Yesterday morning, I received an email from my bank, alerting me to unusual activity on my card. I have received similar messages in error in the past, so I wasn't concerned. Nevertheless, I logged on to my account immediately to see which of my recent transactions had raised an alert.
Perhaps it was the $340 I spent at Cosmetic Mall? Maybe the $322 I spent at Donna Karan? The $293 I spent at Astonishing Skin?
Oh, wait. I didn't make purchases from any of these companies. But someone who used my card number did!
I called my bank, and they were great. (Shocking, I know). They canceled my card to prevent other transactions from going through, and they told me that I'm NOT responsible for any of the charges, even though the card is a debit card. They also gave me a phone number to call in case the charges are finalized and I need help getting refunds.
Today I received phone calls from 3 of the merchants. One rightfully suspected foul play ("Most people don't send 10 perfumes to an address other than their billing address"), and another notified me that my card had been declined. Donna Karan did not call, but I called them and let them know that the order was not legit and that they should cancel it.
And all the merchants were great, too. I suspect that most companies would prefer to find out that they won't get paid before they ship an order. And interestingly, several merchants offered me the name and address of the person who was to receive the packages in case I wanted to take action.
I declined. Vigilante justice isn't my style. And despite how well my bank has performed in this situation, I suspect that they wouldn't take any action against the perpetrator of the fraud.
But whoever did it was clever. She (assumption, based on the stores) placed the orders around 2 or 3 AM on Sunday morning. And not just any Sunday, Easter Sunday, a day when people might be less likely to be checking email and certainly less likely to be checking their bank accounts.
Luckily for me, I checked my mail early in the morning and was able to cancel my card before many transactions went through. That said, the funds for all the transactions are on hold until the cancellations get processed. Bummer.
I have to wait 7-10 business days for a new card and then remember all the merchants who had the number for my old card. But otherwise, this whole experience has been only a minor hassle.
You might be wondering how my card got compromised. I have no idea. Speculation feels wrong and finger-pointy, so I will do my best not to mind-convict anyone with whom I have conducted business recently.
