What a way to start out the year! Although I can hardly hear anything because my ears are still plugged, I am finally feeling good enough to start taking care of some things. So I got my coffee and settled in front of the computer to read some emails that have been waiting. I found one from my credit card company that I ALMOST deleted thinking it may be a promo kind of deal, but I decided to check it out. It instructed me to contact them immediately reference some suspicious activity on my card. The email was sent yesterday. I called the number on the back of my card, rather than the one given in the email just in case it was a phony phishing scam.
Unfortunately it was true. Some lowlife pond scum had gotten ahold of my credit card number and used that information to charge nearly two thousand dollars worth of stuff, mostly airline tickets. My card company says I will not be held responsible for these charges…thank God. They will be investigated and I am praying that the lowlifes will be caught and prosecuted harshly. My account is now closed, another one has been opened and I should receive my new card in a week. How they got my information, I do not know. I do a lot of online shopping but have all the safeguards on my computer and always make sure the site is secure and well-known. I have used this card in stores also, but it rarely leaves my hand since I swipe it myself. Lately I have used it to pickup prescriptions at the drive-up window and then its out of my sight. Maybe that’s when information was taken off of it. I just don’t know and not knowing makes you suspicious of everyone. Nevertheless, I will not be doing that anymore.
I have to give kudos to my credit card company for monitoring my card and catching the unusual activity. I thanked them profusely for their diligence. I’ve had this card for about nine years and just recently got the balance down to under $400. Today I will be scanning my computer with extra protection just to make sure something is not lurking on here that’s giving out my personal information. Doubtful, but I just want to be sure. No matter what…you still feel violated. In the meantime make sure you are careful out there….it really IS a jungle.
