you bastard

Well, I certainly now know how Karen feels! I went to check my credit card account online this morning like I regularly do, and I saw a $600+ charge made to my card that was definitely not me. I immediately called the Citicard fraud department and was told that that wasn't the only problem: someone has my number and has been making crazy purchases all over the internet! $100 here, $200 there, etc. UGH. I hate people so damn much. Luckily I've gotten over the feeling that I've been specifically targeted - it's not like someone knew who I was and grabbed something of mine, knowing I was a sucker - but, still. It's a shitty feeling. I just hope Citicards can figure out which were my charges and which weren't...or however they go about doing all that. The last thing I need to do is shell out several hundred dollars when I can't even afford my own living expenses!

Another thing I seriously do NOT need is my credit card being shut down & mailed to me AGAIN: I just spent the last month trying to get them to mail my card upgrade to the right place. They finally managed it last week...and now, here I am, back at square one, with no card. And probably carrying a balance now while I pay bills out of my bank account and can't charge anything to my card. God, I hate this shit. I guess it's better for me to learn how to live without a credit card, but it's not like I was spending beyond my means...I just liked being able to accrue points and kind of be able to pay for everything all at once, with my end-of-the-month paycheck. Gah.

Well, at least I don't have to worry anymore about the fact that my credit card was printed with an expiration date of Halloween...yes, of this year! I thought I was going to have to call and go through another month of hell just trying to get that card updated. Now, I still have to worry about getting my card mailed to the right place, but at least this time it's also hopefully cutting off some asshole who is buying him- or herself lots of fun presents and charging ME for it. Ugh. I don't even know what you could BUY at Sprint for $600 all at one pop! Unless it was like 8 cell phones at once. Which, doesn't that look kind of suspicious...?

Arg, I hate this feeling. Maybe I just need to go without a credit card for good. What pisses me off the most is that I check my online account every day, but these charges started on September 14, and this was the first day I saw them come through. So basically I've been victimized for several days, and was blissfully unaware. I wish my credit card company could do something like my bank does, and display both pending and cleared charges. That way, maybe I could have seen the bastard earlier!

It still makes for a shitty day. :( And another stressful month worrying about money, good stuff. Thanks so much, you jerk.