Sister in law

My sister in law, whom I've never really met except over the phone and through email, asked to borrow money. Not thinking anything of it, I told her I'd see what I could do. Well, it just so happened that it was also my nephew's b-day, and I had just enough money at the time to send it to him. His mother, naturally assumed I had sent the money to her, for she had asked me for the money. BIG MISTAKE.

A month passed and another nephew's b-day was coming up. My mother had been discussing her grandchildren and the topic of b-days came up. I let her know that I had sent the money. My mother let me know that the boy never got the money. By this time, I believe I had sent the next nephew his gift of a little cash.

I had not put 2 and 2 together, yet, but it turned out that in the initial cash I had sent was stolen by a house guest of my sister-in-law. The special account I setup to send money to them had an ATM card attached to it. For some strange reason my sister-in-law put the PIN number on the back of the ATM card.

The second round of cash I sent was sucked up by her, thinking I had sent her the money she had asked to borrow.

I inquired to my family members and they each had nothing good to say about the woman. Even her husband was suspicious of her actions. Her mother also had nothing good to say about her. I didn't assume anyone was trying to pull anything, even if the entire family had turned on her. I wasn't going to do that, and I was giving her the benefit of the doubt. I figured something must have happened. I tried to call her to sort things out.

Her phone service had been turned off. After spending a few weeks with phone calls to other family members and patiently waiting, I get a letter from her. She sent me a scathing letter about how it was none of anyone else's business about her borrowing money from me. She then informed me that she wanted nothing to do with me. She also sent me the ATM card with the letter. I was like "where did all that come from?". I didn't understand at the time. So, I went back to read the emails I'd exchanged with her.

As it turns out, the emails we exchanged had an obvious flaw in our communications. I was talking one thing, and she was talking another. But it was all to do with money. I was hurt and felt a little foolish that I didn't see it coming. I should have known that things could get unclear in emails.

So, in response I thought I'd post to the world all about her borrowing of money that wasn't really borrowed money after all. To her credit, which I assumed she was capable of, she returned the money to her children. Even the money that was stolen because of the PIN number she wrote on the ATM card.

So, in the future, dear sister-in-law, whatever you say to me, assume I will tell everyone and their dog. Also, never write your secret PIN number where anyone can use it. I know, now, why your entire family and mine have turned on you. Keep pushing people away like that and you'll be alone forever.