Yesterday, I checked the mail and received my Sam's Club credit card statement. Normally, I do not open my mail for a couple of days, but since I have a zero balance on my Sam's card, I was curious to see what the statement said. As I unfolded the statement, I noticed purchases had been made and that the card was maxed out. I was for certain I had received someone else's bill. NOT! It was my bill! I freaked out! There was a $470 purchase in Bessemer, AL on Sept. 12 and a cuple of gas fill-ups totaling $50 in Tuscaloosa on the 14th. How could I have made those purchases as that was the weekend Forrest had his birthday slumber party?
You hear about identity theft and think, "It'll never happen to me!" Not me. I have always taken grave precaution because I don't want it to happen to me and to have all the stress, etc that comes with it. I have always been one to never purchase over the internet, to keep all my receits and to shred all papers that could possibly invite these evil fraudulent scumbags to my accounts and still, I'm a victim!
I immediately call Sam's Card and told the customer service lady my side of the story. She informed me that the lasrge purchas was for a Play Sstation 3 and a NFL Madden 2008. Oh, and the stupid scumbag(s) returned the game at the University Walmart, where I shop! They probably thought they would get cash back, but instead it was credited to my account. SUCKERS!She also said that they used a card in my husband' name. How can that be? We both have our card in our possession! The account was closed and is now under investigation. They'll check signatures, etc. I was told to wait until I received correspondance through the mail and to reply quickly.
I wasn't satisfied and as I was speaking to a friend, she advised me to call the police and file a theft report. The Sherriff's Deputy stopped by late last night and the report was filed. An investigator will call me next week. They can pull the video where the scumbag(s) returned the game. If anything, that will prove us innocent! I want to know how did they get a copy of our card? Was it an inside job? Onling job? Thank goodness we only wanted a $500 line of credit and not thousands! Even through all of this, I am calm. I know I didn't do this and what good will stressing do? I know that the Lord is with us in all of our trials. Now it's time to check our credit reports. Who knows, our family may be joining the dudes on the commercials, playing guitars and singing as they're selling t-shirts in a tourist shop!
7 comments:
I'll take a blue T-shirt is a large size!! I'm sorry you've had this bad experience. Dad and I have a credit report checker. I stopped carrying my pistol permit because it had my S.S.# on it. I lock by purse in the cart when I shop in Walmart.
I saw this all the time when I was working for Redstone as a financial rep--even to people who were extremely cautious. It can happen to anyone. Sams should be able to tell you if they were online purchases or if a card was actually swiped. If the cards were never out of your possession, then the only way they could have made purchases is online? There was one scam going on where a certain food merchant would take the card from the customer to go swipe it, but they would also make a copy (front and back) and then make purchases with the number. They can also easily steal your number if you've made online purchases at places that you are not familiar with...even through ebay. So anyway, there's my 2 cents. You made the right decision in filing a police report as well. I hope it all works out for you!
That stinks! Sorry you haveto deal with it. Sounds like you're handling everything well. Hang in there.
I hate that it happened too! I do business on-line ALL THE TIME and am probably too comfortable with all of it! I did change my passcode with our on-line banking this weekend because of what happened to you. A friend once told me that we need to change our passwords like we change our underwear(she got that from a professor in her computer classes)...tha tis something I don;t do often(change my passwords...not my underwear;)). And don't we usually have the same password for everything? And something that is easy to remember? I need to change that too!
Good thing you only had a small limit!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looking forward to your visit!
Well, isn't "Sophia" so knowlegeable about these things? ha I'm assuming that was Mary Kate writing...
I "lost" my credit card just a couple of weeks ago. My stomach was in knots while I searched and searched for it. We called the gas station where I last used it--no luck. Fortunately no charges had been made. I cancelled the card just to be safe--never did find it.
I'm sorry this happened to you. Let us know the results.
See you soon :)
Yeah that stinks.
oh my gosh, that is so scary! I hope that you get everything worked out!
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