Friday, April 05, 2024

Oh boy

I have not been in the best humor for over a week.  No, make that a month.  

We have three or four credit cards if you count Kohls, which I never use since they changed hands.  Oh yes, and we had to buy a refrigerator last week at Home Depot... if you get their credit card, they take fifty dollars off the price of what you buy, and if you pay it off in six months, there's no interest.  That won't be a problem for us, and we won't keep the card because we don't need it.

We don't carry a balance on credit cards.  Each month, they are paid off.  I always check what's on my bill, and in February, there was a charge on my Capital One card that I didn't recognize.  It wasn't a large amount, but I was sure it wasn't anything I had intended to pay for.  I guess I don't check small amounts as closely as I thought, because they'd been taking money for five months, as it turned out.  All told, it was less than a hundred dollars, but I wanted it back.  I called the phone number on my credit card; the foreign lady I was talking to asked me if someone else used our card, I told her no, nobody but my husband and I use our cards.  She was asking one question after another, asked my my secret words, address, and social security number.  I answered it all.  This wasn't my first rodeo, and I assumed she would just send us new cards with different numbers.  

But no, she then told me that I would have to scan or take a picture of both sides of my non-driver's license:  she would send an email that would let me send those pictures to her.  I sent them, and figured that was that.  

I assumed I could use my credit card again.  However, when I went online to pay my bill, it was not active.  I could pay my bill, but neither of us could use our cards.  I called to see why I was still unable to use the card, and the person I spoke to this time said the pictures were blurry.  I took more pictures, they were never good enough.  For four weeks I got messages from Netflix and Spectrum and Evergy and T-mobile that they didn't get their money, and so I put them all on a different card.  

Today I called again to tell them I had taken a picture that I knew wasn't shiny or shadowy or blurry, or lacking in anything!  It was a man I talked to this time.  I told him what I'd been through; he asked me the questions they always do to make sure it's really me.  And then he informed me he had taken restrictions off and I could use my card.  I said, "Don't I have to wait for a new card?"

No.  And I didn't have to send a picture.  After all that mess, my card is actually mine again, just that easy.  I would sure like to write a letter to somebody in charge of Capital One, because it literally ruined a month of my life, and I sure didn't like giving them my I.D. over and over.  I want an explanation!  

Through all this I didn't cry, I didn't tell anyone about it.  I just grieved.  Cliff wasn't nearly as bothered as I was about it, but then I'm the one who manages the bills.  He pays most of them, but I manage them.

And I still wonder if someone in India has my credit card number and is using my non-driver's license for some vile purpose.

That's why I haven't been posting lately.

12 comments:

  1. I would be wondering about the whole thing, too. The big charge card companies make it so hard to talk to a real person, and then half the time their English is so poor I wonder if they understand what I'm trying to say.

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  2. Bummer; I'd close that account and get a new card. Sounds a tad fishy. Hang in there! Linda in Kansas

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  3. I am like Linda in Kansas. I would close that account and get a new card.

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  4. Oh, personally, I'd be really wary of that. Having to submit all those details... Hope it was nothing untoward.

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  5. So sorry all that happened. Some times life is a nightmare. Phinnie had a brain tumor and I had him put down. No more dogs for me. He was Larry’s love. Can’t speak of it on my blog. I paid to have him created so I can put his ashes at Larry’s grave. I’m just a stupid old lady. Eclipse is coming to my always. People coming in like termite infestation. I hope something good happens soon. Jeopardy has gone to ot too. Can’t even watch. Saying all this so you will know— you are not alone!

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  6. Cremated can’t even type.not always area. Jeopardy gone to pot. Looks like my comment is in pig Latin.

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    1. I was wondering if you had taken up smoking pot. :D I am sorry about Phinnie. If Gabe died right now, I'd get another dog, even knowing I'd likely outlive him; it's lonesome without a pet. Gabe takes the place of my Jersey cows that were such pets.

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  7. Anonymous5:55 PM

    Spectrum seems to be a problem child as far as phones and computers and credit cards.

    I've never heard of anyone ask for a non photo or non driver's ID card ever. . . If that happens again try to get a name of the person however most people will tell you they don't know anyone else and I'll probably use ID might be helpful to identify who you spoke to at the time of your crisis I'd be leery too after all the questions and after the photos were sent good luck with that I do think spectrum is part of the issue based on problems I've had with other cards and the cable company here locally.

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    1. Spectrum had nothing to do with it, except that I pay them each month with that card. And I doubt I could spell those foreigners' names. I spoke with at least 6 different people at different times.

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  8. We've had the card for many, many years. Probably at least 25.

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  9. I am always suspicious of being scammed. I don't understand why they would have needed your ID photos. That's very weird. I'm glad it's resolved at least.

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  10. Anonymous1:10 PM

    Couple of years ago during the great Covid debacle, I charged a $3500 chair on my card. For many reasons all Covid related, the chair got caught up in a warehouse situation and did not get delivered. After much calling and explaining and waiting I decided to cancel the transaction on my credit card. One phone call, less than 10 minutes and it was done. I couldn’t believe it. They just reversed the transaction.

    Well, eventually the chair did get delivered, but at that point, it was not paid for. So, I called the credit card company and had the charge added back on. During all of the cancellation/reinstatement, the company I bought the chair from never contacted me. Strange.

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