posted on November 8, 2000 07:57:24 AM
are My Standards Futile???...
I need some opinions, please.
Last week I lost my checking account debit card at a gas station, one of those with my picture on it and my signiture embossed on the front...
never lost one before, not sure if I dropped it or if it was lifted right out of my hands at the counter...figured it out after banking hours and wasn't able to report it or block it through my bank until 7:00am Friday morning.
Today's postings are showing that someone indeed found the card and used it...wiped our account out in one evening of shopping. They got it just at the most opportune time, when all the payments made the week before hadn't been posted and my husband's paycheck was being posted.
I'm actually feeling a little shocked...though the rest of my family isn't the slightest bit surprised. I know this happens, I'm not totally naive...I just wonder why my odds on someone honest finding the card are higher than the rest of my family's odds. They're all guessing that at least 60% of the people that could have found the card would have taken it and spent all our money and maybe only 40% would have returned the card...
What do you think? Has something like this ever happened to you? Have you ever found a card, what did you do? Does need or desire outweigh ethics? Are you honest?
I hear so many things on these message boards about dishonest sellers...do they out number the honest ones?
I really believe what goes around comes around one day...I've lived long enough to have learned that, even if it takes many years to come back around...and I plan on remaining honest and ethical...but my family practically thinks I'm a dinasour to actually expect it from others...do we get what we expect? Or can we expect better? Will it matter?
posted on November 8, 2000 08:11:05 AM
virakech...Ouch!...Sorry for your misfortune!!!....
In response to your question...regardless of how desperate I was for $$, I would NEVER take advantage of a situtation like yours...I also believe strongly in teaching my children the same thing...Ditto for 99.9% of my friends/family...
I am not naive in thinking that most people are good, however, I choose to think that way, only because thinking the alternative would depress me to the point where I would find it tough to deal with anyone!
In short, I know the way I choose to live my life, may be the minority & may cost me at some junctures, but I wouldn't have it any other way!.
posted on November 8, 2000 08:52:29 AM
I also chose to believe that the majority of people would do the right thing in this situation, although it doesn't surprise me that this happens.
Twice, I have walked up to an ATM and found money sticking out. Both times I took the money into the bank to return it, and both times the teller looked at me like I was crazy. I felt like a real chump.
A low expectation of morality feeds itself. We have to keep these standards, even if they sometimes feel futile.
posted on November 8, 2000 02:03:32 PM
thanks for the opinions. I'm feeling better, my husband is on a quest, and
things are getting interesting...
this person purchased from Curcuit City: 99.00 cable for car audio and 2 CDs
from CVS pharmacy: vaccuum bags, bug spray, bug bombs, razors, camera, cigarettes and a long long list of items.
we're still waiting to hear from Kohls dept. store with a list.
and the bank is going to investigate and it looks like Curcuit City has a video picture of the person they can give the bank.
well, the police are on their way over to make a report so I've gotta go...
posted on November 8, 2000 02:25:36 PM
I have returned everything I ever found, including a $300.00 gold bracelet. Well, OK, I didn't know it was gold, and it sure looked like no more than a 17.00 bracelet, but I still returned it.
I lost my wallet and it was returned, just minus the money. I was glad to have it back, and figured the finder took a "finders fee".
On the other hand, I have been burgled several times, in different states. This last one cost us a couple thousand. I couldn't sleep right for months after, and would sneak around at night, jumping at shadows. I think I'm over it now.
I'm sorry you got hit virakech, and I hope some positive Karma comes your way soon.
posted on November 8, 2000 02:41:23 PM
That's just awful...I'm so sorry. But, take heart...not everyone is like that.
I left a purse with over $4000.00 in cash in a Portajohn at Brimfield. It was returned to the office...everything there. All the guy would take as a reward was a sixpack of beer...and that was under protest. Believe that? Restores hope...
posted on November 8, 2000 02:44:07 PM
My husband had the same thing happen to him a few months ago. The kid at a convience store/gas station "forgot" to give it back to him. Ran up $900 in charges on the Visa debit card. Took months to fix the mess. Wouldn't have been so angry if he maybe used it to buy food or medicine. But, went to a pawn shop, wal-mart. Had himself a good old spending spree. I know have CID (check identification) written on the back of mine. But, you would be amazed at the number of cashiers that do not even look at the back, until I remind them they need to check my I.D.
posted on November 8, 2000 06:01:06 PM
virakech, so sorry to hear about your misfortune.
