Well, Diane and I were the victims of a credit card fraud scam.
As you probably read on the front page, we aren’t alone. And I understand even Sheriff Joe Arpaio was a victim also.
We received a phone call from Chase Bank fraud division on Sunday night, Feb. 3. Diane answered the phone and the person asked her if she had been out of town over the weekend, and if so, did we make any purchases.
She told him we were home all weekend and questioned why he was asking.
The man replied that one of our credit cards had been used at a Walmart in California. There were two purchases made, one for over $200, the other for $80 plus.
He said an actual card was used and we wondered how that could happen since both of our credit cards with that number were still in our possession.
He said the people obtain a card number, then they make a card with another name that is usually tied to a fake ID with the person’s picture on it.
There are numerous ways to obtain an individual’s credit card number, he said.
But he assured us that the charges would be subtracted from our account and we would be issued new cards. They were delivered two days later.
He advised us to check the activity periodically on our credit and debit card accounts, checking to see if there are any charges we did not make.
Then I heard from reporter Bob Burns that Bashas’ had been the target of a highly–sophisticated cyber-attack on their corporate computer system.
He told me that I was one of many reports of credit card fraud in Fountain Hills and it probably had been at Bashas’ where they got my card number.
I at first told him that was impossible since I only use my debit card for grocery purchases.
Then I checked the activity on the account and found that Diane had used that credit card for purchases at Bashas’ twice in November and three times in December.
She used the card, which was a “rewards card,” to get points toward future travel purchases.
Bashas’ announced that they have identified the source of the problem and taken steps to prevent future breaches of their system.
Incidentally, check out the information in this week’s edition about a Feb. 19 meeting on fraud prevention to be presented by the Sheriff’s Office. There is also an article on tips to prevent credit card fraud.
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Diane and I had fun at a “Remember the Stein” party Saturday night at the FireRock home of Dick and Marlys Bedlington.
For you newcomers, the Silver Stein was a popular bar and restaurant located on Enterprise Drive for many years, and for 28 of them, it was owned and operated by Rose Barringer.
Rose was there Saturday night and welcomed all the guests. Karaoke deejays Kim and Debbie supplied the music for the evening just like old times.
Rose ordered the meat from the same supplier she used for the patties on the famous half-pound Stein burger. All the condi- ments were there as well as fries, cole slaw and potato salad.
With Maggie LaVoie singing “Elvira,” Carol Long belting out “I be Strokin’” and Dick Sear and Mike Nabers collaborating on “Bird Dog” it all added up to a great night of memories.
