The scary world of doing business online
Sophie needs to learn to brush her teeth.This morning the sun wasshining, and all seemed brighter with the world than yesterday when I woke to adull, gray day. And the day proceeded to live up to that description. First Igot five puzzling emails from DIL Lisa, though I finally figured out that shewas giving me the Christmas hints I had asked for. Trouble was, I already hadher gift ordered. But that was a minor bump in the road compared to what camenext—an email thanking me for signing up for a $700 contract with iStock, with thefirst payment of $75.78 charged to my Discover card. And sure enough, therethat charge was, dated yesterday. Yikes ! At Christmas when I’m trying to live economicallyin light of holiday expenses and taxes.
I panicked and calledDiscover, swearing I’d never signed up for such (this is going to be a lessonin reading the fine print). I bounced from one customer service rep to anotheruntil I was finally directed to the fraud division—now that sounded awfully seriousto me. But the lady talked me through it—and the most direct result was that myDiscover account was closed and a new account opened, with the new card due inthe mail sometime next week. That means I can’t order gifts, etc., online untilI get the new card. Of course, immediately I got a notice from our localnewspaper that they couldn’t access my payment information and did I need toupdate my account. I began a list of accounts that will need updating when Iget the new card. Tonight I realized I can’t even order groceries—so had to borrowa Burton credit card, because Colin has scared me about using my debit cardonline, even with a company I trust like Central Market.
Meantime, back to yesterdaymorning—something was nagging at me, a thought that I’d done something wrong.So I called Colin, my solution to all financial problems. Methodical personthat he is, he had me forward the emails to him. Then he explored online,called me and made a joint call to Getty, which owns iStock. First time we gotsome medical solutions groups which really sounded like a phishing operation.Colin insisted we try one more time, and this time we got a Getty representativewho looked at records, said I had signed up for a free trial whichautomatically became a contract if not cancelled—but they never warned me itwas time to cancel, which I think is fraud in itself. I had, after callingDiscover, written Getty to protest I had never signed a contract and request arefund of what they had billed me for (It was still pending, so I doubt it wentthrough). Someone in their outfit had acknowledged my email, though I’m stillwaiting for action. The rep assured me I would hear, and cancellation is noproblem. I’m still waiting, and meantime I’m really hampered without a creditcard since I do so much shopping online. Sheer frustration.
To top the day off, I got atext from the North Texas Tollway folks, saying I had a ticket and had instructionsfor entering my license number and something else. I am by now so leery that Ididn’t know if this was phishing or if Jordan or Christian had possibly drivenmy VW on the tollway. Christian said that might have happened and he’d checktheir bills—though how would they have a bill if it’s in my name? Anyway I haveheard no more about that either, and despite his advice to ignore and not letit worry me, I do worry.
To me, it’s sad that at thisseason of love and hope, most of us worry about finances. I have for years paidquarterly income taxes (I’m not sure why, but some accountant way back set itup that way), so I have a bill in January, right after Christmas. And propertytaxes are due in January, plus our lawn people have advised me I truly need toget a professional arborist to trim my trees. And Sophie’s teeth need cleaning.It all hits in December.
Today, thank goodness, I havemy groove back, and the world doesn’t look so grim to me. It’s amazing whatsunny weather can do for you—and maybe a good night’s sleep. But I learned somelessons yesterday, mostly about reading the fine print and being carefulonline. I have always thought I was careful, but now I know it wasn’t enough. Iknow I’m impatient and sometimes I zip through emails when I should stop andread carefully. MY day yesterday is also a demonstration of how easy it is forthe unwary to get into tangled and ultimately disastrous financial situations.I am fortunate, as a single, elderly person, that I have my son to protect me.Not all are as lucky.
I tell you all this as an objectlesson. And also to get it out of my brain.
