205
206

Can my sister legally get ahold of my money by any law that you know of? (self.legaladvice)

VioletBlueberry が 投稿

I've lived in Minnesota my entire life. My mom and sister both live here too.

My sister is after what basically amounts to my entire life savings. The money is mine. I've been living on my own since I was 18 and over the last ten years I've very slowly scraped together a few dozens of thousands of dollars which I am looking at houses to buy with. My sister is in the middle of a campaign to get that money from me. After I refused, she completely lost her shit. It started with calling at all hours, threatening messages, e-mails. Now I see my sister driving by my place multiple times a day. I've been saving and printing everything she's sent and recording the times of every phone call from her in preparation of pursuing a restraining order, but yesterday my mom said something that has me worried.

My mom for some reason, fully supports my sister in her methodical harassment of me and she told me that I should just hand over the cash because my sister would be able to take me to court for it if she could prove "Greatest need". Those were the words she used. She said that basically if my sister could prove that she needs the money more than I do, I would have to hand it over since we're related.

I know absolutely nothing about the intricacies of the legal system. This sounds fake to me, and I haven't been able to find anything about it online, but I'm so paranoid that she may actually have something. No matter how ridiculous it sounds, I can't completely disregard the threat just in case it's real. Does anyone know if this is a thing? If so, what can I do to protect myself?

全 111 件のコメント
並べ替え:
ベスト
トップ新着論争中古い順Q&A

[–]TheCatGuardian 215ポイント216ポイント  (59子コメント)

Make absolutely sure that your name is the only one on the bank account. If that account was opened before you turned 18 it may still be a joint account with your mom on it which would allow her to withdraw the money.

Other than that, no. You have no responsibility to support your sister.

[–]VioletBlueberry[S] 77ポイント78ポイント  (58子コメント)

I did open my first account before I moved out, but no one was there with me when I did it. As far as I know, my name is the only one on any of my accounts that I have opened since.

[–]TheCatGuardian 244ポイント245ポイント  (15子コメント)

As far as I know

You want to be 100% sure. If your mom's name is on the account she can just walk into a bank and withdraw all the money herself.

[–]ryeshoes 116ポイント117ポイント  (13子コメント)

Ignoring this very salient point, my mother has been able to get my account details just by asserting her mother status with bank staff. Granted, this is not to do anything bad (it was to help pay off one of my lines of credit) but she didn't consult me and I was shocked that it happened.

OP I would go to your bank at some point in the future, ensure that you are the only party that is attached to your account, and get somebody at the bank to confirm that they cannot move your assets from your account to another person's (even if that person was your mother and that she had your SSN) account without your approval.

[–]thenightisdark 65ポイント66ポイント  (12子コメント)

Ignoring this very salient point, my mother has been able to get my account details just by asserting her mother status with bank staff. Granted, this is not to do anything bad (it was to help pay off one of my lines of credit) but she didn't consult me and I was shocked that it happened.

Key point, you can give people money. Just walk in to a bank, just pick an account #, deposit money, and leave.

That will always be legal.

However, the opposite of deposit is withdraw. If the Bank lets anyone but you withdraw....

But deposit is open to anyone.

[–]tupelohoneybee 23ポイント24ポイント  (3子コメント)

At my (now former) bank my mom was able to deposit a check (great, no problem), but then my mom asked for the account balance (not a confirmation of the deposit) and the teller gave it to her. I went to the bank, demanded to talk to the teller and the manager and was told "I didn't think it was a problem because she had the same last name." Bank fired immediately. All this to say, it does happen.

[–]stizzleomnibus1 1ポイント2ポイント  (1子コメント)

Bank fired immediately.

Did you fire the bank, or was the teller fired by the bank?

[–]Computermaster 2ポイント3ポイント  (0子コメント)

I hope both happened.

The manager should be fired too if she was the one that said, "I didn't think it was a problem because she had the same last name."

[–]RyuNoKami -3ポイント-2ポイント  (0子コメント)

Verifying account balance is seperat from a deposit. Anyone can make a deposit. No one will get fired because someone deposited money into your account on purpose and not by accident.

