Since everyone seems to be blogging their resolutions for 2008, allow me to share mine as well. In 2008, I resolve to track down the person who stole my credit card number, take a baseball bat, and beat their illegally acquired electronics to pieces a la Office Space (and yes, Geto Boys will be playing in the background).
I was not in a good mood this morning, mainly due to it being 20 something degrees outside, the usual red line screw ups courtesy of WMATA, and the fact that I am on some bizarre time zone that is a mix between Hawaiian and EST. Upon settling down at my desk with a cup of hot tea, I decided, on a whim, to log-in to my credit card account and check the balance, and...WHOA, where the hell did THAT number come from?!
Further clicking revealed that some criminal used my credit card to purchase $1,200 worth of office supplies and gasoline. But you know what really hurt, like rubbing salt in the wound, was that they illegally purchased their electronics from OFFICE DEPOT, the evil corporate master that enslaved me for several months in 2004. Upon reading that over a thousand of my credit card dollars were transferred to Office Depot, my brain promptly exploded all over my computer monitor. After unleashing a string of obscenities that will remain unprinted, I called up my credit card company and cleared everything up. So, I don't have to pay for the computer or laser printer or whatever this hooligan purchased with my credit card (I hope you ended up with one of the dud machines, sucka!).
So how the hell did they get my credit card? Incidentally, my friend Elisabeth went through a similar experience several weeks ago. Instead of purchasing office supplies, however, her criminals went on a major shopping spree at Macy's and JCPenney's. This happened shortly after we went out to lunch at UNO Chicago Grill at Union Station and split the bill on our credit cards. That is really the only time that my card was out of my sight (I've never lost it and it's always in my possession except for when charging it at a restaurant), so we're guessing that a staff member there skimmed our cards, which were then reproduced so that the criminals could go on a holiday shopping spree. Meanwhile, we were sitting at work, completely unaware that we were spending a combined $4,000 on electronics, clothes, and gas.
So, if you ever find yourself at Union Station, avoid UNO's at all costs. Not only does the food suck, but you might have your credit card numbers stolen and used to purchase 1,000 magenta ink printer cartridges from an Office Depot in suburban Washington.
Subscribe in a reader |
