Who is Loretta?

Years ago, I started getting emails addressed to Loretta Renaut. Mostly political junk, but from both extremes – the far left and far right. Occasionally I got stuff that looked legitimate, and once something that had a link that I clicked and it took me to some personal information about a Loretta Renaut who lived in Florida. I assumed that she had a similar email to mine and sometimes typed a “j” instead of the “l” and I just had Gmail send anything containing “Loretta” to spam.

I mostly forgot about it except when I was briefly reminded when poking around my spam folder or the rare email that actually made it through.

Then this morning I got the below… to my WORK email.

Hello Loretta

Sharing a quick example : for a 120‑unit garden‑style complex, our study identified significant reclassification into 5/7/15‑year property and captured bonus depreciation (40% in 2025, scheduled). Net result: substantial first‑year deductions and stronger after‑tax cash flow.

Property details matter—construction style, renovations, and placed-in service timing change the outcome.

Get a no-cost estimate specific to your property—just share the address and in-service date to begin.

Would you be available for a quick 10-minute walkthrough?

Thanks and talk soon,

Michael Higgins

CSS Specialist

Gryphon Lending

Powered by Compound Capital Connections, LLC

P.S. To opt out, just reply “No thanks.”

It’s clearly spam, the name on the email is not the person who signed it. It’s plausibly mistargeted – if you find me with a keyword search, this isn’t a crazy route to try. But my work email doesn’t have my last name in it. HOW DID LORETTA FIND ME?

I’m scared.

Not discounts, exactly

People ask me a lot if I get discounts on work from contractors I use all the time, and I generally tell them I don’t get discounts, I get better service. Today it was more like a discount. Leaking water heater so I called Aspen Hill Plumbing (I use them and Stevens Plumbing most often and honestly the main reason I chose Aspen Hill over Stevens is because Aspen Hill is good over email and Stevens I have to call). It was clear what was wrong – the drain valve was leaking.

So he told me, “You need a cap on the valve. I can write up a $210 service call…” And he paused.

“Or I can go to the hardware store and probably get one for five bucks.” I finished for him, and he nodded. So I did, and he’s going to write up an estimate for fixing the heater vent so it’s up to code, which 1) will be way more than $5 or even $210 and 2) I can’t do myself.

A water heater with a brand new shiny brass cap over the formerly leaking drain valve