

Thank you

 

[CdwJava]

It could be that they are doing a pre-employment background on someone who lives in your neighborhood or someone you know. Or, they are conducting a criminal investigation on someone you know or live near.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

One must wonder what OP has been up to, if her first thought was to call a lawyer.

 

[CdwJava]

One must wonder what OP has been up to, if her first thought was to call a lawyer.

I was wondering the same thing ... and how many people maintain an attorney on retainer?!?!

 

[tranquility]

I was wondering the same thing ... and how many people maintain an attorney on retainer?!?!

While not on "retainer", I have a number of attorneys I communicate with regularly. Some are friends while some are working associates we collaborate with or are just those who toss clients back and forth with. I might very well use one to contact the person who left the card. Such a thing would worry me more if it regarded a client than if it regarded myself.

 

[FlyingRon]

My father is a lawyer, my mother is a lawyer, my sister is a lawyer, her husband is a lawyer. I have two lawyers in NJ that handle my real estate work up there, one in PA, and one in NC, plus one that handled my will/trust/elder law stuff, and a disability lawyer who handles my son's case. While none of them on are "retainers." All, will certainly handle items for me since they know I'm good for the money and if I had a question as to "what do you think this card means" they'd answer without charging me anyhow.

 

[CdwJava]

That's great, but contacting a family member or friend is not the same as contacting "my lawyer." That term implies a special relationship. If I were to contact my uncle the lawyer, I'd say, "I called my uncle who's an attorney and asked him."

Though, a police business card in my door would NOT prompt me to make such a call. Never has, even before I was a cop. It just makes me wonder ...

 

[FlyingRon]

That's great, but contacting a family member or friend is not the same as contacting "my lawyer." That term implies a special relationship. If I were to contact my uncle the lawyer, I'd say, "I called my uncle who's an attorney and asked him."

Though, a police business card in my door would NOT prompt me to make such a call. Never has, even before I was a cop. It just makes me wonder ...

Nice of you to only note one aspect of my post. Frankly, with regard to TAX issues, my mother is MY ATTORNEY. That's her specialty. The others have specialties that don't really overlap with anything I need (labor law, telecommunications regulatory, product liability defense). That's why I have four others that are very much indeed "MY ATTORNEY" with regard to my other legal needs. A couple also do some criminal work so if I ever needed criminal advice in their states, I might indeed ask them.

 

[tranquility]

That's great, but contacting a family member or friend is not the same as contacting "my lawyer." That term implies a special relationship. If I were to contact my uncle the lawyer, I'd say, "I called my uncle who's an attorney and asked him."

Though, a police business card in my door would NOT prompt me to make such a call. Never has, even before I was a cop. It just makes me wonder ...

It might if it were from a lieutenant from the Federal Reserve police and you deal in taxes or financial matters in some way. Besides, this is a new age where everyone is suspected and prosecutorial discretion is all that saves us. The government has made it dangerous to deal with them at any level and one who does not exercise an abundance of caution is silly. It doesn't even have to be a risk from the government. Even if this is a background investigation (which I think most likely), I would talk with the target before giving anything up to the investigator. If a friend or neighbor, I'd want to put them in the best light and would confer with them first. If a client, I have certain things that are protected by privilege and would need disclosure to them at the least and maybe permission from them or subject myself to suit. If an associate, I'd need to know what is going on to protect myself. In all cases it might well be better to have an attorney respond--if I respond at all.

 

[single317dad]

Personally, I had never heard of the Federal Reserve Police Dept before this thread, and I would have assumed the card was some kind of scam, but would have been afraid of dismissing it entirely. A quick Google search enlightened me. Perhaps OP contacted the most legally knowledgeable person they know.

 

[CdwJava]

Maybe it's just me, but my first reaction to an officer's business card is NOT to call MY lawyer - or ANY lawyer (of course I don't HAVE a lawyer as I have never had such need of one to have one on retainer). It would be to either (a) toss the card away and ignore it, or, (b) call them.

And, as a background investigator, I often don't tell them WHO I am looking at until I am present as I want as true a response as possible. In other words, I might say that a friend or family member pout you down as a reference, or, a neighbor has applied for a job with us, and I'd like to speak with you. What we do not want to have is a tainted or canned response. In other words, I want an honest reply about someone, not the carefully measured, weighed and packaged response. And, since the responses are confidential and not subject to disclosure, I can pass along those assurances.

If someone chooses not to respond even after repeated attempts, well, that might raise red flags about the applicant ...

 

[tranquility]

Maybe it's just me, but my first reaction to an officer's business card is NOT to call MY lawyer - or ANY lawyer (of course I don't HAVE a lawyer as I have never had such need of one to have one on retainer). It would be to either (a) toss the card away and ignore it, or, (b) call them.

And, as a background investigator, I often don't tell them WHO I am looking at until I am present as I want as true a response as possible. In other words, I might say that a friend or family member pout you down as a reference, or, a neighbor has applied for a job with us, and I'd like to speak with you. What we do not want to have is a tainted or canned response. In other words, I want an honest reply about someone, not the carefully measured, weighed and packaged response. And, since the responses are confidential and not subject to disclosure, I can pass along those assurances.

If someone chooses not to respond even after repeated attempts, well, that might raise red flags about the applicant ...

I am completely aware of what the investigator "wants". What *I* want is to give a considered and accurate answer and would prefer to put those I care about in a good light. Tainted and canned, measured, weighed and packaged is my middle name when responding to the government on any matter. Heck, when a bank calls about a client I never give a response about ANYTHING without a written set of questions from the bank and a signed release on our (not the bank's) release forms. I don't even say if they are a client or not. If the police came asking about a client, they might not even get my name before an attorney was contacted. Red flags? No. If someone I knew put me down as a reference they would tell me up front so I could get moving on my proudly tainted, canned, measured, weighed and packaged response right away. If just a general neighborhood check, "I'm not sure I could provide you with any particular information beyond that he seems a good guy."