Beleive it or not there are still some honest people out there. Case in point, twice last year I very stupidly left my cell phone on the counter at convienence stores and both times someone brought it out to me while I was putting gas in my truck. One person was an honest looking middle aged woman but the other was a young man wearing baggy pants that were allmost falling down with his undershorts showing, a Raiders jersey and a headband, like gang colors. I was absolutely surprised and both times I thanked each one profusely.
I would never stoop so low as to take and use someone elses debit card illegaly and I hope the police catch the person that did this to you.
posted on November 8, 2000 06:40:49 PM
I'm curious-if the card had your pic on it and the thief was buying from local retail stores, didn't the clerks even bother to LOOK at the photo? Didn't it occur to them that the photo and the person buying might not look the same?
I hope everything gets cleared up for you.
Makes me want to go put ours on a chain or something...
posted on November 8, 2000 07:15:56 PM
Virakech, I'm sorry to hear about your experience.
About four years ago , our new credit cards were stolen from our mailbox. The thief ran the cards up to their limit and then tried to wipe out our savings account but couldn't because it was password protected. Although we didn't have to pay anything, it was a pain in the butt to straighten out. I was most disgusted with the response from retailers ( who weren't interested in finding the person even though he was on their videotapes) and the police. The thief had rented a car using a phoney ID with my husband's name and a car fitting the description pulled up on our road and made a very unusual five point turn in front of my house. I got my binoculars,got the tag number, and called the police but nothing happened. ( I live on a road with only one other house and the guy turned right next to my driveway. I think he panicked when he realized someone was home.)Anyway, the Post Office finally figured out they were dealing with a ring that followed the mail trucks making rural deliveries.
On the bright side, my husband lost his wallet in a college parking lot and a student found it and returned it - everything intact. He,in turn, found an expired credit card last year and after not being able to locate the owner, cut it up and threw it away.
posted on November 9, 2000 03:40:15 AM
I've heard that having the photo on your card does little or nothing to protect you.
I've also heard many awful stories about debit card theft specifically. I used to have a debit card but cancelled it after hearing one too many stories of people getting their entire bank account wiped out. My advice would be, just don't use debit cards. Credit cards offer a bit more protection IMHO.
________
I never had one, and I didn't want one, and I don't, so now I do...
posted on November 9, 2000 04:24:14 AM
I've returned everything my employees or I found. I owned a bar for years and we found a lot of stuff, jackets with several hundred dollars in the pockets, expensive cameras, cell phones ect. Everyone always seemed surprised to get their stuff back. I'm not bragging, it's the way I was raised, you don't take what isn't yours. Besides, I made a lot of friends and you can't put a price on that.
posted on November 9, 2000 01:26:55 PM
I wanted to give you an update...
but, also thanks for letting me know that I was right, not everyone is dishonest. I know I plan on continuing to be. (honest that is)
here's whats happening...
we live in a mid-size town, the police stayed for a while and took lots of info. and we even talked about other things happening in the area...it was a real social event.
we drove out to the stores and most people told us we need to sign 'See I.D.' on the back of our cards but that wouldn't always help. I saw the signature the woman used to buy things and she got my last name down pat...it's short, just 4 letters so it probably wasn't hard to do (a copy of my signature is embossed on the front of my card by the bank for protection)...but the first name she was way off. It won't be hard to prove it wasn't my signature...but onto the next store
After getting a copy of the sales receipt we walked back to the area she bought something in...it was a specialty area, car stereos, and they have a camera. The guy that was there was the one that sold it to her and he remembered her and even gave a description. She's not an ethnic match to me, and my picture was on the front so there goes any thought of photo ID protection. She was also short and 'chubby' he said. I'm 5'9" and extra-petite framed, a very obvious feature in pictures. Funny ~ he said last night that "I thought something was funny about the purchase".
anyway, the really funny thing is that with all the time I'm out driving around ebay junkin', I think I know who this woman and her two young male friends are. Oh, also I'm 41 and the cashier said she was mid 20s and her two male friends were a little younger.
I wondered if they purchased important items like food. I remember being young and the hard times you can have when you're starting out. But my hubby reminds me that we went without through those times...we didn't steal from anyone, and he's right.
