July 20, 2011

Stolen Credit Card

Someone in San Francisco who likes Redbox and gas stations has access to our credit card number.

I stand corrected: HAD access.

My husband realized what was going on early this morning and canceled our credit card immediately.

Unfortunately, I didn't catch wind of the situation until long after $150 worth of groceries were bagged and sitting in my shopping cart.

Talk about awkward.

"Do you have another card I could try?" the cashier asked. Three of the five people in line behind me sighed and moved to a different line.

I shook my head. I had 43 cents in cash on me and my debit card was next to my computer at home.

Double awkward since Cameron had already sat on a bag of hamburger buns (killing them instantly) and was eating his way through a box of graham crackers.

I started sweating bullets. Then I called my husband, who was in a meeting and didn't pick up the phone.

I offered the woman my Driver's License and an Ulta Frequent Shopper card.

"I'll be right back," I told her. "I promise."

The woman smiled sweetly. "I know you will," she said, as she slipped my driver's license into the pocket of her apron.

I made my husband go back and pay for the groceries.

31 comments

Laura Lowe said...

Oh, no! My credit card was hacked into once. Really makes you feel violated. Glad you were able to get your groceries!

[Stacia] said...

I would die. It'd probably be good for me though. The embarrassment part not the dying part.

Sheelah said...

I cannot read this without saying this line over and over in my head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiznEMknjr0

Am I showing my age? :)

Lin said...

Oh no! This sucks. My worst fear is that my credit card won't go through in the store...it's so awkward. Glad you guys caught it before they spent more.

Unknown said...

SUCK!!! I have had the same thing happen - so embarrassing!! I hope you get all your money back!

Anonymous said...

My parents credit card was hacked, while they were on vacation. The card was cancelled by the company.

Dazee Dreamer said...

that really sucks. I'm sorry. I would have turned all shades of red.

Emily said...

I was standing in Walmart yesterday while my kids looked at Transformers for the umpteenth time when all of a sudden my 7-year-old goes, "mom? I think that lady just took something out of your purse." Sure enough, my wallet had been stolen - STRAIGHT OUT OF MY DIAPER BAG IN THE CART, IN FRONT OF ME AND MY 3 KIDS. I didn't see her so I couldn't catch her, we called the police and watched the surveillance video...she'd been following me around the store waiting for her chance (apparently she knew I would get distracted....what gave me away, my 3 kids, in WALMART?). Luckily we got it all canceled immediately but I had to go BACK today and get all those groceries AGAIN, with my 3 kids. You better believe my husband's credit card was tucked into my bra. Nobody was getting that thing.

Mom of 12 said...

I am so sorry! I think we've all been there... We rented a U-haul a few years ago and an employee stole a bunch of numbers. We didn't lose any money, but it was a hassle just getting new cards, switching over auto-pay stuff, you know. Hope things work out for you.
Sandy
www.twelvemakesadozen.blogspot.com

Mum on the Run said...

It's a terrible feeling - and just a tad inconvenient. How can people live with themselves or justify their evilness??
Boo.

Erin said...

having your card declined is so horribly embarrassing- you just know everyone assumes you're a deadbeat, no matter what the situation is. awful. also, i always wonder how people use stolen card numbers at places like gas stations. do they just ask the cashier to punch the number in? and that doesn't ring any alarm bells with anyone? maybe i just don't think like a criminal.

Stephanie said...

Last year, someone stole my credit card and spent $300 on Bibles in Bulk and another $300 at Lifeway Christian store. Can't beat that.

HD said...

I hate that feeling! This year, in New York, on vacation I found a few cute dresses at a store I could't resist. Then I got the dreaded, "Do you have another card I could put this on?"
After much embarrassment and trying two different cards my mother saved the day.
Turns out, my bank had not caught on to the fact I was on vacation (for the FOURTH year in a row...to the same place...) and flagged my purchase as suspicious...on a Sunday...even after using it in the cab on the way to the hotel. Nice.
*terrible feeling*
Glad yours is sorted!

