I'm in Ohio!!

Hello there everyone!

I'm just writing to inform you that I'm now broadcasting from Ohio! Yesterday I spent the evening in Maryland!!!!

Oh wait, no. I didn't. That's just what my bank statement says...

Yes, as for news from me, I recently had the joy of having my credit card number stolen. I was sitting at my apartment last night doing homework and thought I better check my bank account online. I checked it, and what to my wondering eyes should appear but 4 fraudulent charges made yesterday. My heart skipped a beat, and when it started again, I called Erin who told me I better call the number on my card and cancel it right away. I called the number and got a lady who spoke broken English to me and didn't seem to believe me when I said I didn't lose my card, but it was being used. That lady worked for MasterCard. Then I called my bank and left a message with them telling them what had happened and left my phone number.

I knew I would have to call them back in the morning to make sure they got the message/everything was settled, and thus spent a very unrestful night dreaming about the various conversations I was going to have with the bank and what charges were being made in the hours until then. In the middle of one of those dreams, my phone rang and I grabbed it and answered before I knew what I was doing. It was 6.30 am here, and it was my bank. They said the MasterCard number I had called was just a relay service- meaning they were going to send the bank my information in the morning when the bank was open. Since the lady had me on the phone, she said she could cancel the card for me right then, which she kindly did. I did not get the lady's name, but she was very friendly and kind and I appreciated her helpfulness very very much- considering I had no idea what I was doing/talking about really. She told me everything I needed to do and everything that was going to happen in the next few weeks to get the whole thing resolved. So helpful! I wish I knew her name, but we shall call her Abby since that is the name of the very nice lady in Erin's latest blog post. And as Erin said, the world needs more Abbys.

After that, I decided I better call my parents now (It would have been about 2 am if I called them when I discovered the problem, and I didn't want them to think I died...). My mom went to the bank and filled out the forms on my behalf and now we wait. The card got another charge on it this morning (in Ohio) after my mom went to the bank- luckily that charge got rejected.

So someone out there is livin' large in Maryland and Ohio with my money! From the looks of things they had an expensive dinner or two last night and then headed over to the gas station in town for a couple more transactions. This morning was another hit at a gas station.

You know, it is almost satisfying to think that even though someone was using my credit card, they were only buying gas with it. In a week it's going to be gone and they won't have anything to show for their dishonest scheming- although, I suppose buying something bigger/better may have increased the chance of catching them? I have no idea how these things work...

So that's my story of the day. Pretty exciting. I know I wrote recently about leaving my card at a frozen yogurt restaurant in Provo for a few days, and getting it back without any fraudulent charges on it. I apparently spoke too soon. However, I am more inclined to think it was a London connection than a frozen yogurt connection. At my London reunion, 3 people talked about getting their card numbers stolen much in the same fashion mine was, for the same types of charges. While we were in London, our director continuously warned us against using them a lot because people who had gone to London in previous semesters were finding themselves back in the US with fraudulent charges on their cards. Knowing this in London, I was very paranoid about where I used my card, and essentially only used ATMs, but apparently I still made a bad move. Abby (from the bank) thought perhaps it was an ATM I was using near where I was staying that was getting the numbers.

And, I'm more inclined to think it is some big fraud ring production in London (linking me to all the other people who had theirs stolen) rather than the surfer-type guy at the frozen yogurt place who stole my number, manufactured a fake card, and sold it to someone in the U.S. But I could be wrong. I'd rather not think about it. The whole thing made me very sad [I am trying really hard to save money, and someone else is just stealing it right out from under me?!]- there may have been tears involved. But, I suppose I just need to count my blessings for catching it on the first day the charges were made- that was lucky.

Anyway- just thought I'd share the latest and greatest adventure of yours truly! I know, you all wish your life could be as exciting as mine!

until again,
mollie

p.s.- I kind of wish I was in Maryland and Ohio eating out and buying gas... it could have been a nice break from school!