Sep 14 2008
They Got Me- Identity Theft Sucks!
Yesterday I decided to actually enjoy a day off work by doing something unheard of for me, I took the day off. I made up my mind that I absolutely would not work and instead, I would enjoy the new Tyler Perry movie, The Family that Preys Together. I am attempting to become a better manager of my money, but I decided that I deserved to splurge a little on myself. However; conscious of my new “better money management” practices, I decided to drive to my local branch office to withdraw funds from my account rather than pay the fees for using another ATM.
Sliding my card into the ATM card reader, I felt a bit anxious because I was running behind schedule. My movie started at 1:20 pm (note I decided to watch a matinee rather than an evening show–to save money) and the time on my cell phone read 1:24pm. My mild irritation at the patron that used the machine before me (she took FOREVER) turned into major irritation when the machine informed me that my account was actually in a negative balance state.
I admit, I have a lot of growing to do in the area of fiscal responsibility, but there was no way I spent an entire paycheck (and then some, hence the negative status) in less that twenty-four hours. Even in my worse tequila drinking days, I’ve never had such a spending spree. I sat down with a bank teller and discovered that there were purchases in excess of $500.00 made in my name. It would seem that I had become the charitable source that allowed someone to put a little gas in the tank ($25.00), have a nice meal at IHOP for two ($22.06) and fulfill their wildest Wal-Mart shopping desires in the tune of $530.00.
Having your identity stolen and getting fleeced happens in an instant but getting the bank to reimburse your funds takes forever. According to the bank representative, it will take ten business days to investigate my claim and confirm that I did not make purchases in NC and then turn around and make more purchases in CA in less than four hours.
I am left wondering, how did this happen and why me. I always joke with my friends that my identity is the last one a person would want to steal. I’ve done an excellent job of screwing up my own credit that an identity theft would find no success in trying to impersonate me. So what did I do differently on this payday that I have never done in the past? I paid for gas with my ATM card and used the Visa Check option. I bought lunch and used my Visa check card. I always use cash, but for once due to an empty tank and a lack of time, I took advantage of the “ease of access” that a Visa check logo affords us. I won’t make that mistake again.
