Sunday, January 20, 2013

Unwelcome Phone Call

I don't know about you, but it is very unusual when our phone rings at 8:30 pm. It is unsettling, to say the least. And it really didn't get any better after I answered it.

The man on the other end identified himself as a representative from our bank's fraud division. Oh oh. What's wrong? He asked if we had made a $200 transaction in a Houston Wal-Mart in the past few minutes. Well, no. We're in Arizona.

It seems someone, somehow, got our credit card number and used it. The bank was on top of things, I am happy to report. He was able to determine that the earlier charges yesterday were ours, but this new one was not. How? I don't know. They will cancel that card and send us a new one.

I am grateful they were able to spot this issue right away and we don't have to hassle with a charge made by someone else. But it may take up to 10 days to get new cards. This will be a real problem. We use our credit card for everything. Then we pay it in full each month and get 1% cash back. Many of our bills are paid automatically by credit card. I will have to contact everyone who expects those payments to go through in the next week or so, then change the card number with every company that bills the card--like our satellite TV and cell phone and insurance.

We just hope the thieves only got the credit card number and we don't have any problems elsewhere. I'll let you know how it goes.

On a better note, the weather in Phoenix is absolutely wonderful--sunny and in the 70s every day this week and into next week. This is why we are Arizona snowbirds!

3 comments:

  1. What a drag!!! Thank goodness the bank was on top of it!!

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  2. Was this Bank of America. I heard their system was compromised and a couple of WINs here were affected. I have their card too, but I just checked it and there was nothing suspicious. I wonder if I should contact them anyway.

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  3. Good for your bank. Perhaps you should have two card, one that pays all those bills that are taken out directly and one for daily use. I do not have a credit card and prefer it that way. It is inconvenient if I want to purchase something online. I do have a debit card and my few regular bills are paid directly from the bank. My lady friend, who is the chief financial officer for two companies, one in Canada and the branch plant in Britain, made me join the modern world with the debit card and online banking.

    To make you snowbirds feel smug. It was -45 C (50 F) this morning here.

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