This is a story about 'when will happen to me' not 'it won't happen to me'. I own a credit card that I really never use at all. This past fall I had my friend Susan from Alabama here visiting and we went to the mall. We had gone to the candle store and it was the only place we visited while there. I found several things that I wanted and she found a few things that she wanted, too. We were the only ones in the store at the time mostly because the store had just just opened. The clerk in the store seemed to go way out of her way to help us for whatever reason. It was ok though because she was able to point me in the direction that I needed to find my stuff while Susan browsed around. Soon, we were both ready to checkout and leave. She paid cash and was done and I whipped out the card I never really use to pay. Here is where things got really weird. The clerk swiped my card and then turned my card over and stared at the back for an extended period of time rather than the quick flip to see if I had signed my card; then she gave me my card back. The transaction went through and the slip printed out for me to sign. After I signed I said 'don't you want to check my signature?', to which she repied 'no its all ok, but thanks'. Most clerks hold the card and give you the slip along with your card or hold the card while you sign and then hand you back the card. I found this bizzare. As we left the store I had this weird feeling overcome me and I turned around to see her writing something down behind the register, but shrugged it off. Three days later after arriving home from a bunch of errands, I listened to my answering machine to hear this recorded message that said 'this call is for Jean, we need you to call us and verify some transactions that have been placed on your credit card.' My heart started racing and I called them...verified who I was with all my secret answers to questions and thats when they asked me if I made several large purchases to this particular store in Vermont. Ummmm, I was breathless...never heard of the store and I sure as hell didn't make the purchases. When I told her these things she said, thank you we are rejecting the payment and you will not see these items show up on your bill. She also said, 'due to security reasons we are closing your account and a new number will be issued in your name. You should receive your new card within 10 business days. Please shred your current card.' At that point I felt violated, angry and grateful that the company figured out something fishy was going on that red flags went up and they called me. This whole experience made me not want to shop for anything anywhere anymore unless I had cash. The thing is, I hate shopping to begin with..I am the kind of person who gets to the store, get what I need the leave immediately. I don't find browsing around fun I find it exhausting.
A couple days after this incident I recieved an email from my credit card company which was a customer service survey...I had the opportunity to type in a comment at the end. I had replayed this whole shopping thing in my mind enough that I felt certain it was that clerk and mentioned that to them. When I finally got my last statement in the mail from that 'old' number I was happy to see no bizzare charges on it that would make me have to file a formal dispute and take further action. So beware of handing your card to any clerk! I was also informed that if a clerk 'swipes' your card two times (a machine that looks just like a credit card machine)...it is another way of them hijacking your number. Watch them carefully!
Thanks for the helpful "heads-up" on this. I would rather not learn from this experience first hand! Glad it all worked out for you!
I remember the day in question. It's too bad I didn't pay with my card and you with cash. The poor clerk would have gotten nothing but a headache trying to use my card, lol. Glad it all worked out though.