AlsoMean said...

Imagine my excitement when my card was locked down due to fraud - and I was trying to buy a washer and dryer with a toddler in tow.

Deanna said...

yep. I bought my husband an itouch at the apple store online and he thought our card # had been stolen so he canceled it and then texted me telling me he had cancelled it. It caused all kinds of credit card related issues. He felt really bad - especially because I wrapped the itouch and did not give it to him until xmas- 8 months later!

1stTimeMom2Ella said...

Just found out today that our ATM card was not connected to my savings account, only my checking account. Checking was overdrawn and I couldn't transfer money. Bank wasn't open yet and I had 10 minutes to transfer cash for the teenager to use before I dropped her off at class. All I can say is thank god for smart phones (internet access). It would have taken longer to call the phone bank and try to get the transfer done that way (I don't know our account PIN and whatever passwords they think we should have). Never done it before so the phone/internet was so much better.

Jennifer said...

If it makes you feel any better, this has happened to me, only instead of my credit card being stollen and cancelled, it was at home, in my wallet, on the table where I left it. Or the other time, it was in the car and had fallen under the seat and took me forever to find it. Both in the last three months. And of course I have also managed to leave my wallet in my car (after getting gas) twice and not discover until I had already been rung up at Target (again, in the last 3 months). At least when I left it at home, the nice people at the Kroger store a good 20 minutes away from my house were kind enough to put the entire "fun car cart" in one of their walk-in fridges until I could get my wallet and return. Of course, I took the half-eaten pack of Rolos my son tried to shoplift with me, so at least I had something to munch on at every. single. stoplight.

Right here in this kitchen... said...

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Anonymous said...

We went to Safeway once... only to discover that my mom had left her card at home. She had her checkbook, but they wouldn't take a check with out verification. She had also left her driver's licence. Luckily a worker there had been my aunt's roommate years ago, and she recognized my mom.

Melanie said...

I would have made mine go back too. Horrible.

Jennifer said...

Horrible! I do not understand how anyone can steal anything. A few months ago, I didn't realize I had my CC in my jacket pocket. I left my jacket on the coat rack in my CHURCH. By the time I came home, the CC company was on the phone and attempting to verify if I had purchased 4 cartons of cigs and tried to take out cash. I totally would not have expected anything of mine to be stolen in church! I sincerely hope you get all your money back with limited trouble.

Beanz said...

Holy cow! That sucks!!!

Mrs G said...

You make me laugh all the time.

Ive nominated you for the butterfly award, check it out here.

http://illtake2ofeverything.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-won-award.html

Steve said...

I've been down that road before. But my CC thief decided to spend $3000 on online PORN and I had to go in the bank and explain how I'm not some kind of online pervert spending 3k on my card for this junk.

I wasn't really embarrassed so much as just not wanting to walk into a room proclaiming "This porn isn't mine!!" which is awkward for the bank managers more than anything else...

tulipdjc said...

Only fair that he went!! Glad he caught it quickly though!

vanilla said...

Life's little moments. Of torment. But you did good, sending hubs back to the store.

Middle-aged Mormon Man said...

I had someone steal my CC and buy airplane tickets - round trip to the Big Apple. Luckily, I discovered it before they used the return flight, and the airline cancelled the ticket. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall at the counter that day.

Unknown said...

I would have have made my husband go back too!! And then found somewhere else to shop.

Babblin' Brooke said...

My daughter needed ibuprofen tonight for a fever and I went to get it for her... apparently, I'm overdrawn at the moment and ONLY took the debit card with me. Totally embarrassed that I couldn't even buy a $5 item that I needed, I came home and made my husband go back with the $10 bill in his wallet.... that's what husband's are for, right?

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Linda said...

Something similar happened to me after Christmas, very scary....and embarrassing (even if you are at WalMart), fortunately I had another credit card I could use. We didn't know the cc had been canceled by our company b/c someone several states away used it and we didn't loose anything.