Fraud Applause

I am sure that you have received a voice mail asking you to call your credit card provider to verify a charge ASAP. This is usually due to the fact that the credit card provider’s algorithms tell them that a recent charge appears to be outside of your normal spending patterns.

I received two of these calls just last week. Ironically, they were about the exact same charge. My husband tried to purchase a music download from an overseas vendor. American Express flat out declined this charge so my husband put the expense on a Visa card. Then, Visa called to verify the same charge.

Hackers, credit card number and identity thieves often start small. They will charge a small amount to see if this charge will go through or if anyone is paying attention. These charges are frequently made overseas. This is why my husband’s particular charge was flagged.

I had a really nice conversation with the customer service person at Visa. I thanked him for being on top of things, especially my inquiries! He told me that most people are angry when he calls, as they are irritated with the intrusion, and treat him gruffly at best.

That’s too bad, as I know that these companies are trying to protect their bottom line. The truth of the matter is that if there is fraudulent activity on your credit card, you won’t end up paying it, the credit card companies will. Regardless of who pays, this is not a reason to be rude. We should applaud their customer service and their proactive protection of our credit and our personal identities.

I did get a call from American Express to verify the charge even though they did not put it through my account. They wanted to be sure that our cards or our numbers had not been stolen. I thanked them as well.

So, the next time you receive the email or the voice mail asking you to verify a charge, take the call directly, and be nice. Thank the service provider for protecting you, as this is what they are doing. Fraud and identity theft are on the rise. Hacking is sport and our personal information is everywhere. We count on our institutions to protect our privacy and our data. Remember to thank them when they do their job as a little kindness can go a long way.