wberg@ihuxq.UUCP (W. W. Berg) (08/08/84)
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A company sending a mass mailing to people in an area demanding
payment of $300 "else we will sue you or charge you with a crime"
seems on very shaky grounds to me. There are, it seems to me
three possibilities:
1) The action of the recipient *WAS* illegal. Note that
so is blackmail. The sender of the letter is trying to profit
from a crime. This is a felony in most places.
2) The action of the recipient was not illegal, but was
a *TORT*. I doubt that the sender has a snoball's
chance in an unpleasantly hot place <Chicago ?> here,
any more than if someone sent you unsolicited
mechandise by mail and demanded payment. Further,
I would first try to charge the sender with attempted
extortion (the letter *WAS* threatening), and failing that,
file suit.
3) No crime or tort was comitted. See 1). And while
you're at it, publicise this foolishness as much as possible
through newspaper letters, etc., NAMING NAMES.
That will dicourage these extortioners.
"the paranoiacs are out to get me"
W. W. Berg