[–]fille_de_rien 5ポイント6ポイント  (3子コメント)

I went into an argument with a bank teller once because she wouldn't let me deposit a check on my mum account as I had no proof of I'd.

[–]SJHillman 9ポイント10ポイント  (2子コメント)

That may have had more to do with the fact it was a check, rather than the fact it was a deposit.

[–]fille_de_rien 0ポイント1ポイント  (1子コメント)

But the check was under my mother name.

[–]T0m03 3ポイント4ポイント  (0子コメント)

But did your mother endorse it?

Some banks are weird about that stuff..

[–]DigitalMariner 3ポイント4ポイント  (0子コメント)

Tell that to Bank of America, motherfuckers practically wanted a blood sample to deposit cash into my own account when all I had was the account number (forgot my ID and debit card, looked up account number on their app).

[–]solkim 1ポイント2ポイント  (0子コメント)

I have always been asked for ID when depositing money.

[–]jkerman 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

My bank (chase) will not let me deposit cash into any account but my own. They told me it was a "new IRS regulation" But i dont believe them.

They would let me take money from a debit card, and put THAT into another persons account, but refused to take cash. I had to deposit the cash into my own account, and use my debit card.

[–]redgrin_grumble 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

Great idea how to piss off bank workers, go in with a 100 dollar bill and deposit .01 into 10,000 different accounts

[–]Bittsy 2ポイント3ポイント  (0子コメント)

Hell, go to another bank entirely that they haven't banked at.

Definitely dealt with issues with my mom taking money from my account. I'd gone through the paperwork to remove her from the account but she "forgot" to turn it in and while I thought she had been removed...she hadn't. She cleaned me out entirely over stupid shit. I eventually got it all back but...so much easier to just not even have it as an option for this to happen.

[–]jmurphy42 88ポイント89ポイント  (16子コメント)

To elaborate on what you've already been told, if anyone else's name is on the account, DO NOT just ask them to remove it. DO NOT just open up another account that's only in your name. The latter ought to be good enough, but every once in a while a rogue teller will let someone talk them into withdrawing money they shouldn't have access to because there's a history of a joint account, and you don't want to have to deal with unwinding that mess.

If there's a joint account, the safest thing that you can do is to open up a brand new account at a brand new bank that your family won't know you use, then have your old bank transfer the money and close out the account. Be sure to change all of your automatic deposits and withdrawals promptly as well.

[–]cybin 80ポイント81ポイント  (14子コメント)

then have your old bank transfer the money

Fark that. Get a cashiers check for the total amount from the old bank and deposit it yourself at the new bank.

[–]Toysoldier34 9ポイント10ポイント  (9子コメント)

Pros and Cons to having the bank directly transfer for you versus a cashiers check?

[–]nclawyer822 15ポイント16ポイント  (4子コメント)

If Mom knows someone at old bank they might be able to identify new bank and tell Mom.

[–]Toysoldier34 1ポイント2ポイント  (3子コメント)

Does anyone know if banks and other financial institutions have any kind of HIPAA type regulations? Violating HIPAA and giving out patient information is a huge offense and one that easy losses you, your job, I would have to imagine banks have something remotely like this to protect people.

[–]nclawyer822 5ポイント6ポイント  (2子コメント)

https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/examinations/financialprivacy/handbook/

The potential problem here is not a bank not having an adequate policy, it is a rogue employee who mom knows getting talked into releasing information to mom.

[–]drowsylacuna 3ポイント4ポイント  (0子コメント)

Not even a rogue employee per se. An employee who's been socially engineered into believing they are being helpful comes to the same thing.

[–]Toysoldier34 1ポイント2ポイント  (0子コメント)

Users will always be the weakest link in security, but at least there would be more recourse and less motivation to break these codes if they existed. A nurse will be far less inclined to leak patient info simply because HIPAA exists and is taken so seriously.

[–]exie610 13ポイント14ポイント  (2子コメント)

You're not carrying 30k in your back pocket?

[–]DigitalMariner 3ポイント4ポイント  (1子コメント)

Plot Twist: Sister is a cop, pulls OP over leaving the bank and seizes the money with civil forfeiture.

[–]stizzleomnibus1 2ポイント3ポイント  (0子コメント)

Plot Twistier: OP is a sovereign citizen, and skedaddles because he is a free traveler, no joinder has been created, and she has no right to detain him.

