Yesterday afternoon, I received a weird email from one of my credit card companies. It apparently claimed that I had spent over $500 at Walmart that afternoon, but the card information didn’t match.
Uh-oh. “The card information didn’t match” usually means something sinister.
Immediately I went into lockdown mode.
I normally check my credit card online receipts at least once every day, just because I’m trying to pay them down and every statement with a lower overall payment makes me feel a little better in life. No Walmart purchase showed up … but I did notice a $28.99 purchase at a Sonic somewhere in Mississippi.
Yeah, that wasn’t me. Never been to Mississippi, and I wouldn’t travel all that way just to get a Sonic burger. They’re not THAT special. π
Another quick action. Phone call to the credit card’s fraud department. They were already on the case. They were expecting my call.
We immediately locked the card down. Cleared the Walmart charge and the Sonic charge. Card was cancelled, and a new card is on its way to me, I should receive it in some inordinate length of time. No worries, It’s not like I’m waiting to put together a massive Christmas shopping spree.
But that being said … these credit card thieves are becoming more brazen with time. And you really have to protect yourself. Activate two-factor authentication for all major purchases. Check your statements on a decently consistent basis. Don’t let these clowns steal your hard-earned money or your hard-earned credit.
Because here’s what they’ll do. They’ll purchase a ton of store cards and gift cards – which, once they’re activated, are like free money to them – and either sell them at a discount (to get laundered cash), or use them to purchase something more nefarious, like cryptocurrency or the like.
And I know it seems like I should go back to my original financial institutions of Mattress Savings and Loan, Tin Can in the Ground FCU, or Back of Freezer N.A. And that’s fine if you feel the need. But you still have to protect yourself. Don’t think that just because you’re a small individual with a small bank account and/or a small credit line, that thieves and scammers and griefers won’t take every cent of yours without mercy or conscience.
By their very nature, they are thieves and they are unwelcome in your life.
Don’t give them any reason to visit.
Don’t.
This just happened to Brenda, again. The bank sent a new card and before it arrived “suspicious activity on your card …” email showed up. New card that hadn’t even been activated.
That one is going bye-bye.
All this technology makes us vulnerable. Imitation Intelligence is making it easier for criminals. The only way around it is to not have the information available online. I don’t know that we need Bank of Mattress yet, but considering what’s going on backing off on the technology reliance seems a damn good idea.
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