You know what’s fun? Having your credit card number stolen.
Nothing says "living my best life on a Saturday" like a notification from the fraud department asking, “Did you just spend $647 at a tractor supply store in Florida?” (No. No, I did not. But I hope the thief enjoys their new John Deere.)
And just like that—poof—my trusty card is canceled. Goodbye, dear friend who paid for my groceries, subscriptions, take out food and occasional late-night Amazon purchases. You will be replaced by a brand-new card with a new number and none of my digital baggage. A clean slate… that I did not ask for. As well as my two family members who share my Amazon Visa as well. I even have to add the card into 1Password.
Some credit cards (not mine) allow you to have a separate card number for each purchase so if it does get intercepted, it is unusable.
Now begins the scavenger hunt. I must:Remember every place I have autopay set up. Many I have to wait until they tell me my card isn't working because I don't remember annual subscriptions. It seems like every 2-3 years one of my three credit cards get used by thieves.
Log in to accounts I haven’t visited since the Obama administration.
Reset autopay then save them in my password manager. Again.
Verify my identity using a code sent to my email. Or phone. Or other annoying way where I have to have two devices by my side.
Re-enter my new card number while muttering a few creative phrases under my breath. Thankfully I am a master at cut and paste (usually).
Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Spotify, electric bill, other credit card auto pay, the neighborhood association dues, etc. ALL need updating. Every. Single. One.
And of course, some websites make it easy. Others seem to want a DNA sample and a letter from my 3rd grade teacher before they’ll accept my new card.
I didn’t ask to be part of this game. I didn’t lose my card. I didn’t even leave it at a restaurant. Someone just decided my digits looked tasty and went shopping.
What’s awkward about aging isn’t the tech, or the passwords, or even remembering which streaming service carries The Great British Bake Off. It’s that the older I get, the more often I’m left holding the bag—for someone else’s bad behavior.
But I’ll get through it. One autofill at a time. Persistence it is.
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Knock on wood I've never had that happen. I don't like using my credit cards when the places take cash or checks. Though recently some local stores will only take a credit card.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was working on my estate book, I was surprised at how many auto-pays I have. I have them all on one card and use the other one for actual shopping. Restaurants are the last place I'd use a card unless they can process them right at the table so the card doesn't get out of sight.
I write maybe one check a year! And all of this grief for a bogus $10.99 charge! I didn't think of it, but restaurants seem to always bring their device to the table these days. Thank you because now will be a good time for me to make a list of auto pays for my kids!
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