You do realize don’t you that in addition to changing your accounts again that you’ll also need to change your username to Diogenes the even bigger Cynic?
Here’s today’s update:
We’ve got our money back but we still don’t know exactly how it was accessed.
The bank still wants us to wait and see if any bad checks turn up before they switch our account again. There haven’t been any yet. Hopefully the asshole(s) got the quick score he (they) wanted and that’s that.
We’re currently following the advice offered in this thread about taking some precautionary measures to protect against identity theft.
We both appreciate the support, the advice and the humor that that we’ve gotten from this thread. Thanks to all who responded.
In case you need more info, Dio, I noticed that the current month’s Consumer Reports has a big article on identity theft and what to do to prevent it and how to protect yourself if it does happen to you.
Establish and maintain a habit of always taking your purse with you or lock it in the trunk assuming that it cannot be released from inside the car.
Keep pin numbers or such in a completely differnt place that the cards they apply to.
Keep your car doors locked. A thief or unscrupulous person can easily hop into the back seat at a stoplight or in a parking lot and take over once you get in and get ready to start the engine.
Think prevention rather than recovery or correction.
Why do I suddenly feel so… bad? 
OH wait! You’re “talking” to the shithole who made your life more stressful. OK, lame attempt to lighten your mood (forgive me… ? :rolleyes:). I happen to know exactly what you are going through and I offer you this insight.
It takes any faith you’ve ever had in humanity and shoves it out the window of Life’s speeding trainwreck of catastrophies gone so very wrong. You hate, you fume and there is seemingly NOTHING worthwhile you can do in the form of serious, violent, painful revenge to slow this sucka’ down and make them repent of ever having stolen this little thing (in their mind) of yours and rue the day they did.
Have I come at all close to expressing (not that you didn’t give it a gosh darn good try there in your OP) the feeling you may be feeling?
Well, that’s how I felt when some shit-bloated, mentally feeble ass-maggot stole my purse (breaking my window in the process). I wish you luck and haste in your proceedings to get all back to square one again (square one being everything is right with the world again).
Why did my smilies get all tweaked?? Dammit!
A couple of years ago I had a checking account emptied with a stolen debit card. Somehow, a hispanic guy managed to buy over $700 worth of crap from Wal-Mart, despite the card having a picture of a blond-haired green-eyed man with a Jewish name on it.
Diogenes
[ul][li]That really sucks, and I am sorry it happened to you.[/li][li]It still really sucks.[/li][li]Wouldn’t the credit card thing have to be a purchase? I thought the ATMs had a $100 per 24 hours limit on cash withdrawals. [/li][li]It still sucks. Don’t let it blunt your cheerful attitude on life. :)[/li][/ul]
Regards,
Shodan
PS - Don’t get your hopes up about the death penalty. The guy who lifted my credit card out of my wallet at the gym (“I don’t need to lock the locker - I’ll only be gone a minute”) was on probation for doing the same thing, and only got caught because the clerk at Best Buy recognized him from the last time he came in with a stolen credit card.
$1200 later, he got continuance of probation. :rolleyes:
Regards,
Shodan
Thieves were targeting pre-schools up in my area as well, and we had notices all over the place to not leave your purse in the car, even if it’s locked. They did catch one guy red-handed a few weeks back, for what good it will do because it seems to be a nationwide problem.
On a related issue, I don’t carry debit cards for the reason outlined above. Thieves can easily drain your account. My bank keeps trying to cancel my ATM card and replacing it with an ATM/debit/credit card. I keep calling them back and telling them I don’t WANT the debit card because it’s not secure. They seem incredulous that I wouldn’t want the convenience of a debit card.
FYI, there is legislation pending to create a OneCall number for consumers to call when your credit card, etc. is stolen. It would allow the consumer to call one number instead of 3 to reach the Big 3 credit companies. It would also entitle consumers to one free credit report each year. (Personally I would prefer to be notified via mail or e-mail any time anyone accessed my information, and I’d be willing to pay for this service, but I digress.) If you support such legislation, make your voice heard.
On a related note, you can also lend your voice to pending legislation called “Dio’s Wife’s Purse Law” which would make purse snatching and identity theft a capital crime. Admittedly it may not pass in Massachusetts, damn bleeding heart liberals, but it has a decent shot in Florida and Texas.
Also, I’d like to use this thread to hop on my soap box and remind everyone to know what is in your purse/wallet. Make a list at least once a year of the contents of your wallet as well as the appropriate 800 numbers to call in case of theft. Put it in a safe place and know where to find it. Or just put the contents on your wallet on a copier or scanner and copy both sides. Or, and it pains the tightwad in me to suggest this, use one of those $30/year services credit protection services that will do this for you.
Sorry about your bad luck, Dio. Hope they find the bastid.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Shodan *
[li]Wouldn’t the credit card thing have to be a purchase? I thought the ATMs had a $100 per 24 hours limit on cash withdrawals. [/li][/QUOTE]
Maybe it depends on the bank as mine allows $400 per 24 hrs.
An EXCELLENT idea PunditLisa that’s something I’m going to do today. Thank you.
**Dio, ** don’t forget to cancel any calling cards you might have had. My purse got stolen out of my classroom once and we forgot to cancel that one thing. Next month, there were $500 in charges on it. Damn them! Luckily, the calls were traceable and they used that info to catch the rotten little bastard who stole my purse.
Cheers!
mmm…