Emma ([info]smaoineamh) wrote,
@ 2008-09-29 09:30:00
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Mondays: does it get any better than this?
Just when you thought Mondays couldn't be more crappy...

... someone tries to steal your identity.

I had a message on my phone from my bank. Apparently someone used my credit card details to sign up for a Napster trial - there was a $1.00 charge on my card in the early hours of Friday morning. Many companies like Napster will send a small charge to your account (and refund it later) to check that you're using a legit card, before they will let you sign up for a full account. Paypal does it also, and it's perfectly fine. Unfortunately, identity thieves use this idea to check to see if a stolen card number is active. Once they see the charge is successful, they're free to either use the card or sell the details to someone else. So some scumbag got my details and tried to test the waters to do a little shopping by having Napster charge my account with $1.00.

Before I get lectures or "this is why you shouldn't use a credit card" comments - I'm not stupid, I don't throw my card around all over the place, I don't visit backwater sites that aren't secure. I'm not an idiot. I mostly use my card for scheduled bills like insurance, internet, etc. I do occasionally buy things online but always from trusted sites.. so I don't know how someone got my card. For all I know they could have got my details out of my recycling because I didn't shred my statement into confetti. Who knows. Maybe from now on I'll let my rats have them as nesting material.

I don't know how they got my details, but it doesn't matter now, that card is toast. My bank's fraud team is badass and they picked it up first thing in the morning, put a block on the card immediately, and asked me to call. I had to have the card reissued, which sucks hard, because I'll have to call up about 8 companies to find out how to change my details. I'm really lucky that the bank is great and pick these things up so fast, because it could have been a lot worse.

I just wish I could send a great big "f#$k you, asshole" to whoever tried to steal my card. Scum.

(19 comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]misscheetah
2008-09-29 12:54 am UTC (link)
That is precisely why I DO use a credit card. The fraud protection is very very good and you are not liable for any false charges as long as you report it in a timely way. Bonus, many credit cards also have things like insurance for rental cars or cash back/service type features. Sure, it is pain to update all the auto billing stuff, but it sure beats having an ATM card stolen or something. I hear far far worse stories about getting those refunded.

Glad they caught it so fast!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]smaoineamh
2008-09-29 07:08 am UTC (link)
Thank you for the reverse lecture! That is exactly what I was thinking too.. my bank picks up on this kind of thing so fast, yet when someone stole $200 out of my dad's cash account using an ATM card reader (we assume), I was the one who picked it up, and then he had to go to stupid lengths to get it back (they nearly didn't).

This is the first time I've had a problem in 10 years of having a card, and it was picked up within a couple of hours and then fixed. I'm happy with that.

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[info]misscheetah
2008-09-29 11:47 am UTC (link)
That was not intended to be a lecture to you :p It was really directed at all those people who are in mortal fear of credit cards without really understanding the whole story. It was the "this is why you shouldn't use a credit card" statement and the very idea that there are some people out there who would lecture you as you mentioned. Silly people.

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[info]scotcanuck
2008-09-30 01:24 am UTC (link)
God I love it when you two talk. So hot. Talk more for Dola. Do it. For Dola.

(Reply to this) (Parent)
D:
[info]swiftrat
2008-09-29 03:26 am UTC (link)
*ratnose-shove*

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Re: D:
[info]smaoineamh
2008-09-29 07:08 am UTC (link)
Still playing WoW? :)
<:3,,)~

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: D:
[info]swiftrat
2008-09-29 07:57 am UTC (link)
Yes. Spanking Illidan ftw. Still waiting for you to roll a Horde toon and play on a real pvp server. (me and Ian can power level you!) ...or transfer an existing 70 to it. Pve to pvp transfers are allowed now thanks to the mass-QQing of all the casuals. =:) I'm stil playing as my ladytroll rogue, Koula.



Btw, do you still have mink rats? or breeding them anymore? :/ I still wanna get a couple of mink boys. if ya dont, know anyone in QLD that does?

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: D:
[info]smaoineamh
2008-09-29 08:17 am UTC (link)
Nah, I don't have any minkies, I only have 5 rats at the moment, and I don't want to breed them now.

And I'll never go back to a PvP server :P

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: D:
[info]swiftrat
2008-09-29 02:18 pm UTC (link)
>>And I'll never go back to a PvP server :P


Braaawk buk-buk-buk-kaw! *flaps arms like little wings* Harden up, missy and come roll with the big rats. =;)

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]scotcanuck
2008-09-29 04:27 am UTC (link)
I just wanted some songs. :( stingy.

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[info]smaoineamh
2008-09-29 07:09 am UTC (link)
No Napster for you! Get out of my cardz!

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[info]vlyandra
2008-09-29 06:47 am UTC (link)
You -are- lucky your bank caught all this early on.

I actually will give my rats sensitive documents for bedding, because, really, if someone's going to bother trying to put together something I've shredded, they most likely won't want to/won't be able to do it when it's been peed on and chewed up by rats.

Oooooorrrr maybe I just need more rat bedding.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]smaoineamh
2008-09-29 07:10 am UTC (link)
D'aww, I looked over at them to see what they were all up to, and Titch is doing the thing where they curl up in a ball with their heads hidden and their little tails wrapped all the way around.

She eats anything, I know she'll help me out. From now on, all receipts and statements go to the ratties!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]einstein97
2008-09-29 09:03 am UTC (link)
hmm how odd

you can't help but think it might be someone that you know, but can't be?

confounding =P

i have no friends, i'm safe !

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[info]brianarn
2008-09-29 04:30 pm UTC (link)
I must know the source of that icon.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]einstein97
2008-09-29 10:19 pm UTC (link)
every time i pull it out i get mobbed, chuckle

it's from an anime called Kiddy Grade

starts off cutesy and progressively gets really fucking dark and evil and heaps of awesome

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]jecono
2008-09-29 10:43 am UTC (link)
Oh wow - that sucks. And yay for your bank!

I always gave paper with personal data to the ratties - it was the safest way to get rid of it, methinks. Too bad you cannot do the same to CDs... ;)

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[info]smaoineamh
2008-09-30 07:20 am UTC (link)
That's why microwave ovens were invented!

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[info]brianarn
2008-09-29 04:32 pm UTC (link)
It can be a mixed experience sometimes.

My wife and I have a joint account. She was traveling to Argentina for business, and was to be there for two months. She used her card just fine the entire time she was there, which makes sense, because we notified the bank of her travel time.

I went to visit her for a week. I notified the bank that I would be in Buenos Aires and that those charges should be cleared. Within two days of using my card in the country, it was locked out. I had to fly home with a was of cash (that she withdrew) and hope that I didn't have to spend more money. I couldn't reach my bank to get things fixed until I got home.

I'm glad for the protections. I really am. I've just had them bite me a time or two for legit uses.

They said they called my home to talk to me about it, while also telling me that they did see the note that I was in Argentina, and therefore thousands of miles away from my phone.

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