Weekend Scare!

[fishmagnet]

Over the weekend while vacationing in VA Beach, the wife goes to make a purchase from walgreens with her credit/debit card, walgreens clerk advisers her that the card machine is telling her the card is invalid. So she then attempts to use another card from a different account, same thing card is invalid. My mama who is in the store with her then uses her card to make the purchase with no issues. Knowing there is money in both accounts my wife and I called our bank/credit union here in Ohio who informed us that we were not the only people having issues and that the problem has been turned into card member services and should be taken care of "within the hour". Approximately 3 hours later, before going to dinner, we decide to call the bank back and see if the issue has been taken care of. The bank then transfers us to card member services, who informs us that this is a global problem and our bank and cards are not the only ones affected and they are doing there best to resolve the problem by nights end. When we woke and went to breakfast the next morning the problem was fixed and the card was used with no issues. Luckily we prepared for a situation like this and had enough "emergency cash" to get us through our vacation if a situation like this arose. Ever since this I have found myself thinking about a conversation myself and Lunchbox had about prepping. He informed me that prepping doesnt have to only be about end of the world/armageddon type scenarios but can also be for a global financial crisis. This weekend also led me to wonder what if this issue would've lasted longer than one day or what if I wouldnt have had the emergency cash to get through this. I hope by sharing this it opens eyes like it has mine and my family's and helps us attempt to better prepare ourselves for the years to come.

[GunnerMax]

Nice to have a backup. You were in my neck of the woods. Glad you came out on top

[JustAPrepper]

Our PNC Bank Visa has been hacked at least 5 times in the past couple of years. They always call me when there are "suspicious" charges. Usually they are small charges, various "downloads" of $2 or less, I've been told it's because the hackers are testing the account. Because that's not our typical pattern it's a flag to them, they block the charges and call me for verification. Our accounts have been frozen and we've had to wait for new cards to come in the mail. The last time it was much more significant, right after we returned from Utah last October. Someone had gotten our number and bought a complete household's worth of furniture in New Mexico and went on a shopping spree at some designer clothing stores. This happened within hours of me shopping locally and purchasing groceries at Walmart and another grocery store to replenish our fridge because we had been gone for so long. My phone rang, I disputed the charges, had to sign waivers, so forth and so on and wait for new cards. We were not held accountable for any of the charges.

I also have a Credit Union Visa debit card but only in the past couple months have I started using it as I frequent Aldi more and more since they only take cash or debit. This debit is tied directly to our main accounts and I've kind of been resting easy on it since our credit union is relatively small and local. Maybe I shouldn't feel so secure at this point.

[bacpacker]

Glad things turned out OK for you on the trip. We try not to go anywhere without at least enough cash on us to get us home. We almost always have plenty of food and water with us on trips.

LB is right, even little things that happen to you can be a MAJOR SHTF, and may well not have any affect on any one else. That is one of the main reason's I prep. Job loss, illness, accident, ect are just several things that can hit you in a major way. However other than your family, no one else would have a clue.

[Gunfixr]

Glad it went well. Our bank had some issues the other week, I thought it was hacked, but they got it straight.
So I know how you feel.

You were in my neck of the woods.

[ladyhk13]

In the past year or so I have had 3 credit cards and my paypal account hacked. I am getting ready to close all but one credit card. I actually wrote to all of the credit companies today (Transunion et al) to tell them that I am worried my identity has been compromised and want to know if there is a way I can flag my social at least for the near future so that no one can get credit in my name.

[piranha2]

Cash is your friend. I have been through that crap before, several times.

[Katrina]

Justa, enjoying the new sofa? LOL I am sorry that happened.IT is scary how much technology can be manipulated.
We had our Credit Union Visa cards hijacked a couple of years ago.
Duh hubs and I got a call from CU couple of years ago due to unusual and large purchases
Seems we bought a bunch of groceries including Beluga Caviar and Champagne and ate out at a very swanky restaurant with 6 of our friends with drinks ...............in, wait for it................................................ .................................................. ITALY.
Since we know the people at the CU really well and they know we ALWAYS let them know about travel and large purchases ahead of time, they knew we were NOT in Italy but home. Turns out that the thieves figured out the first 4 numbers on a credit card is the institution that issued the card (per the Visa rep), they had machine that did random combinations of numbers till they hit a bunch that "took" (real) and went to town with them. They had to replace our credit card and ATM card and for about 500 people from the CU and this is not the first time, it's happened twice more over the last 5-10 years. SO DH regularly checks the credit reports as many times he's allowed before we have to pay for it.

[Kodiak]

My credit card has been hacked three times over the past several years and each time the disputed charges have occurred in the Columbus OH area which is a few hours away. Prob some punk cashier stealing numbers. Its scary to think about, but the more sophisticated society gets the greater the likelyhood that someone will steal your identity/account numbers online. Its a scary world we live in. Glad you got everything straightened out, Dudemag...i mean Fishmagnet. ;)

[msomnipotent]

In the past year or so I have had 3 credit cards and my paypal account hacked. I am getting ready to close all but one credit card. I actually wrote to all of the credit companies today (Transunion et al) to tell them that I am worried my identity has been compromised and want to know if there is a way I can flag my social at least for the near future so that no one can get credit in my name.

You can tell them to freeze your accounts so no one can open a new line of credit without jumping through hoops. I would also be hesitant to close any accounts because it will lower your credit rating. Even if you never plan on opening another line of credit, your home and auto insurance rates can be affected by a lower score.

I am preparing for life's little SHTF moments myself. If it ever gets to the point where I can start to prep for bigger events, then good on me. But my experience has been going without clean water and going without money, so that is what I prep for. I keep a little bit of money hidden in my purse, a little hidden in my car, and about a week's worth in the house. It isn't enough to survive on if all hell breaks loose, but it also won't break us if it gets stolen. It is just enough to get us out of a jam, and I have had to use it a few times.

[rentprop1]

Another good reason to bank with a larger name bank and not some local yokel private bank ?

[msomnipotent]

Actually, my sister and her husband have had quite a few problems with TCF bank that they are looking into a new bank. They might not be as big as the ones too big to fail, but they are everywhere in Chicago. I have been blessed with a lack of hacking (it has only happened twice), but it happens to everyone, even people using cash. My first experience being hacked was with a cord blood bank and not even a real bank. What kind of idiot hacks a cord blood bank looking for accounts?

Forgot to mention that I have a few account with international banks just in case we get stranded in Europe (it is a real possibility), and they are all being investigated now. Who knows if they will be here in their entirety (entireties?) tomorrow?

[ladyhk13]

I love our Yokal Local bank. I have never had a problem with them at all. They even pay me interest on my checking accounts. My problem is with the big co's. I have way too may credit cards with very high credit limits on each and I never use them. They all have a zero balance except one that I only use for internet purchases and my son used while in college which I pay off every month. We pay cash for everything and have no debt except for mortgages. We don't really plan on getting another mortgage once we sell this house (which will pay off the other property with plenty to spare) so to be honest I really don't care about my FICO. I just went online yesterday and cashed in my rewards points that have been sitting for years on the card that I do use(yahoo, gonna be eating out a lot and going to the movies too). All the other cards I'm going to get rid of. If I need a card for something I can always get another, they are a dime a dozen. I am going to keep the one that I have a fixed rate of 6% though, I like that one! I think that having so many cards with no balance makes them more of a target and harder for me to keep track of.

[LUNCHBOX]

Glad to see a little "Colony" advice helped you be a bit more prepared (cash on hand) on your getaway.