Tuesday 21 September 2010

Attack of the Clones

Bloggie friends, I’ve been cloned.

In India.

What am I talking about?

Start from the beginning like a good story teller shouId!

I open my email account and nearly fall off my chair because there’s one from my ex.

We parted ways over 2 and a half years ago and apart from exchanges of cards for birthdays and x-mas we’ve not spoken really so imagine my eyes widening and my jaw dropping when I see his email address in my inbox.

Anyway apparently the fraud dept of my bank left him 4 messages for me to contact them.

So I did only for them to say that my card has been cloned and transactions were made and declined in India.

So now I’ve cut up my debit card and await a new one.

I’ve just written to my ex to thank him profusely. I hope that’s the end of that though. Memories should stay in the past and should never be resurrected. Damn those fraudsters for stirring things up again! :-(

The moral of the story bloggie friends: be very careful with your card details and personal info.

I only ever use my debit card to pay for shopping and the vets. I don’t and have never used it for online purchases.

But I do use cash machines so who knows?!?!?

Please be careful out there!

Charlie says: This is what I think of the cloners!



Have a fraud-free Tuesday everyone! Phew!
p.s I did update all my bank contact details when I moved out so goodness knows why the bank rang my ex!!

38 comments:

Words A Day said...

That's scary! Thank goodness you got to nip it in the bud! I keep my credit card on a really low amount, so if it gets defrauded they wont be able to buy much...some charm bracelets maybe!

Kea said...

That's scary! We hope you are not liable for any costs the thief/thieves incurred.

I have used my own debit card for donations via the web, but more often that not I use a credit card for on-line purchases.

Several years ago our department's credit card # was stolen and purchases were made at Sears, home delivery was charged. I don't know if the thief ever was discovered, but of course we weren't liable. That card was seldom used (small office and I'm tight with our budget-lol), so I have no idea how the # managed to be stolen. Knock on wood, I've had no problems with the replacement card. And I tend to check my own bank and credit card accounts daily or almost daily, to ensure there's nothing amiss.

Good luck in getting the replacement and in keeping your info safe!

P.S. I hope your heart doesn't hurt (or that the pain eases quickly) from the contact with the ex.

ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

Sadly all of our stuff in one form or another is out there online, including your medical information and banking information. Even if you don't use the computer to access it, they do. There is no way you can be safe anymore. Sad to say...

Hi Charlie!
You have the right idea.
purrin
xo
Abby

Jemi Fraser said...

Identify theft and fraud are so scary! I'm glad you were able to solve it all!

Brian's Home Blog said...

At least it ended well, that could have been pretty bad! You tell them Charlie!

The Creek Cats said...

Very scary!!! My paypal account was charged through my debit card last month.....some company in India. I filed a charge with paypal and they found in my favor and reversed the charge. Good luck to you getting this straightened out!!

Theresa Milstein said...

What is Charlie doing there?!

How strange. I can't believe they got through to you through him. At least they were on top of the fraud if they weren't on top of the update in contact information.

It's nice that you exchange cards. I hope you go back to that and forget the rest.

I'm so glad the fraud wasn't any worse. Whew!

HubbleSpacePaws said...

Oh, total bummer! Clearing houses often compromise cardholder data so it can happen to anyone! Hope it's not too much of a hassle!

lupie said...

Good thing the bank detected it early!!!
And it is a Debit Card? I thought they only do it to Credit Cards?
OMG!!!!!

When I first read your post's title, and then India, I thought you found someone who looks like you but er... darker in skin tone! Hahahaha

Lots of love to you and Charlie!

The Chair Speaks said...

Heard a lot about these clone and fraud cases.
Love Charlie's pose - perfect for target practice! LOL!

Katnip Lounge said...

Well thank goodness your ex isn't a totally consciousless guy!

We agree with Charlie. Fraudsters are the Cat's a$$.

Anonymous said...

Shortly before I divorced my ex had her credit card stolen. I never reported the theft because the criminals spent less on it than she did.

Hope you get your finances back in order and can manage to put your ex back to bed, so to speak – oh what an unfortunate metaphor…..

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Oh oh ...good thing the bank did not let the transactions go through! Very often card numbers are stolen when they are used to pay the bill in restaurants.
Charlie's statement says it all!

Bossy Betty said...

What a bummer! Hope Charlie didn't sell the information for tuna chunks!

Nicole said...

And with debit cards only put cash on them when you want to use them :)

http://damselinadirtydress.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Oh dear...

