So my gf called me just now and told me her ex from before we started dating has just emailed her telling her he has her birth certificate. Now this relationship was over 18 months ago, he beat her up and she evicted him. She moved out for a month until he vacated the premises. She then sold the house (she owned it 100%) and has had no contact since. She never filed charges because she just wanted him out and to have him gone. She did file a police report and tell him if he ever contacted her again she would file charges. Statute of limitations is apparently up now though.

So, he emails her today and says he found her birth certificate. Apparently he made mention of possibly mailing it to the old house that she no longer owns. This whole thing has her upset as hell, especially because she can't find that paper.

Problems are
1. he makes copies, gives them out to people for identity theft, gives back the paper/never gives it back

2. Is using this as an attempt to find out her new address.

3. Will not send it back and escalate this to extorting her.

I told her to call the county Sheriff that has record of her complaints against him and talk to a detective. I also told her to find a lawyer that can send a nasty letter ASAP.

What kind of lawyer handles this stuff? Any ARF lawyer suggestions? anybody know the laws on this?

Call the police first, go from there

I don't think a birth cirtificate would be enough on it's own to completely steal an identity.  Could be wrong tho.

Otherwise, just give him an address, other than hers, to mail it to.  Obviously somewhere that she can pick it up from.  See what happens from there.

He can leave it with a mutual friend, if there is one. She can pick it up at their home or office. No need for unnecessary communications past that.

Piss on his domicile

Thats what I figured at first. She is calling them at the moment. I'm at work so I won't hear how that goes for a bit.

Told her to call the Sheriff's non-emergency line and have them get a deputy in contact with her.

I just want to get this shit cut down now before it escalates.

Other than her name, mother's maiden name (possibly), there's not going to be much he can do as far as ID theft. I'd have her tell him to shred it.

ETA - Why is she so worried about her birth certificate? She can get another one...

There is no mutual contact. None. Nada. Bridges burned. She doesn't even want him to know his email was read. Got some severe emotional trauma.

She doesn't want me to get involved, but I hate how this shakes her up.

Meg, a birth certificate is not really something he can do a lot of harm with.  Tell him to mail it somewhere neutral (friend? Parents? Etc.).  If he does, great.  If not, tell her to pay the $10 or whatever and get a new copy from the state and ignore the ex boyfriend.

It's more the psych trauma of him contacting her suddenly and she feels threatened. She's also worried about him contacting her further.

I figure the whole thing is about him trying to find out where she lives.

Go get a P.O. box the next town over or at one of those pack and ship places. They have them too. They aren't that much.

I always figured you could steal an identity with one, or at least fraud.

Call the police for what exactly?  To say an old BF contacted her after they split and said don't?  IS there a restraining order, doesn't sound like it.  Call the PD because she left her birth certificate?  There is nothing for the PD to do here.

Tell GF to go get a new copy of birth certificate if she really needs it.  She doesn't have to have original copy if that is one.  Could it be used for nefarious means, sure, but all that info is already out there.

Too much drama, just ignore him.

Yup, sheriff's office said until he says he won't return it they can't do anything. Gonna have her sister contact the guy (she won't let me) and tell him to send it to her house. If he refuses we will go from there.