Her attempts to seize his cargo would be considered piracy in an admiralty court anyway, and her police powers would be nullified under the doctrine of hostis humani generis.

[–]GTheFaceL 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

Different fees potentially, and the check leaves less of a trail for anyone to follow. Last bank I closed my account at charged a certain amount to transfer it out, a lesser amount to draw me a check, or nothing if I took my balance in cash.

[–]jmurphy42 5ポイント6ポイント  (0子コメント)

Good point.

[–]El-Doctoro 10ポイント11ポイント  (2子コメント)

I would be paranoid as fuck carrying upwards of 30K on my pocket. Regardless of whether anyone else could actually use it.

[–]Felt_Ninja 6ポイント7ポイント  (1子コメント)

In my case...

Teller: Would you like the money in a cashier's check?

Me: No, just keep the nickels in the rolls, and I'll carry them with the no hands requires to carry literally no money, since you're going to probably charge me some arbitrary fee for even talking to you. I owe you money now, don't I?

(I use Bank of America. I did a loose total recently, and I believe my yearly fees amount to about $300 to have my accounts open)

[–]PlainTrain 6ポイント7ポイント  (0子コメント)

Wow. You need to find a better bank. Banks I use don't charge fees if you have a direct deposit enabled.

[–]short_fat_and_single 8ポイント9ポイント  (0子コメント)

Since mother has her SSN I would also consider checking/freezing credit.

[–]ageekatwork 73ポイント74ポイント  (5子コメント)

If the account was opened before you were 18, you might want to go open a new acct and move the money just to be safe.

[–]BUBBLYSTRING 34ポイント35ポイント  (0子コメント)

He really should based off some of the posts we get here

[–]mywan 15ポイント16ポイント  (3子コメント)

Preferably in an account at a bank where nobody knows which bank it is. You can keep you old account to transfer small amounts of money to, to keep from exposing the location of the main bank account to people who shouldn't know.

[–]DigitalMariner 1ポイント2ポイント  (1子コメント)

After the withdrawal is complete, show the family the account only has a nominal amount remaining and maybe they'll leave OP alone.

Tell them it was sent to an African Prince who will be sending it all back and much more very soon, and offer to split those proceeds with them whenever that money order comes in.

[–]biCamelKase 2ポイント3ポイント  (0子コメント)

Meh, I disagree. OP can leave the old account open, but it's better to give them no information than misinformation. Let them continue to believe the old account is still full of money. Better for them to have an obvious decoy to focus on.

[–]stizzleomnibus1 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

Unless he deals in a lot of cash (and some people definitely do), a lot of the online-only banks are really solid these days. I use Schwab, but Ally, Discover, and Capital One are all reputable and waive/reimburse ATM fees to make up for their lack of physical presence.

[–]MrsKravitz 57ポイント58ポイント  (0子コメント)

As far as I know

???

If there is the slightest doubt, go to the bank tomorrow to make sure. Don't delay.

You don't owe your sister anything and both she and your mother sound irrational. On what basis are they claiming you should be giving her money?

[–]Reddisaurusrekts 21ポイント22ポイント  (1子コメント)

Double check with your bank. And then go into the bank and warn them that someone else, such as your mom or sister, may try to access your account and that under no circumstances should your bank allow them that access. They shouldn't anyway, but better safe than sorry. Make a note of this conversation too (or even better, send this via an email to the bank as well as talking to them in person), just in case.

Edit: And as others have mentioned - safest is still to move your money to a new account opened at a different bank, especially if your mom or sister banks at the bank you currently have your account at.

[–]Zbignich 7ポイント8ポイント  (0子コメント)

Very important to have a new account in a completely different bank. The sister could forge a power of attorney to withdraw the money from the old account. Criminal, yes, but you can't anticipate what a mentally unstable person will do.

OP could also open a PO Box to get the new bank correspondence, so the sister cannot get the info from the mailbox. And invest in a safe to put the bank correspondence.

[–]shinyhappypanda 7ポイント8ポイント  (0子コメント)

Double check with the bank that there are no other names on the account.

