If you're going to take my money...

...at least spend it on something classy!

That's what I told Matt today.  And no, Matt is not taking my money.  Some random person is.

This all started a few nights ago.  I was in a Pogo (online gaming site) game room, and got booted out because "Someone with your username has just entered the room."

Uhh...Okay?

I tried to get back in.  Same message.  Huh.  This seems weird, but maybe it's just a glitch somewhere.

I tried one more time.  I got a message that the Pogo servers were having troubles.  Okay, I guess that would explain it, but I'm still going to watch my bank account carefully.  It still doesn't really feel right.  I also had a doubt about it because we had just been to Matt's folks' place, and I sometimes play Pogo whilst I'm there.  I didn't remember playing Pogo, but that doesn't mean much.  That entire stay was a blur for me. 

Fast forward to today.  We had appointments in town, and I decided to make the most of my running around by going to the library and to the grocery store as well.  At the grocery store I went to use my bank card to pay.  The screen said the card was blocked.  Huh? 

I tried again.  Again it said it was blocked.  Hmm...I need to check this out.  Instead I used our store charge account to pay and came home.  I barely had everyone and everything in the door and I was at my computer checking on my bank account. 

Sure enough, there were charges that I never put there.  There were something like four $1.00 charges to the Apple Store and Netflix...Two services I have never used.  Uh oh.

I called Matt first and left a message (he was at lunch yet).  Then I got my brain going straight again, and I called the bank.  First I got put through to customer service, and after verifying who I was and explaining my problem, I got put through to the fraud department where I had to go through the same verification process.  Good to know they do that, too. 

Turns out my bank was aware something was going on because charges were being made that were far out of my spending habits.  They put a block on my account last night.  Yay!  I mean, it was a little bit of a hassle not being able to pay for groceries in the manner in which I wanted, but that's doable.  Turns out the person/people that stole my card number tried to charge over $950.00 to QVC and something like $1500.00 to walmart.com. 

Which is where my statement about taking my money comes from.  QVC?  Seriously?  And walmart.com?  I NEVER buy anything through walmart.com.  I find their website incredibly difficult to use and can never find what I'm looking for anyway.  Walmart is better experienced in the real world, in my opinion. 

But the good thing is that I don't have to pay any of what the thieve(s) tried to take from me.  My bank completely shut down that card number, and gave me a confirmation number to use to find out more about my case.  I should have a new card in ten business days.  In the meantime I can't use my account.  That's fine.  I can live without that for a little while just to have the peace of mind that it's cared for.  Anything I would use my account for I can get by other means.  I have a charge account at the grocery store.  And a charge account at the local co-op for gas.  Really, I don't foresee needing anything else for quite a while.  I mean, it would be nice to be able to get Matt a birthday gift, but I will still have time after my account is usable again for that.  In the meantime I can do a lot of looking and price comparisons. I love the research portion of stuff like that!

Oh and I changed my password and took my personal info off my Pogo account.  I don't foresee this being a problem again through there.

But to anyone who would try to steal my money...Use it on something classy or useful, okay?  At least try a charge at some upscale clothing store or something.