Monday, November 10, 2008

Thievery


NOTE: 11/12/08 I should point out that the card in question was my debit card. Don't think I said that.
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Well we've just had something weird happen to us.


Yesterday while waiting to be tossed out of an airplane (TERRIFYING!! AMAZING!! Post coming soon) the Mr. had his laptop going using their free wifi (what, your local drop zone doesn't have free wifi?? How gauche), and he says, "Hey our bank account has this much in it...does that sound right? I heard the single number he said and assumed it was an abbreviation to indicate how many of the base units of money were in the account. "Yeah, that sounds right," I say scanning the sky as the most recent plane load of jumpers starts sprouting parachutes. It actually sounded high, but we'd just been paid and hadn't had time to fritter it all away yet (just kidding! We are very responsible with our benjamins...retirement accounts, emergency funds, the whole bit). He must have noticed I wasn't paying the closest attention so he started looking around and found several charges to gas stations that were hovering around an amount we might use if we were gassing up the H3 and commuting to work 2 states away every day. We do not own an H3 and thankfully the gas prices around us have come down to around the $2 mark so unless we were gassing up every 4 wheeled item we own (cars, lawnmower...gas powered radio control trucks??) plus the leaf blower, electric chainsaw, refrigerator, DVD player and those little light up earrings I got at Christmas last year there was absolutely no way we could use that much gas...or buy that many snacks.


Then he notices a couple major shopping sprees at Publix. The nearest Publix is an hour drive...and those commercials might make me weak in the knees, but they sure don't make me want to drive an hour (of course that's what I was doing wasn't it...I was filling the car up before AND after driving to Publix to buy 2 months worth of groceries...I just forgot to tell the Mr.!!!!).


I went through my envelope of receipts to mark the legitimate charges and hubs heads to the bank today. After an hour with a most wonderful woman at our bank he comes back with news of a total amount taken that would go a long way toward making not one, but two very Merry Christmases for us and our families. One of the late breaking charges in the "Point of Sale" category turned out to be a $200 spree at Bath & Body Works; he eyed me suspiciously when he told me that one. Just kidding! He was with me the last time I went to B&BW and saw the $7 candle holders I got at 50% off. Turns out the charges are coming from somewhere in Florida.


The strange thing is I did not lose my card, and I shred all mail with personal info on it. Maybe a waiter or someone else I gave my card to during a trip we took weekend before last wrote down the card number?? Who knows.


So weird! I thank God that he alerted hubs to all this before charges started bouncing. Our bank is filing some paperwork, and we should get the money back in the next few weeks. Also THANK GOD that we are in a secure enough financial position that this will not devastate us. We'll have to watch what we spend, but we'll be able to pay the bills and eat.

10 comments:

CounselorBecca said...

Totally sucks! Thank Jesus that you caught it quickly! I looked at my bank account today and was sort of hoping that someone else had been spending my money, b/c otherwise, dang i don't have a lot of it!

mommyholly said...

Oh my gosh how freaky!!! GOOD THING you guys figured it out so quickly.. could have been a lot worse Im sure!! xo!

Jenny said...

Wow!! That does suck!! If that happened to us, I am afraid we would be up the creek without a paddle. That is one thing we are working on this year. FINANCES!! yuck!

Christian said...

Are you Dave Ramsey fans?

Kimberly said...

Christian, we are fans of Dave Ramsey and Clark Howard. Financial freedom is such a blessing and both guys have great wisdom on the subject.

Christian said...

I never know where to leave follow up comments either! We are huge Dave fans. Never heard of Clark Howard, but will have to check him out!

Enchantments and Giggles said...

Sounds similar to what happened to my bank acount last month, $500 worth of AppleItunes?! I don't evn know how to download a ring tone.

Ashli said...

I am now paranoid and keep checking our account. Scary stuff, without your card and all.

I want to hear about the skydiving.(I am living vicariously.)

We went through Financial Peace last year. 9 months in savings... that is a big one. Whew.It will take a LONG time.

Good for you guys starting out the RIGHT way!

Nana Time said...

Oh, No, girlfriend....I will not share this with my mother-in-law or othr paranoid friends (include husband in this group).

You reaed about this happending but never to anyone you KNOW!

Glad you caught on and didn't despair. Also, glad you are into financial freedom...it took Curtis and I at least 30 years to get free but it is so worth it!
Donnamo

Anonymous said...

Really??? oh my goodness. That could have been sooo devastating to you. Can you even imagine? I hope that person(s) gets theirs. I wonder how that whole happened.
I'm glad things didn't go any further.
have a good day
..come by to visit when you have a chance..
Judi