Ask your bank to put a password on your bank account to prevent any issues with your sister trying to manipulate her way into your account.

[–]ceaselessindecision 4ポイント5ポイント  (9子コメント)

You can ask the bank to have a secret question that has to be answered along with the security check. I do that on all my accounts (bank or otherwise) due to some problems with my family.

[–]virak_john 3ポイント4ポイント  (8子コメント)

Like "What was your first pet's name?" Or "What was your mother's maiden name?"

[–]DigitalMariner 3ポイント4ポイント  (2子コメント)

There's nothing that says the answers to security questions must be truthful/accurate. You just must know the answer they are looking for and match it.

Mother's maiden name? Purple.

Street you grew up on? Purple Rd.

Name of first pet? Purple.

Favorite color? Mars.

[–]virak_john 0ポイント1ポイント  (1子コメント)

Oh, Lord. I'd never remember any of that.

[–]HovercraftFullaEelss 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

I use LastPass to generate crazy long passwords and to keep notes of my security questions/answers. It's way too easy for someone to guess these (remember the Sara Palin email hack?) if you use real answers, so I always use nonsense. It's more secure that way, and can result in some funny conversations when you call customer service and they have to ask your security questions lol.

[–]AC_Sheep 2ポイント3ポイント  (1子コメント)

I recently set-up a new bank account and I was actually really disappointed in the quality of secret questions you could choose from. They were all stuff you could reasonably find if someone was just a little too liberal with what they share on Facebook.

[–]Sigma7 3ポイント4ポイント  (0子コメント)

That's why you can sometimes use fake information for those questions - treat them as a more complex username-password combination rather than life facts.

For example, your first pet's name is "Glitterhoof" even if you didn't have a horse. The color of your first car is "Cerulean" rather than sky blue. The hospital you were born in is "CD4FZbfo L1hQnf5P KfxojFtQ". Just make sure you have a safe and secure way to keep track of those facts, cause getting cut off from your finances isn't fun.

[–]Zbignich 1ポイント2ポイント  (0子コメント)

"What is your sister's middle name?”

[–]ceaselessindecision 2ポイント3ポイント  (1子コメント)

If they're family, better off using obscure I.e I've heard of a combination of numbers/letters and also a sentence as an answer.

[–]ObliviousCitizen 3ポイント4ポイント  (0子コメント)

Call you bank and make sure. Also set up a password for your account. Anyone calling claiming to be you must use this password before the bank will deal with you or give you information. Your bank should easily be able to set this up and it can prevent your mom or sister from calling and pretending to be you.

[–]Toysoldier34 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

If you were under 18 it is likely there is some kind of tie to a family member on the account somewhere. You need to go into a branch and sit down with someone. Tell them also what is going on and have them go over it all to ensure it is 100% yours. Even start up a new account and transfer the money over to be safe if you feel the need.

[–]Bagellord 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

If you want to be extra paranoid, you could move the money to a brand new account at a totally different bank.

Ninja Edit: Also, at the very least you should ask the bank about setting up extra security around your account.

[–]mondegreenking 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

Many times you can call your bank and set up a verbal passphrase and also enable a PIN or 2-factor authentication system.

Both of these would be wise as presumably one of these people knows your SSN.

[–]Jaimeser 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

Open a new account you KNOW you're the only one on, at a different bank so your mom can't convince anyone to give details about your account (since she won't even know you have an account there). Statements to your PO BOX. (Even if you get online statements, you'll get some mail from them.) Move the money to this account.

[–]BUBBLYSTRING 224ポイント225ポイント  (6子コメント)

No. That's not a thing.

[–]whatsausername90 69ポイント70ポイント  (5子コメント)

Hey rich person, give me your money. You don't need it.

HAHA now I have all your money!

[–]mandjari 18ポイント19ポイント  (2子コメント)

But now you're rich and I'm poor, so give me my money back!

[–]whatsausername90 16ポイント17ポイント  (1子コメント)

Too late, I spent it all.

[–]ElCuloTeAbrocho 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

Hmm...let me find a law allowing me to kick your fat ass.

[–]workwho 3ポイント4ポイント  (0子コメント)

Previously Rich Person: Darn, now I need your money.

