And it's not even 1:30 p.m. yet.

Got up this morning and James and I took my car to the NAPA Auto Center on Powder Springs Road. I decided not to take it to Carmax since I was pretty sure that all or most of what was wrong with the car was not covered by the Extended Service Warranty. I was right. Just a few minutes ago the repairman called...car needs new spark plugs, coils, a few other things, plus an oil change and a new air filter. There is a developing problem—apparently I have a small vacuum leak—but he called Chrysler and that is covered by my extended service warranty. So I will be making an appointment soon to get that fixed.

In the meantime, I have been struggling with my telework connections all day. Everything opens for me fine, but I cannot print. In fact, I get a message that tells me I am "not authorized to print" on the printer that is attached to my own computer. Gah. I was working around that when ICE crashed solidly and now I can't log back in without it going directly to that locked up ICE connection.

Just as ICE crashed, the phone rang. I thought it was the car repair place calling me back, but instead it was an automated call from Chase warning me about some possible fraudulent charges on my Borders credit card. I know sometimes there are phishing attempts on the phone, so I pressed "any key" as instructed, ready not to give out any personal information. Instead, the phone hung up.

Immediately I went to my online credit card access. (Actually, first I checked my wallet, just in case. Yes, I have the card.) There, right on top, was a charge made at WalMart yesterday.

Except I didn't go to WalMart yesterday. The last purchase I made on that card was Sunday.

So I called the number on the back of the card and learned that my little thief has certainly been busy! Two charges at WalMart for about $100 each, and also a charge to Value City for $200 something (I never shop at Value City) and something else—I was on my cell and couldn't hear the fraud person very well—with a Spanish name on it. Heh. Anyway, she said she was immediately shutting down my account—so someone's getting a rude surprise today, heh-heh-heh—and I would be sent a fraud statement I had to sign and return and that a new card would be forthcoming.

(Okay, I guess I am missing something, but if I have the card, how are they making charges on it at stores? Do these people have card printing machines that duplicate the magnetic strip? I have been meaning to call up and get a new card because mine doesn't scan well anymore, but I never called, so there was no credit card being sent to me, and the card doesn't—rather, didn't—expire until August. So how are they making these charges?)

When they say they are cancelling your account, BTW, they mean it. I was in my account statement as I talked to her on the telephone, and got out of it to make sure my other Chase card wasn't compromised. This is still on the same logon site, so I just clicked on a link, confirmed it was okay, and clicked back on the Borders link. My account is gone. I can't even look at previous statements.

They're predicting heavy thunderstorms for tonight and I'm starting to get nervous...

Labels: cars, events, work

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. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at 1:11:00 PM

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