Friday, July 25, 2008

From China to Queensway, Hong Kong

I took a vacation from China to Queensway, Hong Kong! NOT! Apparently, there is a Chinaman that has been vacationing on my bank card! YES, I HAVE BEEN HIT BY FRAUD! Greg called the other night and wanted to know what I had spent $277 dollars on. I went through every receipt, check, etc. to try and remember what I had spent it on. I didn't recall spending that kind of money and couldn't believe I had forgotten. It was a pending transaction getting ready to hit the bank so there was no "transaction name" on it. Just the amount. When I awoke the next morning, my account said the transaction was China Southern Airlines Queensway Hong Kong. I flipped out and then laughed at the same time. I called the bank, cut my card off and then rushed to the bank. Apparently, Mr. Chinaman has tried to take me for $1500!!! My bank was more than understanding and said this happens all the time. I asked him if this was the internet because I had been making purchases. This was where I was totally dumbfounded. People that do this for a living can get your card numbers from gas stations. When you swipe your card at the gas pump, they are hacking into the card readers. The bar code has your card info on it and they steal it! Yes, steal it. In my case, they just could have been putting together random combinations of numbers and came up with mine. We will probably NEVER know...that's the sad part. One would think that banks and companies would be tired of this happening, tired of giving money back to people due to fraud and that there would be SOMETHING that could be done about this. All transactions, which were flights were turned down except for 2. The $277 and one for $231. The bank will be reimbursing my money and will also reimburse any NSF fees that accumulate. Everyone says this happens, you see it on the news BUT you never think it will happen to you...and I am here to say that it can! Anyhow, thank GOD it can be taken care of. That's the only thing that comforts me. Oh, and my banker also said that this person or people could have had my card number for years and just now decided to use it. He said that when they get a hold of numbers, they hold onto them and might sell them off to another person for a mere $10.

ON A HAPPIER NOTE:

Mom, Dad, Greg and I will be attending the Brickyard 400 (NASCAR RACE) in Indianapolis on Sunday! A wonderful vendor they are friends with had 4 tickets he could not use and immediately called them to see if they wanted them. The best part is that we are under the cover at the start/finish line!!! Yippie! No sitting out in the hot sun all day...and they just gave them to us! I have never been to an actual Nascar Nextel race, only a Busch race so this will be a fun new experience. I watch all the time on television because Greg loves it, Papaw loves it and Dad does too. I actually enjoy it and have my favorite drivers so this should be a great time! WUHU!

ON AN EVEN HAPPIER NOTE:

I have a job interview scheduled for Monday at 1:30! It is for a receptionist position at KY Legal Aid (part-time) and I am very, very excited! Please wish me luck as this would be a wonderful place to work and a good position, esp. part time to get my feet wet back into the working world. When I say that I don't mean, work there for a while and leave, I mean, part-time, less stress position with the potential to move up at some point!!!

I have sent out 8 resumes and cover letters within the last week.

Anyhow, Greg is awake now so I have to become busy!

Much love to all.

Crystal

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi! Yesterday evening an identical transaction appeared on my credit card online statement - China Southern Airlines booked $1,509 from my credit card. How was it with you? Have you got the amount refunded by the bank/CC issuer?

Cheers!

Josephine said...

I have had the same thing happen to me. I'm wondering if you were ever able to get any information from China Southern Airlines about the tickets. There was a NWA ticket bought on my card, and I was able to get the passenger's name and where/when they were going to travel.