Rinse and repeat

[–]Madfermentationist -1ポイント0ポイント  (0子コメント)

Funny...between state and federal, that happens to about 30% of my salary and 40% of my commissions/bonuses. And trust me. I am NOT rich.

[–]cld8 70ポイント71ポイント  (1子コメント)

Haha, this is one of the most ridiculous things I've heard. There's no such thing as "greatest need". You can't just take someone's money just because you need it more and you're related. Make sure the bank account is in your name and then cut off contact with these crazy people.

[–]OwwwwwwwwwMyBallz 9ポイント10ポイント  (0子コメント)

Man is my brother going to be pissed when I Greatest Need him, lol hard work I'm about to be a millionaire.

[–]faco_fuesday 109ポイント110ポイント  (3子コメント)

Not legal advice, but if I were you I would completely block all contact from your mother and sister. They sound like toxic and ridiculous people that you don't need in your life.

[–]whatsausername90 6ポイント7ポイント  (2子コメント)

Maybe even grounds for a restraining order?

[–]mocha__ 13ポイント14ポイント  (1子コメント)

Luckily it sounds like OP is working on getting one against her sister, but her mother doesn't sound awesome either. Although, not sure if she has been doing anything sketchy like the sister.

[–]rawrausar 3ポイント4ポイント  (0子コメント)

yep. for now I wouldn't suggest getting a restraining order against the mother, just the sister. That will also show ops intentions are serious if they dont stop harrasing op

[–]Reddisaurusrekts 36ポイント37ポイント  (0子コメント)

Ha ha ha no.

Document what your sister has been doing and take that to the police - if she's outside your house, call the police. Ask for a restraining order.

Also - just in case you haven't already, seems like a good idea to cut off and go no contact with both your sister and your mom.

[–]rap31264 41ポイント42ポイント  (3子コメント)

I'm gonna sue a billionaire for "Greatest Need" since I need the money more than them...sounds ridiculous. Let your family pound sand.

[–]ar9mm 12ポイント13ポイント  (2子コメント)

To set forth a prima facie case for Greatest Need you have to establish relationship by blood

[–]ryeshoes 17ポイント18ポイント  (1子コメント)

well we're all related in some capacity /s

[–]Myfourcats1 23ポイント24ポイント  (0子コメント)

Ancestry.com don't fail me now.

[–]septiembre16 27ポイント28ポイント  (2子コメント)

Your sister could never successfully sue you for "greatest need" (WTH is that even) but she sounds delusional enough to try hacking into your accounts. That's where your real issue lies.

You need to lock down your account, HARD. Make your online login and password totally random (not, for instance, the same handle as your Instagram account). Make sure your account has unguessable answers to security questions. (What is your mother's maiden name? Voldemort.) Set up balance and fraud alerts. Talk about the threats you're facing in person with the personnel at the bank branch nearest them and nearest you.

[–]singlecoilpickup 14ポイント15ポイント  (0子コメント)

Also, I'd request a freeze on your credit with all three bureaus just to be extra safe. It'll add an extra hoop for you to jump through if you need financing for anything, but it's probably worth it in this case.

[–]El-Doctoro 6ポイント7ポイント  (0子コメント)

What is your mother's maiden name? 46 61 72 74 42 61 6e 61 6e 61 (Hex for FartBanana)

[–]Megmca 25ポイント26ポイント  (0子コメント)

If I learned anything from Archer its that she can try to prove to a judge that you're crazy and get conservatorship.

Make sure no one else has access to your bank account.

You might consider a small safe for your personal documents and financial information in case that crazy woman decides to try and break in and steal it.

Call you bank, explain that you are having family issues and see if they can put extra fraud prevention measures on your accounts.

[–]shhh_its_me 80ポイント81ポイント  (1子コメント)

This country does sometimes reassign wealth based on need its called taxes and social services.

You do need to double check that your account is only in your name.

I might go so far as to move it to a bank your mother doesn't know about (most parents know enough about their children to provide the info to convincingly impersonate them)

Ask the bank for security measure because your sister may try to impersonate you. Inform your landlord you mother or sister may try to gain access to you apartment under no circumstance is he/she to allow them access (appoint a different emergency person)

[–]shadeofmyheart 8ポイント9ポイント  (0子コメント)

This. I went to several banks after some identity theft until I found one that added security measures. They don't allow me to withdraw money from the drive through and they have to verify a passcode among other things.

