Trust Issues

When my cell phone rang at work this afternoon, the first thing I noticed was that I forgot to change my "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas" ring tone. The second thing I noticed was that the call was coming from Washington, D.C.

Allegedly.

When I don't recognize a number, I always let it go to voicemail. I figure if it is someone I know, they'll leave a message. If it's a telemarketer, scammer or automated call of some sort, there won't be a message. 9 times out of 10, make that 9.75 times out of 10, there is no message because they fall into one of those categories.

Today, though, that D.C. caller left a voicemail. And, if I hadn't been on top of my Anti-Trust High Alert game, I might have been freaked out. Apparently the IRS is suing me and if I don't call back they'll let the local authorities know so they can arrest me. Whoa.

It just happened that I recently heard or read a news story about this scam so I was free of guilt when I deleted the message. Not this time, scammers!

These guys are persistent, though, and sent a follow-up text. I had to screen shot it to share.

It is kind of scary how official-sounding they attempt to be. It's just downright sad that these are the times we live in. We don't know whom to trust. Who is truly official, who is being helpful, who is out to get us or whatever they can from us.

Years ago when we gave hubby's parents a computer, my mother-in-law staunchly declared that they were not getting the Internet. "We don't want that in our house," she said, as if the virtual hand of evil was going to reach through the monitor and grab their morals, their soul, maybe their wallet. 

She might have been onto something. Our security gets threatened through cell phones, land lines, emails and the Internet. I even worry about my blog sometimes. There's probably some thugs out there who could use it to turn my life upside down. Do I quit and let them win? Or do I take the risk?

Frankly, I am not going to quit using my phone, television or any of my electronic devices. Then there's the fact that once something is on the Internet, it's there forever. Crap. What was I thinking starting a DAILY blog nearly 10 years ago?

Other than my IRS lawsuit, I hope there is nothing incriminating to warrant getting my assets frozen.

With these below-zero temperatures, my assets already frozen!

Be careful out there.

It Doesn't Add Up

Ever had that moment when you are standing in the checkout line, you try to pay for your purchases and your debit card is denied? It's not fun, is it?

You flush with embarrassment -- and anger. You are sure you have money in your checking account. Now all these people behind you in line think you are a deadbeat and can't afford $21 in groceries!

That happened to me this week. Twice. Once at the pharmacy and once at Wal-Mart. When I got to the bank the next day and tried the ATM, it also denied my card. It was after banking hours so I had to wait for resolution. For some reason I couldn't get on the bank website to check my balance, so I figured maybe it was just a cyber fluke that the stores couldn't connect with my bank.

Not so.

Finally called this a.m. and they explained to me that they were alerted to suspicious activities on my account so they had to block it. As in, block any further purchases, including mine. Not sure if they sent me a letter in the snail mail or what, but it would have been nice to know this.

What was suspicious? Well, apparently I couldn't be shopping at Nordstrom's in California the same time I was picking up supplies at The Home Depot somewhere in Texas.

Remember that big Target debit-card scandal during the holidays? Well I had shopped at Target one time in 2013 -- and it was in that time frame. It wasn't until now, though, that they (the cyber thieves) started using my card info. This according to the bank.

I was so grateful they recognized this right away and put a stop to any further shopping sprees around the country. I can deal with the inconvenience of waiting for a new debit card (with new number!) as long as I know the bank is giving me MY money back in my account.

I guess I could have warned the thief they weren't going to get very far on my checking account anyway. I wish I remembered what I got at Target that day. It must have sounded pretty upper-class expensive!

Sigh... Who can we trust these days?