Internet Buyers Beware!

This morning I received quite a shock while looking at my checking account online. Someone has been using my debit card to buy all kinds of merchandise online. I had no idea anything was even happening until I received a bank account alert email stating my account balance had dropped below my alert balance, I immediately thought, "WHAT! How can that be?". I looked up my account and saw numerous charges that I had not made, things like wines and quit smoking aids. I got on the phone, stopped my credit card, and headed for the bank. The bank was wonderful and said they would get right on it and call when all the paperwork was complete for me sign. When I returned home, I had a package in the mailbox from Boca Raton (one of the fraudulent charges locations). I opened it up to find a quit smoking aid. I called the company without any luck then I started calling some of the other charges just out of curiosity - the items were being sent to my address. Then I really started to panic because I thought the bank may think I actually made the purchases and my money would be tied up forever. Again, the bank was wonderful and said that it was OK, I needed to refuse packages and they would handle the rest.

Learn from my mistakes... Never, never use your debit card online and always check your checking account everyday.

I'll keep you all posted on the progress of my identity theft situation.