The
other day I noticed an unfamiliar charge on my card. I monitor my account
closely, so I spotted it while it was still pending. I called the bank,
thinking this could be a benign mistake. They put the transaction in the ‘to be
investigated’ virtual pile.
Two
days later an even larger charge from the same purveyor (the bank was unable to
get any information on them) appeared. Now the bank and I were clear this was
fraud, and that my charge account had been compromised. The account was closed
immediately, and now it’s in the hands of the Fraud Department.
That
same day the ants appeared. They make their yearly appearance when the rainy
season starts, forming a dense parade route somewhere in our bathroom or
kitchen. The rains started late this year, so the ants came late also. Over the
years I have tried many gentle ways to persuade them to take their business
outside. I tried pouring cinnamon in their path, on the advice of an animal
activist. I tried the sort of ant traps that supposedly only make them uneasy,
and I tried wiping a hundred times a minute. I even tried talking to them.
Nothing worked.
But
the solution did appear in the form of those traps that make the ants come in,
take the sticky sweet food on their backs to the nest, and this kills the whole
nest. It takes about a day to work, but it does, every time. We don’t see each
other until the next rainy season at least.
A
day later the ants are gone from our bathroom, but the charges on my card are
still pending. I trust that I will not have to pay them, and because I acted
quickly, even the bank will not be out. But the creeps deserve no less than the
creepy crawlers got.
So
I had this amazing idea. What if instead of just closing their account with a
slap on the wrist, the bank gave them money, even more money, sweet and sticky
money that was marked as loot from a deadly robbery? Then, once in their
possession, they will be arrested for the worst kind of crime, put away, and
the key thrown in the ocean.
All
right. I’m fantasizing. But it does me good at the moment. It’ll be a much more
just world if innocent ants get to live free (but not at our homes) and creepy
thieves get their nests poisoned.
Wishing
all good folks none of the above.
8 comments:
Oh, how awful, Mirka. I once had my number stolen and someone from the credit card called me to check whether I'd made a particular purchase. I hadn't (it was music and at the time I didn't have an mp3 player or anything like it). It was a small amount of just $1 but that call saved me from a bigger fraud. We closed the acct. immediately.
I think ants are fascinating.
Ack! I've tried all of those things for ants too, (well except talking to them.) They sure are pesky little things.
Glad you caught on to the fraud in good time. It is so maddening though. Happened to me not too long ago, but the bank actually noticed the unusual charge before I was aware of it. It's nice to know they are diligent.
I like that idea, Mirka!
Identity thefts make me so mad! You're very smart to check your statement so often. I need to be better about that.
I like that idea. Much. Sticky, icky money. They'd be caught in their own trap!
(Hope all gets worked out soon!)
Oh, Mirka, I hope this is all over with quickly with no harm done. Identity theft is a despicable crime.
I'm glad you figured out what was going on with your account and closed it. That can be very scary--as can ants!
That's good you immediately figured out!!
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