Ryan Will was shopping at a Loews near his Washington State home recently and got one of those calls from his credit card issuer, USAA. The operator was trying to verify if a pending credit card change was legitimate. In this case, it was $800 at a plastic surgeon’s office somewhere in Italy.
“Why is it that when someone decides to commit fraud and use your card information it’s always for the weirdest purchases?” said Will’s wife, Melissa Navarro Will. “Everything from plastic surgery in Italy to every song Nickelback has on iTunes.”
I’ll leave the opinions about Nickelback to you. At least Ryan’s story had a happy ending. (“Thank goodness for USAA during this season of thievery,” Melissa said.) But her comment led to some discussion with friends. One said a criminal tried to buy $800 worth of Popeye’s fast food; said another, a donation to firefighters in England; still another, $300 in dog grooming.
Then, there was the attempt to purchase $2,000 worth of adult toys.
The discussion got me thinking: What’s the strangest bout of credit card fraud you’ve ever encountered? Leave a comment below, on my Facebook page, or email me. Extra points for funny or embarrassing tales.
It’s a fun topic with a serious side. Fraud runs hot during the holiday season. The higher the transaction velocity, the easier it is for criminals to get their fraudulent transactions lost in the sea of data. So while you and everyone else keep shopping up a storm this month, be extra vigilant about checking your credit card statements. You might end up with a good story to tell.
Speaking of stories, if you are like me, you like a happy ending. Readers might remember meeting Melissa and Will two years ago when I conducted a “Red Tape Intervention” of their finances. Will, a veteran, was trying to jump start his new civilian life after the couple married. At the time, they wanted to start a family, but had no idea how they’d be able to afford it. This year, the couple welcomed their first baby.
You can watch the earlier video by clicking the image below
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