Greetings everyone,

My name is Branden Fredericks, and I am raising funds to cover what has been a devastating loss. Perhaps you've all heard about scammers out there impersonating authorities and scamming them out of large sums of money? Well, I didn't.

I had two individuals call me impersonating federal authorities: Social Security Administration and US Marshals. They told me my social security number and name had been used to open bank accounts and wire an excess of $700k around the country and abroad, and that my name was being implicated in a money-laundering scheme. As such, I could go to federal prison. They told me I had to safeguard all of my financial assets and send them to the US Court of Federal Claims in Washington, at which point they could suspend my SSN, appoint me a new one, and begin their investigation. Sparing you all the details, they stole virtually my entire life's savings, over $100,000.

I can't begin to impress upon you the way this has affected me, not only as I reflect on the years of large and small sacrifices it took to save that money - everything from living in humble circumstances to skipping countless lunches to save a few bucks any way I could - but also as I consider short-term goals I had lined up: marriage, down payment on a house, investing, starting a business, and opening financial accounts for my children so I could give them things I didn't have. This was my honesty, sweat, toil, sacrifice, hopes, and dreams, and in two days, it was all stolen from me.

As I begin to rebuild, I am doing everything I possibly can: working overtime, cleaning houses on weekends, tutoring English in the evenings, staying up late at night to study investment strategies, and, yes, skipping meals. However, I could really use your generous support.

Please consider contributing to this fund. There is a sense in which you are literally giving me portions of my life back, after suffering this devastating loss. Whether you do or don't contribute, I would ask you to please send this link to everyone you can. Every little bit helps, and there is no dollar amount or number of texts you could send that is too little. Please help me however you can.

Sincerely and with much thanks,

Branden (and my puppies)