My two break-ins and six thefts

Who has your card details? And who has mine? Now, I use cards quite a lot on the internet for purchases of different sorts. Particularly within the EU, where I enjoy the one big open market possibilities. But giving my personal details and card details to many companies where some don’t use encryption or on-line validation always feels a bit uncomfortable. I am trusting their employees for safe-keeping of personal information. A network of trust where I can only see my node.

“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” –Ernest Hemingway

Recently, I was exposed to theft six times in different stores. Uncomfortable to say the least. Or was it? Last Saturday evening I twice got card account access codes by text message on my phone. Strange, since I wasn’t trying to enter my card account. After checking my account I saw nothing strange there. I called the card company and was informed that they open on Monday. On early Sunday morning I got a text message from the card company, it was in poor Swedish with a different phone number to call. I suspected a hoax and did NOT call. Then I saw an email from the card company. I checked the internet to verify the phone number and called…

My card had been used six times during Saturday evening, and it wasn’t me. We agreed to block the card. I got a claim form so that I might not need to pay for the card usage. I hated this invasion of privacy.

Using my cash in the wallet and mattress suddenly seemed so attractive. The physical brick-and-mortar IRL world has its advantages. Or as StrongPoint may put it: the checkout experience is paramount. But I will continue to use my cards, it’s so convenient for certain things.

I hope that I don’t need to pay for any of these fraudulent purchases, or read the small print card agreement in anger. I hope this doesn’t happen to you or me again. A lot of hoping from this card holder.