Wednesday, February 14th…. 9:30pm

Did you know that the majority of identity theft/credit card fraud problems originate in Europe and Asia? This will be important later.. so, read on.

Because the majority of these problems occur overseas, you are supposed to notify your bank and credit card companies where you will be traveling.. otherwise, they may shut down your card if strange, overseas purchases show up.

I first found this out, in 2004, an hour before I left for the airport on my 20 day, whirlwind trip around Europe ( 11 countries and 19 cities in 20 days.. lots of fun, best vacation I ever had, but not really important to this story 🙂 )

Before I left on my recruiting trip last year, I notified my bank of everywhere I would be going. I was very impressed that they still called my house, to verify this, because they saw unusual charges from Russia, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Poland all within a matter of days. Luckily, Teena was watching my house, so she was there to confirm that, yes.. I was overseas..and that they would probably see charges from Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic showing up soon ( Mom met me in Poland, after my recruiting trip and I took her on a mini- whirlwind tour of a couple of countries. Fun trip, even though it was the coldest winter they’d seen in 60 years, but not really important to this story 🙂 ).

Like I said, I was impressed when I found out they had called the house, even though I had given them notification prior to leaving, and decided I was very glad I had a bank that made such an effort to make sure there was nothing funny going on with my card. This will be important later..

Because of all this, I was a little surprised when I called them in January and they said I didn’t need to let them know I was going to Bulgaria. They didn’t do this with Debit cards anymore, there would be no problem using my card, and I only needed to notify them if it was a credit card. Surprising.. but if they say so, then I won’t worry about it. This will be important later…

I headed home from work tonight, dreading having to try to dig out the driveway so I could get into it.. but had no choice. I had called a few companies today and they were all so busy plowing other people’s driveways that it would be tomorrow afternoon before they could get to me. No matter.. I got out this morning..although the snow was almost shin deep this morning, the tracks I left shouldn’t be covered up yet and maybe, with a little effort and keeping the wheels in those tracks, I would get in tonight. One look at my house, as I drove down the road, and I knew that wasn’t going to happen.

The tracks were still there, sort of, but had been filled in by another foot of snow.. that may not have caused a problem, but the 4 foot pile of snow, at the end of the drive, was going to be an issue. Ever wonder WHY the snow plows come down the street and pile up the snow at the end of everyone’s driveway? Really.. how do they expect us to get in? There was so much snow on the sides of the road that it would be difficult for two cars to go down the street at the same time. Hmm.. what to do with my car? Can’t leave it on the street.. can’t get into the driveway. Had no choice but to park as close to the side of the road as I could.. and hope no one hit it while I was trying to clear enough snow to get the car off the street.

Walking up to my house was an adventure.. knee high snow, and a pair of 40 year old legs trying to get through it. Won’t need to do my yoga tonight! This was already a workout and it was just beginning.

Got to the house, bundled myself up to the point that I think I looked like the stay puff marshmellow man, grabbed the shovel and headed for the end of the driveway. It’s still snowing, coming down pretty darn hard and heavy, the wind is really blowing and it’s dark out. As I’m clearing the 4 foot pile of snow.. here comes the snow plow again. What the heck? The street’s already clear? There’s not enough room for your plow and my car… but he whizzes right by anyway, barely missing the car, and pushing even more snow toward the end of my driveway. I won’t repeat the expletives that came out of my mouth, as my Uncle Dan will probably read this post to my grandmother.. and I wouldn’t want to ruin her image of her dear, sweet Jenny 🙂

If anyone had been in hearing distance they would have heard me muttering things like “What is this load of #%^$ ? I’m supposed to live 15 miles OUTSIDE the snowbelt!”, or “We get a foot more snow than Cedar Point and Dorney and they closed THEM down today? But no… we had to go to work.” or perhaps “Yeah.. I don’t need a fricken husband to take care of this kind of stuff. Just a snow plow.. or maybe a couple of children, so I could make THEM do it.”

After an hour and a half I was soaking wet and frozen solid, but I cleared enough of a path to get my car into the garage. It took 4 attempts, gunning the gas pedal, rocking the car back and forth when it got stuck.. and driving around the block to gain speed ( and silently telling the people who managed to get a snow plow to do thier’s that they really suck).. but I finally got it into the garage. Getting out in the morning will probably, again, be a different story but we shall see.

As I put away the shovel, I look toward the end of my driveway and see my mailbox. Hmm.. been awfully busy since last week. I don’t remember getting my mail. I’d better do that. Tons of mail. That’s what I get for not emptying it in close to 7 days.

Sort through the junk, open a few things and then see a letter from my bank. Hmm..What’s this?

Dear Ms. Andree… blah, blah, blah… debit card reported as possible fraudulant charges.. blah, blah, blah.. new card and pin being issued..blah, blah, blah.. current card no longer valid after February 21st.. new card and pin should arrive by that time. Automatic bill payments need to be changed to new number.. blah, blah, blah.. payments not accepted on old card after February 21st..blah, blah, blah.. This is one of our continuing means to ensure our customers are not victims of identity theft.. blah, blah, blah…

WHAT????!!! I leave for Michigan in two days. I leave for Paris and London in four days. I’ve already set up all my bills for payment on their due dates AFTER February 21st. What the ##&^%#%&^@%&^#%&@^%$&#^.

So, I call the handy, little toll free customer service number ( must be in california.. because I can usually get a real person up until 9:00pm). Turns out there were some unusual charges, last month, in Bulgaria and they were not able to confirm I was overseas. Teena wasn’t staying at my house this time. She had to go and be selfish..and move to Florida 🙂 “Ms. Andree.. you really should notify us if you are going overseas.. blah, blah, blah.”

Bottom line.. I have to go the bank, tommorrow, to see if they can give me a rush on the card and pin. Then… instead of packing, finishing the boat load of work I need to do around the house, finishing stuff in my office, etc. I have to spend a large amount of time trying to change the banking information for the bills I’ve already scheduled payments for. If I can’t do that.. then I have to spend even more time calling these places and explaining what happened and if the payment doesn’t go through don’t reposses the car, turn off the gas, shut down my cable, etc…. and I darn well better hope they can get me a rush on that card, otherwise no access to money in Europe ( or withdrawing everything before I leave and carrying cash around.. another hint to travelers: a lot of places will not accept travelers checks. Don’t waste time and money on them.. especially if you are going to Eastern Europe.)

Oh.. and I had better make sure the bank knows I’m going to France and England.. even though they are going to tell me I don’t need to notify them if it’s a debit card.

As I’m sitting here, typing this, the snow plow just went by again…. I swear, I’m going to find where that guy lives and put all that snow at the end of his driveway.

OK… OK.. I’ll just keep thinking of my valentine up in Michigan, and her wonderful phone call, and maybe I won’t go out and throttle the snow plow guy..

Jenn