[–]Not_a_Zaku 12ポイント13ポイント  (0子コメント)

I would per-emptively act like a victim of identity theft. Your mother likely has something with your social security number on it and if she's willing to enable your sister they could steal the money. If they know where you bank I would look into moving the bulk of your savings somewhere else. I would also contact the police about the harassment and look into that restraining order.

[–]mocha__ 9ポイント10ポイント  (2子コメント)

This is ridiculous. You have no obligation to take care of your sister. Not sure what she is claiming to need the money for, but it's not hers to take either way.

Contact your bank and make sure you inform them no one else is to touch that account.

Continue with your movement to get a restraining order and call the police if she breaks it, assuming you get it. If your mom is doing anything similar, do the same.

I'm not sure of your family situation, but it always sucks to have to go through these sorts of measures with family. But, and this isn't legal advice, they seem toxic and I cannot even imagine someone telling me they needed any money I may have more than I so they deserve it.

She has no claim on what you have earned and saved.

I would stop contact with both of them. Maybe even change your number and email address or block them from it. Make sure you have all your bases covered when it comes to your accounts (bank, email, etc. if any of your bank stuff is linked to them). Your bank also may have ways of dealing with this if you explain the situation.

I wish you the best of luck and I hope you get your restraining order.

[–]Runethane 3ポイント4ポイント  (1子コメント)

Certain EU countries (I live in one of them) have something called "family alimony" - that is basically an option to get a court order forcing a parent of a grown up, child or sibling to pay something similar to alimony for a relative, but that only happens if they cannot suppport their basic needs with no fault of their own. Something akin to "Greatest need" is used as one of the conditions, but it is usually phrased as "complete indigence", "crippling distress" or "lack of ability to support basic needs".

Perhaps OPs mother or sister found something online and thinks it applies in US. I've never heard of anything even remotely similar in common law states.

[–]mocha__ 2ポイント3ポイント  (0子コメント)

I've not either so that seems completely possible and makes the most sense.

[–]R_B_Kazenzakis 7ポイント8ポイント  (0子コメント)

Out of curiosity, how did your family find out you had a few dozens of thousands of dollars in liquid assets?

I would get the ball rolling on that restraining order.

[–]AkumaBengoshi 5ポイント6ポイント  (0子コメント)

Are you sure you don't live in Florida?

[–]Willeth 3ポイント4ポイント  (0子コメント)

Everyone is (rightly) saying this 'greatest need' provision does not exist, but I'm wondering - is the mother just making it up for control, or is there something she half-understands that might apply, such as intricacies of power of attorney, for example?

[–]red_firetruck 3ポイント4ポイント  (0子コメント)

If you're wary, go to your bank and ensure that only you have access to your bank account. You might want to change your pin and online banking password if you fear they might be trying to get those from you.

If your sister is calling you at all hours and driving past your house watching you, it might be well worth considering a restraining order. That's definitely grounds for one, and in the event that they somehow get your money it will help you in court

[–]andpassword 6ポイント7ポイント  (0子コメント)

As a side note: if you have $30k+ sitting in a bank savings account, you may want to consider a slightly less liquid account, like an investment account. You'll earn more interest, AND it would be at a new institution where your crazy relatives won't be able to get at it, AND you'll earn more interest. Even better, it takes 48-72 hours to get money out of an account like this, and you'll be notified if someone tries/succeeds. So even if the worst happens, i.e. your mother inveigles someone into giving her your money because mother, you have a chance at stopping the transfer before it completes.

Talk to a financial advisor / check out /r/personalfinance for more. It's awesome that you've managed to save up a significant sum of money, and your siblings have no reason under the law to just take that because you can manage money and they can't.

Follow up on the restraining order, include your mother's texts, and put her on there too. You don't need that sort of people in your life.

[–]Publish_Lice 2ポイント3ポイント  (0子コメント)

I've never heard something so utterly absurd in my life.

If you do want to provide anything for them, I'd suggest you pay for some counselling. They both sound either totally deranged or somewhat sociopathic.

