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| We need to be better at protecting our identities only you can protect you. |
My summer of 2014
has really been interesting for me it’s brought up a lot of things, memories,
old and new. It has brought new opportunities of some great things and it has
brought some stress too. It’s reminded me of a lot of things that yes while
often we can get caught up with having fun, enjoying our lives, and living.
That sometimes there is also a price a pay when you are enjoying yourself. You can be out whether at work, school,
running errands, all the while someone is after your private checking account.
We need money and
U.S. currency in order to survive in the country, to pay our bills, to pay for
every single thing we need in order to have the “American dream” and to also
achieve and pursue the motto: liberty, freedom, and happiness. Yet there is one
thing that happens in a non -perfect world with people of diverse backgrounds,
upbringings, and classes. You deal with reality every single day some strive
hard for success and others take the easy way out choosing to settle for what
they consider as a means to get by and have money. They instead choose to steal
from others and commit fraud. This is what happened to me I am not ashamed to
admit it I believe it should be discussed, it’s liberating, it makes you aware,
and also you find a solution to the problem as well. All right here we go the
first weekend of July 2014 I was running like a mad dog, I had to get prepared
for my first weekend of doing marketing spirit promotions a new side hustle. I
don’t do them often and this was my first major one I was doing 3 in one
weekend. I needed to earn some
money to go to “The On the Run tour” concert and of course to take care of
myself , traveling around the city, and bills too.
Yet at the same
time as I am running around that weekend, luckily I was safe, I didn’t really
use my card to purchase anything major, I was only buying what I needed for my
promotion i.e. juice, ice, decorations for the fourth of July, to get around,
travel, from each destination as well.
So after my long weekend a week later, I go to my company pick up my
check and I could not make a deposit at the bank. My bank informs me that
“There has been unusual activity” on my receipt. So I go to the nearest bank
representative, Ashley, and she assists me. I call and step into a private office
away from the lobby I am inside the Empire State building, I speak to the bank,
and find out there was a young kid who was attempting to make purchases by
using my card. Fraud has been heavy this summer, people desperately seeking
ways for money. This is one of
those situations I did not want to stress about. I thought quickly, I didn’t react;
I just knew what to do. God definitely assisted me that day and I handled it
fast, quickly, and it was resolved in 2 hours. Yet at the same time how can we
live in a world where people choose to scam and skim us? Skim, no not like skim milk, Skimming
is when a criminal uses a fake object where the ATM card entrance is and a
criminal uses technology to capture, skim all of your checking card/ debit
card/credit card account information: the card number, security code, and your
name. Now usually this occurs most
of the time at ATM machines, and while making purchases using your credit card
or debit card at the machines.
The criminal goes
in and he, she, or them will make the purchases of taking your card and go out
and have a ball while this happening. How do I know so much about this because
it happened to me personally twice, it also happened to other people I know,
and I have heard so many stories online, on 20/20, and Dateline about shows
where criminals attempt to steal or take your money unbeknownst to you and are
out having a ball. I even saw a couple at a gas station attempt to skim a card
how sad and pathetic.
Now “my criminal” I am being facetious who
took my information offline and got everything he needed to attempt to take
from me was caught in his tracks immediately. He was not allowed at all to make
purchases of his Video stream games and Target movie purchases. Sorry kid, but
no the bank and I are informed of who you are, you come after me again and we
will have to take it up with the court, the law, the FTC (Federal Trade
Commission), and the bank again.
How did I feel
that afternoon, it had all ready been a pretty rough week for me, I didn’t want
to be bothered honestly, I just wanted to be to myself, I thought about it and
knew I better share this with you all, so you know too. You’re not going to
believe what I found out next when I got home that day. I got home to my
apartment and I get a phone call from one of my parents, now I am going to
protect this person’s identity I am going to call him “Jake” will not say their
name at all. Someone who I dated we went out last year one time only to the
movies and a date.
“Jake” is
currently being charged and was arrested out of state for committing the same
exact crime; he was arrested for over 30 counts of committing fraud. “Jake” was running around using and
stealing people’s credit cards to find a way to earn money. “Jake” was all
ready dealing with some other issues by the way in his personal life. He had a
lot of baggage and drama going on all ready. This was not someone I needed in
my life trust me.
That must explain
how he found a way to get money so quickly. He and I didn’t date for long, it
was quick, and we don’t speak. We probably never will again because he’s going
to jail for a very long time possibly over 20 years. So “Jake” and I will never
live happily ever after, no he will either have to serve some time, and he will never see me ever again at all.
That chapter of “Jake” and I ended fast.
Just knowing that
made me angry, how I could be so close, so intimate, or even want to know a
person with a background like that broke my heart. This person wasn’t
vindictive or mean to me, or tried to use me. No but apparently he needed to
find a way out, he took the easy way out, the same way a lot of criminals do
and its taught me, many valuable lessons, number one protect yourself in every
possible way. I have learned that
quickly and I believe the same goes for you all too.
Here are some
tips: ladies be careful with your handbags, purses, tote bags, wallets, I don’t
care but if you have to sleep with your purse next to you. You may be better
off, or hide your money in the safest place possible if you know you cannot
trust the person you are living with or even friends with also. Carry everything on you if you have to
and remember where you placed it, make it easy on yourself. Gentlemen, hide your money in your
sock, shoes, if necessary. You
need to know the signs of when fraudulent activity is occurring not just at the
bank, but it can happen right before you know it. These criminals are fast and
they keep themselves updated on every single topic and form of banking and
financial technology.
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| Protect your Benjamins whether within cash or plastic, and online too. |
Check your account
by yourself at your bank, with your bank representative, make sure you can
trust he or she, change your debit cards, and passwords frequently give
yourself possibly 6-9 months or a year, for changing all personal information.
It is necessary for you to keep yourself safe, protected, and from you getting
money stolen from your pocket. If
you are making a withdrawal, deposit, go during the daytime hours, go during
your lunch break |
| Only you can protect your Washingtons, Jacksons, Lincolns, Hamiltons, and Benjamins ! |
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| Protect these cards from the bad guys, cause they're real and they exist trust me. |
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| Oh no he wants to steal "Johnny"s" debit card don't be next! |
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