Target
I didn’t shop at Target during the Holidays. Imagine my shock when I checked my bank account Monday morning and discovered debits of $935.00 for online purchases that I did not make.
I am at the Bank when it opens. This is a familiar procedure for me. It is the third time in ten years that I have gone through the process of closing accounts, disabling cards and starting over. IBM lost Health Net Data a few years ago; that was a big breach. The trunk of my car was pried open and my purse stolen while I was hiking at a local park. And now this. Add a trip to Social Security to authorize a change in my Direct Deposit, put a ‘hawk alert’ on my credit file, and I spend 15 hours dealing with the mess.
I have changed many things. I don’t take anything but my driver’s license, AAA card and a little cash with me when I go to parks. I use my ATM only at selected businesses. I do buy online, but again, selectively. I made six online purchases in December using my debit card. This is the time period when it is believed my card information was stolen.
A few years ago, I followed excellent advice from Bank of the West. I started monitoring my bank accounts daily.
So, more changes are in order. I am going back to writing checks and paying cash. I won’t use my debit card for online purchases anymore. It is inconvenient; but obviously, much safer.
It is President’s Day. If you plan on going shopping, beware. You might consider using a credit not a debit card, or ‘just pay cash’.