[–]anumati 2ポイント3ポイント  (0子コメント)

Beef up your security - not so much physical but make sure all your passwords and security questions are new, enable two factor authentication where you can, if you have credit consider putting a freeze on it, and start regularly checking up on things like whose name your car is in, your credit report, etc. Tell your bank that you are worried about potential identity theft and see if they can note your account with a password or something.

[–]Schopsy 2ポイント3ポイント  (0子コメント)

Sounds like your sister read Atlas Shrugged and completely missed the point.

[–]thelawsdelay 4ポイント5ポイント  (2子コメント)

No, that's absolutely not a thing. If money went to people with the greatest need, nobody would be poor.

I'd go to the bank though and ask if there are any security measures you can put on your account. Explain the situation. The bank won't want your money to get stolen.

[–]Dog-Person 2ポイント3ポイント  (0子コメント)

Obviously not a thing, but the argument they're faking is that OP owes a duty of care to his family to help them in a time of financial crisis. It's still completely not a thing and OP doesn't owe them a dime, but it's more than just "rich person, give me money".

[–]Schopsy 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

No, everyone would be poor.

[–]Coffee_isfor_closers 7ポイント8ポイント  (1子コメント)

Your sister is not the federal government.

[–]HanoverWilliam 3ポイント4ポイント  (0子コメント)

Well. The federal government isn't that nice when it takes your money.

[–]JadieRose 1ポイント2ポイント  (0子コメント)

OP - one thing in addition to all of the excellent advice given here - have you ever signed a power of attorney for your mom, sister, or any member of your family?

[–]po0dingles 1ポイント2ポイント  (2子コメント)

We're missing the part of the story where you explain how the sister became entitled to some or all of the money.

Are you telling the whole story? Two people just woke up with a wild hair up their ass and want your money randomly?

[–]thats_a_shovel 2ポイント3ポイント  (1子コメント)

I've had coworkers suddenly attempt to claim my income because my husband makes a comfortable wage. (I should buy the birthday cake, or the decorations, or make larger donations for the team food drive, one person wanted me to pay their rent omg grrr etc) People can become extremely narcissistic when it comes to any kind of possible cash flow. The closer the person is, the more they try to leverage. This does not apply to everyone of course. But if the sister is casing his home, that alone is very telling and a safety concern. There's no reason to go devil's advocate on OP.

[–]Bittsy 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

Definitely ran into this even though it was a coworker and we made the same amount of money. She just didn't know how to manage her shit.

After a while she demanded that I let her rent out my second bedroom at a discounted rate and demanded I pay for her lunches while she blew her paychecks on stupid shit (200+ on a pair of shoes for a halloween costume or getting tats instead of food).

That and my mom felt entitled to all the money in my savings and checking accounts (about 1k-1.2k) because I was "late" on a car payment she cosigned on (the bank put a hold on the check without telling me which made it "late" though they had the payment and there weren't any late fees..). She then kicked me out, took the car, and left me homeless for a few months and accused me of being on drugs when I wasn't but that's another story.

[–]charlottechewie 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

That sucks that you are going through that man. How did they find out about your money? Is there a way to make her think you already spent it all?

Good luck on your home purchase.

[–]danmanne 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

Go to the bank or other institution that you have your money at. Talk with someone about your concerns. They will be able to close and reopen an acct if anyone else has access to your money. The greatest needs thing sounds like nonsense to me but IANAL.

[–]biCamelKase 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

Beyond the good advice you've already received here, I would say make absolutely sure your mother and sister do not know your account number. Better yet, move your money to an internet bank account that doesn't even have branches. Then your mother can't go in and play the "I'm so-and-so's mom and she asked me to blah blah" card. That will provide an extra layer of protection, because then they'll also have to figure out what bank your money is at, and if you receive your statements digitally then they won't be able to do that easily even if they start raiding your mail.

And get restraining orders against your sister and your mom. They both sound batshit crazy.

[–]GorgonZolla 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

Lots of good advice about moving your savings to a bank your family doesn't know about. Also: if your mailbox doesn't lock a PO Box is like $60 a year...you don't want anyone having access to your bank statements. Also, shred any personal mail before it goes into trash/recycling.