Thursday, July 05, 2007

Phished!

I don't even know how it happened.

Some jerk phished my account and tried to sucker us out of over $2000 in less than 24 hours!

Fortunately, I check my on-line accounts FREQUENTLY and carefully, so I caught it quickly. But I feel violated. As well as vulnerable and pissed off.

I am very VERY careful with how I use my card. I don't use web sites that don't have high security. When possible, I use PayPal or another means of payment where my information is secure.

It was not even easy to get through to my bank. I sat through endless "automated messaging systems" and playing "phone bingo" with customer service for about 20 minutes. Finally a live human being!!! I found out from my bank that there were 20 more "requests" in the queue.

The friendly guy in the fraud department told me that it could have come any number of places where you would think it is secure.
...at a restaurant where the server takes your card (and takes a picture of it with a cell phone camera, both sides.)
...at a gas station
...at a store or vendor of any kind where they stop and look at the back of the card for your signature

SO yeah.

I've changed my on-line passwords (which was a royal pain!)
I've checked to be sure my anti-virus and anti-spyware programs are up-to-date.

Like Sgt. Phil used to say, "be careful out there!" (10 bonus points if you know the show that quote is from... if you DARE to admit your age!!!)

Deb

7 comments:

Terri said...

Hill Street Blues.

And wow. It's a scary world we live in. I just don't understand why people are so gutsy, cruel, and willing to justify theft of any kind. I know, I'm a bit of a pollyanna...

really glad you saw it fast and got it fixed.

Cathy said...

are you referring to Phil Silvers?

YUCK to phishing. I am so sorry.

DC said...

That's rotten, sorry Deb. Glad you caught it early though!

Deb said...

MomPriest wins! (sorry Cathy)
:)
d

Terri said...

yay. 10 points for me! Or, really, what does it say about how OLD I am and what I remember from 20 year ago...that's when our daughter was born, we bought our first house, and we watched Hills Street Blues....

well, I digress. I really do hope all is well, now! And I better go check my account(s)...sigh.

Diane M. Roth said...

I was gonna say...

A friend of mine used to watch Hill Street Blues every night (late reruns) and then she would have nightmares. She stopped watching... the nightmares went away.
It is a scary world...I'm glad you caught it before it got too bad.

Princess of Everything (and then some) said...

OMG...that is horrible!

Hill Street Blues....LOVED that show!

And I heard it again last night on Dead Like ME. The Meter Maid Sgt said it as he sent the Meter Maids out. *snickers*