Caught in a compromising position

Today, I became a victim. The day started off well enough. Andrew and I went to the park. The grounds people were doing some work, so in addition to climbing on the playscape, we got to watch a tractor dig holes. Exciting stuff for a 2 1/2-year old. While we were at the park, we walked over and picked up the mail, another exciting moment for Andrew. We came home, ate lunch and both laid down for a nap.

I was up from my nap before Andrew and decided to check out the mail. Along with the various ads and the electric bill there was a love note from my bank. I thought about not opening the letter, it was probably just a note assuring me my bank was financially stable. But, on a whim, I decide to open it before shoving it into the bill drawer. And that was when I found out I was a victim. Here is what the letter said:

"ALERT! [their emphasis, not mine] Recently, our bank was notified from Mastercard Fraud Control that your card number has been possibly compromised." So not only am I a victim, I have been compromised (and not in a fun way). Apparently, I used my debit card at a vendor whose database was compromised. It suggested I review my account on-line to look for fraudulent charges. So, I did.

And there it was, a charge at Denny's on a Wednesday. Now don't get me wrong, Adam, Andrew and I have visited Denny's on occasion. I really like their omelettes (which is odd because I don't really like eggs). But my love of their omelettes aside, we have not visited Denny's recently, and certainly not on a Wednesday.

Further review turned up a charge at Lakeline Mall on Tuesday that was not ours. So, I called the number listed on the letter. Turns out my card was used to access our account information, but it was Adam's debit card that was used to make charges. So Adam is now over at our bank, cancelling our cards, getting new ones and filing out the paperwork to dispute the charges (totalling about $45).

You would think if you had stolen a credit card or debit card number, you would go ahead and buy yourself that new leather coat you have been wanting, not go to breakfast at Dennys. But according to the experts (aka the bank), most thieves make a few small purchases to see if you are paying attention. If nothing happens and the account is still open, then they buy themselves the new leather coat along with shoes and a purse that matches.

So the moral of this story is that we should all be reviewing our accounts periodically and, when your bank sends you a love note, go ahead and read it.