Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Pot Pourri

Had my first experience of credit card fraud. Our insurance agent had been by last week to get renewal information on our policies - he wrote the information on his papers as he sat on our couch. Other than that, the credit card has not left my hand and I have not used it. (we have dealt with this company for 1.5 years)

On Monday afternoon we received a call on our Mexican landline phone (a number not at all associated with the credit card). I am not sure who was calling but they were interested in a transaction made through Ticketmaster using my credit card, and when Miguel told the guy we had not done any transactions, he urged him to tell me to call my card company.

I was suspicious, thinking it was actually someone wanting to 'verify' the information on my card in order to steal it. Apparently, the call was legit, because when I called American Express they told me that a charge for $700 for a performance in Mexico City had been posted on my card. But here's the strange part - they were not challenging it!

So...who called and why didn't American Express know about it? Maybe some American Express office in Mexico? But still - how did they know what phone number to use?

So the card is now cancelled and I am hoping they catch the person sitting in whatever seat at whatever performance on whatever day, but I think that $700 probably isn't enough for American Express to go to all that trouble. But I wish they would. I just hate thieves!!

We called our agent to ask him how the information about our policies is communicated, and he said it does not go outside the Cancun office. So I'm guessing that whoever posted the charge for the policy helped themselves to some free tickets too - I hope they catch whoever did it.

Luckily my daughter is coming next month so she can bring me the new card, otherwise this would really be a pain in the neck. And now it is a pain in the neck to figure out how to pay for our policies - I don't dare trust them with another credit card number at the office.
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24 hr stomach upset hit yesterday morning right after my cup of coffee. For once I hit the Pepto Bismal right away and by this morning I am feeling pretty good, although I'm being careful with what I eat and drink. I still have a bit of a headache (which could be the humidity, the air is just hanging today) and low energy, but the tummy problems seem under control.
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When Delfino is finished with the spay/neuter clinic this week I'm going to take the pretty stray cat over to see him. Both Miguel and I recall some posters plastered on poles a few months ago and think that the owner is a foreigner and the cat simply got lost. Delfino might recognize the cat, she is distinctly pretty, friendly, and deserves a good home.

3 comments:

Ann said...

We had an instance of cc fraud a few months ago--it's a terrible thing! Hope you are feeling better soon!

Life's a Beach! said...

I had credit card fraud twice when we lived in Seattle with computers purchased, money wired, etc... It's infuriating. Some friends who returned from Isla earlier this month all had the stomach flu. They thought it was food poisoning at first, but then it started being passed to others at home. So there's a bug down there in paradise! Hope the pretty kitty finds her home! Or maybe she thinks she's already found it! : )

Jackie said...

My one experience with credit card fraud was handled by Bank of America before I even knew it had happened. They notified me that they had cancelled my card when they saw a suspicious online purchase from an Australian company for about $800. It was not a hassle at all to me. I simply had to call BoA and verify a few details about my account and they set up a new card which I received a few days later. Once when I was on Isla I accidentally tried to withdraw money at the ATM using my BoA CC thinking that it was my credit union debit card. I can’t see that well without my glasses on. I tried several times to enter my pin and was denied. When I got home from that trip I had a letter from BoA that they had put a hold on my card due to this unusual activity. So I have to say the Bank of America has been really good to work with and I continue to use their CC as my only charge card.