Post by WyckedWyre on Feb 25, 2008 9:37:17 GMT -5
I hate people. Sometimes I forget just how much I hate people and then something jerks me back to reality. This week it was Fraud.
Friday night I handed my debit card to a kid at a Fast Food place and he told me the transaction wouldn't go through. Strange, as I had about $600 in my account. Well, I went home and logged on to my credit union's website, accessed my account and realized all my money was gone. Of course, it was after hours and there was no way to reach anyone.
Saturday I went to the bank and discovered that someone, somewhere, had somehow recorded my debit card number *this can be as simple as writing it down at a restaurant or retrieving the information with an electronic skimmer*, had used my info to shop online and had wiped out my entire bank account.
Even though I thought I had caught it in time - my money was still IN LIMBO waiting to go to the thief, the bank would not allow me to close my account. I was told I would have to wait until all of the fraudulent transactions processed through, then obtain a list of the transactions, then file a police report, then go back to the bank and file a dispute and I may or may not get my money back and it could be months before anything is resolved. Unbelievable!
I am not a wealthy person. At 55, I have no retirement, no savings. I work as a Veterinary Technician and I live from paycheck to paycheck. This was a HUGE blow to me. I'll be living on a credit card until I am paid. My lack of faith in the Human Race is justified once again.
A word of advice - NEVER HAND A CARD TO ANYONE! If you can't swipe the card yourself, don't use it! It only takes a couple of seconds for some unscrupulous punk to write your card number down. I can only hope that Karma bites him/her in the ass.
Discouraged and Disgusted.
>:(S
Friday night I handed my debit card to a kid at a Fast Food place and he told me the transaction wouldn't go through. Strange, as I had about $600 in my account. Well, I went home and logged on to my credit union's website, accessed my account and realized all my money was gone. Of course, it was after hours and there was no way to reach anyone.
Saturday I went to the bank and discovered that someone, somewhere, had somehow recorded my debit card number *this can be as simple as writing it down at a restaurant or retrieving the information with an electronic skimmer*, had used my info to shop online and had wiped out my entire bank account.
Even though I thought I had caught it in time - my money was still IN LIMBO waiting to go to the thief, the bank would not allow me to close my account. I was told I would have to wait until all of the fraudulent transactions processed through, then obtain a list of the transactions, then file a police report, then go back to the bank and file a dispute and I may or may not get my money back and it could be months before anything is resolved. Unbelievable!
I am not a wealthy person. At 55, I have no retirement, no savings. I work as a Veterinary Technician and I live from paycheck to paycheck. This was a HUGE blow to me. I'll be living on a credit card until I am paid. My lack of faith in the Human Race is justified once again.
A word of advice - NEVER HAND A CARD TO ANYONE! If you can't swipe the card yourself, don't use it! It only takes a couple of seconds for some unscrupulous punk to write your card number down. I can only hope that Karma bites him/her in the ass.
Discouraged and Disgusted.
>:(S