No good having the card haxed.. Mine was too, in Hobg Kong. I used my card that day to purchase something from a pharmacy in Melbourne, whereas the hacker used the clone in an Apple store in HK.

fairyhedgehog said...

That's such a pain. I wonder how it happened.

Patsy said...

Aaaw I agree with Charlie (who could argue with anything as cute as that?)

Brigid O'Connor said...

I agree, it is not a good idea to revist the past, well, unless it is a matter of fraud, glad you got that all sorted.
Thats a bit scary about the cards, we should be more vigilant.

m.q said...

thx God u're safe from the bad clon!!
nowadays people have a lot of ways to do fraud things. i also receives many emails that intentionally leading to fraud

Karen Jones Gowen said...

It's so scary to have your identity stolen. Good thing it got resolved before things became too bad. Yikes!

Karen Jones Gowen said...

You and Charlie should go here to my friend's blog for a laugh. You'll love it

http://freedomsmith5.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/humor-4/

Jayne said...

How odd that the bank called your ex about this - did you ask them why? I hope they have now updated your details. At least you are now saved from the evil clone's clutches!

Creepy Query Girl said...

Yikes! Glad the bank new better than to let those transactions slide- even if it did mean a dealing with an ex flame (those are no fun either. lol)

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Gosh, that's scary! Some friends had their debit card numbers stolen locally...the bank caught it and the police caught the people who were doing it. I can't bring myself to eat at that restaraunt, even though I never used a credit or debit card there...

I had no idea that the spot on Charlie's back was a lone spot. It's lovely!

Have a good day...and keep an eye on all of your info...

Marg said...

Wow that is really scary. Glad you got it straightened out though. I try not to use credit cards but I do use my debit card. I will have to be more careful. Charlie you sure have the right idea. Good one.

SASS....Sammy Andy Shelly Sierra said...

MEOWZA!!!!!!!! That is downright scary!!!!!!!! We're happy it was discovered quickly.

You tell 'em, Charlie!!!!!!!!

Love to both of you.

Felted House said...

This happend to my OH - someone cloned his card, we've no idea how, and started trying to use it in the US - thankfully the bank declined. I use my credit card all the time for on-line purchasing, but it mkaes me so mad that such dishonesty os so rife nad jsut stressing innocent people, you never feel quite safe with your money any more. Hope you get your new card soon and settle back down to 'normal' life - a brush with the past can be very unsettling, although I'm glad you can at least exchange cards - some of my friends's exes only exchange vitriolic belittling comments with them! xx

Hannah and Lucy said...

That is scary Jenn - I try and be so careful when I key in my pin no. but you never know how clever these fraudsters can be. I try to only use Paypal for online purchases/donations etc. as that is supposed to be secure.

Ann said...

I agree with Charlie. Well at least your ex was good for something. Cyncial am I...sorry!

Glad you got it all sorted. I am a manic shredder. Never leave a receipt to be found...shred it to bits is my motto!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I agree with Charlie, too! I never use my debit card online and at a restaurant, they get my credit card. Hey, those people vanish into the back with my card for several minutes - I could end up with $500 worth of Hot Topics crap on my bill!

Hart Johnson said...

I collect exes. I'm bendy that way.

VERY GLAD yours helped you out, even though his part in your life is over! That is scary to have something stolen like that. I keep thinking so long as I'm broke there is nothing to take, but it really isn't true. *shivers*

Unknown said...

Fraud is so common these days. I shred all my papers and never write down passwords anywhere. I even cover when typing in my pin.

CD

Summer Ross said...

lol, lazy kitty. I'm so glad everything worked out ok and wow ubber nice of him to let you know.

Ellie Garratt said...

That is scary and the even scarier part is that I no so many people this has to. You can't trust anyone.

Amy & the house of cats said...

Oh that sucks that your card was cloned - it is good that they caught it. I had someone do that and buy tickets on a Turkish airline - luckily the bank caught it and stopped it but they disabled the card and didn't bother to tell me - I found out when I tried to pay at the vets and was declined. Lucky for me the vet is very understanding and the boyfriend was there to pay!

And we agree with Charlie on his opinion of the cloners!

Anonymous said...

Things like that happen too much nowadays - I hope you get it all sorted out OK! At first I thought you cloned Charlie! Two of him would be great!

Walter Knight said...

But I got an E-mail from a barrister in Nigeria who says he needs help transfering bank funds tied up in Iraq. If only I will give him my bank account information, he will trnsfer the money into my account and split the pounds with me.

It sounds like a good deal. Lawyers never lie, especially lawyers online from Nigeria. I'm going for it.