A couple of weeks ago, an out of state phone call appeared on our caller ID and usually, when a number like that pops up we let it go to voice mail. Well, that is what DH usually does, but I had the phone next to me and I have very little patience to wait the specific number of rings to have it hit voice mail... so I answered it. A young woman from a Home Depot in California was on the phone. She was asking to confirm an on-line order for a power tool to be picked up locally and wanted to make sure that the order was legitimate.
Pleasantly surprised that there are some people that really take their job seriously when it comes to credit card orders, but sickened nonetheless that it was an order placed with our address and phone number attached to it and possibly one of our credit cards being used being used fraudulently. While my concerns were justifiable, I tried to ask for clarification about the charges and if she could offer me the last 4 digits of the supposed credit card being used. She held firm that she could not divulge that information (what a relief she was really serious about protecting a person's identity). The only information she wanted to clarify upon was the name, address and phone number of the card holder. She has two of the three things correct. She had our address and phone number, but the name was wrong. "Nobody with the last name of Chan reside here", I tell the woman. She realized that the person that arrived to pick up this $360 power tool made a mad dash for the door and was taking off in his truck without the tool in his hand. She screams for someone to get the license plate number and returns to talking to me. She apologizes for the inconvenience and the obvious concern that someone was trying to purchase something off of a credit card that could be DH's or mine with only most of the pertinent information being ours. She assures me that she is cancelling the order and that it should not appear on our credit card statement, but suggests that we call our credit card company to notify them of a potential fraud situation happening.
Sickened and angry that identity theft is possible, but in my eyes, is supposed to be a lot harder when we actually set all identity-sensitive stuff on fire instead of "shred and toss" like most other people. It is impossible to get personal information from ashes. I thought we were safe. Apparently not, but I was not going to let someone continue to try to steal from us and started to call the credit card companies to do everything that is needed to protect ourselves. DH and I kept separate credit card accounts and in my eyes... that is pretty smart, but a real pain in the butt if there is a problem that requires a call to the credit card company. As I called about my credit card, I asked DH if he would like to call about his. I have no authorization to notify his credit card company about potential fraud. He declined to take action and told me that I am overreacting. I tried to tell him that overreaction is expected when there is potential for fraud being prevalent, but he held firm in his convictions. I decided to tell him that inaction is a risky thing and a real pain to fix if it gets out of hand. Apparently, DH prefers the "ignorance is bliss" approach and I will never get through to him and I dropped the subject.
Fast forward two weeks: DH likes to use the credit card as a budgeting tool for groceries. I can only guess he does that to keep our spending in check, but I see it as a bill we can avoid if we paid by check or cash. I have been reminded that I do not know what I am doing since the day I gave him the big boy pill and handed him the checkbook to get him snapped back to reality that his laid back attitude regarding getting paid on time or even taking a paycheck when he willingly sacrificed his paycheck for the greater good of his garage without discussing it with me (the one that managed the bills for the past 11 years or so). Well, that offering to help him regarding protecting his credit card from fraud being shot down ended up being that it was his card that was being used fraudulently and not mine. When he pulled out his card to pay for the groceries of the week and was denied, I had to pull out my card to pay for it. Once we got home, he called the credit card company and learned that his card was a victim of fraud. The credit card company has tried to call him for weeks and could not get in touch with him, so they put a hold on his card and made it useless. After a half an hour with the credit card company, he closed that account and is being issued a new card. The fraudulent charges are being handled by the credit card company and he has some paperwork on the way to fill out. After he hung up.... he started whining about the inconvenience he now has to deal with. I bit my tongue so hard, I thought I tasted blood, but did not bother saying "I TOLD YOU SO".
My word has never held water in his world. I have been looked at as I am some kind of moron for years. That being a woman makes me clueless (all a learned trait from his childhood). I mean, he believes every word his mother would say, but when it came to me..... I am without validity. That woman could tell him that the sky is green and he would believe her. I would have to take is sorry backside outside and point his face to the sky to prove that it is actually blue. I have many stories where I am apparently too stupid to find a solution, but later hear that someone else found the greatest solution since sliced bread and it was what I suggested months or weeks earlier and was told it was a stupid idea. Knowing that I have been fighting a losing battle, I have left him to figure stuff out for himself and I get to take pride in that I knew I was right. He will never see it that way, but it gives me peace of mind that I am smarter than the bag of rocks that he thinks I am. Darn shame that he has such a thick skull to actually see what I see and avoid the pitfalls before they happen, but it was his credit card and not mine... so I know that I am safe... for now.
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