OT: Unpleasantness

N0obKnitter · 03-02-2010, 11:48 AM

I lost one of my passports coming home from Denver. Had to report it as lost. :/

Tried to use my bank card to buy lunch yesterday at my favourite indian place, card wouldn't work. I tried to call my credit union, lines all busy.

Finally got through to them at SEVEN last night (Last day for RRSPs, phone lines were jammed all day.) Turns out some lowlifes skimmed my card and stole $500 from my account via ATMs.

$500 of my measly student loan. $500 so they can drive fancy cars and live in fancy houses. The police lady I talked to said it's happened TWICE to her.

Oh, there's also a new pickpocket problem here.

Also, I had to do my taxes yesterday.

Day from H E double hockey sticks.

Jan in CA · 03-02-2010, 06:52 PM

Oh no!! All big cities especially have problems with pickpockets and crime in general. Even if it's improved it's still there. Did your credit card company refund your money? If someone uses ours like that we get it back as long as the card has been reported stolen.

How many passports do you have? I only have one.

Belphoebe · 03-02-2010, 06:58 PM

Oh no! Hopefully something good will come your way soon. Hang in there!

N0obKnitter · 03-02-2010, 07:01 PM

I am a dual-citizen, so I have two. Luckily it was my CDN passport I lost, easier to replace.

I keep crying over the theft, my credit union will refund me, but the thought of some...lowlife stealing my student loan money to pay for fancy cars/houses/drugs/etc makes me absolutely sick and angry. I wish I knew who it was. I sometimes don't buy stuff like feta cheese cause it's too expensive, and yet these jerks are living the high life stealing people's hard-earned cash.

cftwo · 03-02-2010, 08:07 PM

Noob - that really stinks that your passport and $ were stolen. Do you know what it was spent on? It could have been spent by someone just as desperate for money as you are.

Jan in CA · 03-02-2010, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by N0obKnitter

I keep crying over the theft, my credit union will refund me, but the thought of some...lowlife stealing my student loan money to pay for fancy cars/houses/drugs/etc makes me absolutely sick and angry.

They are creeps for sure, but I don't think they know it was student loan money and I doubt they are buying cars/drugs/houses with it. Houses and cars are more expensive than that and drugs I would imagine have to paid for in cash. Most likely someone bought clothing or electronics. That doesn't make it any better that they did it, but I think they just tend to go for the easiest things unless they are big time thieves.

Years ago I had someone get my bank account number and deposited money first then a few days later tried to withdraw a much larger amount making it all seem normal. Thank goodness the bank people knew who I was and thought it was suspicious. The person fled to Canada before the court date.

Sknitter56 · 03-02-2010, 10:22 PM

In my line of work we deal with these types of people on a daily basis. What really gripes me it that they can steal/embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars, then when it comes time to pay it back after they get out of prison, they're ordered to pay some measly amount, like $100 a month or something. What did they do with all the money they stole? They should be made to sell whatever can be sold and give that money back to their victims. These scumbags are the lowest of the low, next to the sex offenders.

AngelaR · 03-02-2010, 11:31 PM

I know some people.... *goes all Tony Soprano*

The first time I traveled without benefit of parental supervision was overseas and my grandparents (both sets) took me aside and told me to never, EVAR carry anything valuable in my pockets or purse. When I got caught in a gypsy mob in Italy I was glad for the advice. If they were going to get my money, they'd have to buy me dinner first.

It sucks so badly that they could use your card, though. I mean, it's one thing to steal one, quite another to be able to pull the PIN from the ether and get money with it. We had a company credit card stolen at the DFW airport a couple of years back and the idiots went in to WalMart and bought gift cards with them (this happened at Thanksgiving). Even with the cameras and everything Wal-Mart said they could do nothing but hand them over to the police. Since I'd reported the card stolen, I didn't have to pay for it... Wal-Mart did because they had to honor the gift cards.

N0obKnitter · 03-03-2010, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by Jan in CA

They are creeps for sure, but I don't think they know it was student loan money and I doubt they are buying cars/drugs/houses with it. Houses and cars are more expensive than that and drugs I would imagine have to paid for in cash. Most likely someone bought clothing or electronics. That doesn't make it any better that they did it, but I think they just tend to go for the easiest things unless they are big time thieves.

Years ago I had someone get my bank account number and deposited money first then a few days later tried to withdraw a much larger amount making it all seem normal. Thank goodness the bank people knew who I was and thought it was suspicious. The person fled to Canada before the court date.

The police told me those jerks skimming debit cards etc live in fancy houses etc. It's organized crime. :( All the jerks did was using ATMs to steal $500 from me, doesn't matter if they know I have student loans, what if I was an 80 year old person with only pension money, or a single parent etc etc? It's so...disgusting. Also, the jerks caused me $12.60 service charges (it will be refunded though.) Revolting...

Knitting_Guy · 03-03-2010, 01:24 AM

True scum. And people wonder why I refuse to use credit cards or even have bank accounts. Hopefully the cops will track them down and put them where they belong.