I know this is off topic....but I need to VENT!

[gma718]

Hi Ladies...I know this is off topic but I needed to vent..Hope you all dont mind as I consider you all friends of mine. This has been a HELL of a week for me..It all started on Tuesday 4/15...I went to the gas station and gave the attendant my Visa Debit Card to use to fill up my tank when all of a sudden 2 men approached my car..one went behind the car while the other tapped on my passenger window...I was on my cell phone so I was a bit preoccupied. I opened the window slightly and the guy asked me for directions...I gave him directions and rolled the window back up and then the attendant gave me back my debit visa and I went on my way..WELL the next morning logged onto my computer to do my banking and noticed 4 miscellanous large charge purchases, totaling over $2800 dollars. Well I flipped out not realizing what happened I called my bank and low and behold it turns out the 2 men made an imprint of my Visa card as it was in the machine...they charged everything till the bank realized it was out of character for me to spend that in such a few minutes...The whole thing was a nightmare..having to change accounts, calling up my husbands employer and etc..etc...I was so angry and still am that someone could violate me like that...I was told and should pass this piece of advise on is to never leave your card while getting gas..they are suppossed to swipe it and give it right back to you..the bank also told me never to sign the back of my credit card you should write check for ID on the back of your cards...Thank you for listening...Gia :)

[Shari4444]

Dear Gia,

Oh my!!!!!! I am so sorry, hun. What an awful thing to have happen. Do you have to pay for any of those charges that the men made???? I certainly hope not. It doesn't seem like you should have to.

Credit cards are great, but they sure can cause a ton of problems in a short amount of time if a bad person gets ahold of it. I sure hope eberything comes out okay for you!!!!!! Good luck.Thanks for the safety advice.

Hugs,
Shari

[Morrowville]

Thanks for your post.  There is so much of this type of theft going around, I feel we all have to try and be a bit paranoid to keep ourselves straight!

It's funny, when I read Shari's post to your message, I laughed because she said how many problems are caused by credit cards getting into the hands of the wrong people--well, any time I have a credit card in my hand, it is in the hand of the wrong person!
lol  I have such a hard time NOT over-using my credit cards!  But I have become more careful when using it--and the same with debit cards--it seems prudish, but put your hand over the number pad when inserting your pin... that way, no one can capture your information.  I hate that we have to resort to this type of thing, but the risk you leave yourself open to, if you are naive, can cost alot of time, money, and effort to repair!

Thanks for venting, and sharing, with your friends!

hugs,
Morrowville

[silver&gold]

Oh how awful , I can identify with your feeling like you do, I was mugged getting on a train on a trip to the theatre , it made me feel physically sick and shaken to the core . Unfortunately you have to have eyes in the back of your head now ,and its the same world over !!!. These crooks just get more and more devious!!!

Take care Angie

[lvfrogs]

I am so sorry that happened to you Gia.  How terrible and rotten of those men.  I have heard things like this before, but it stinks that we have to be so careful anymore. I hope that you get it all straightened out. What will happen with the bank? Will you be able to recover any of that money?  

A few times, I have had my debit card shut down by my bank because someone had hacked into them somehow, so they shut them all down and we have to get new ones.  

Thanks for sharing with us though, so we can protect ourselves too.

Colleen

[gma718]

THANKS GIRLS...YOU ARE THE BEST THERE IS!!!!! I AM OVER THIS...EVEN THOUGH I AM STILL UPSET....AS LONG AS THE BANK IS COVERING EVERYTHING WHICH THEY ARE i WILL SURVIVE!!!!  LOVE, GIA :)

[kimmywah]

Hi Gia,

Aren't some people amazing?!!  In the negative sense!!  May their purchases break and blow up in their faces!!  Rotten stinkers.
Thank goodness you checked the very next morning.
Hope today is good for you..
Peace and love...Kim

[Mary 53]

Gia,

As Colleen said, Thanks for sharing this with us so we can be even more aware of these things. I could not believe it when I read this and I was so very grateful that you were not personally hurt in any way.

I am sorry you had to go through this....

Love, Mary

[JC145]

How horrible for you ... as if you don't have enough to worry about!  

I work for cancer/blood doctors and on my birthday this past January, a patient stole my purse with my brand new cell  phone,  bifocal glasses, wallet, etc.  I got careless at the end of the day and left it on my desk and she was our last patient with a very big purse.  I've worked there over 10 years and felt very, very safe.  You just never know ... it takes away your security and has made me a little paranoid with my "stuff".  I cancelled all the credit cards and phone within 15 minutes, but it still doesn't take away the hurt.

Good luck with everything,

Judy

[gma718]

Thanks again all...I felt stupid posting this since this site is more for our much needed support for something much more important but needed to share my expereince and hopefully my ignorance will benefit somebody...Love, Gia

[chrissiebee]

Don't feel stupid. Identity theift happens all too often.My husband got hit when hit went to a website that mimiced our banks.Fourtunately he caught it immediately, but we still had to close & reopen our checking account, close 2 credit cards & report it .
Good luck CB