I reach gaily into the envelope, but my fingers don’tquite pull out the bill.
They remain clutched around it while my mind is seized – as it is every month – by my secret dream.
Do you want to know about my secret dream?
It’s based on a story I once read in the newspaper about a mix-up at a bank. I loved this story so much, I cut it out and stuck it onto my wardrobe door.
Two credit card bills were sent to the wrong people, and – get this – each person paid the wrong bill without realizing. They paid off each other’s bills without even checla’ng them.
And ever since I read that story, my secret dream has been that the same thing will happen to me.
Some dotty old woman in Cornwall will be sent my humungous bill and will pay it without even looking at it.
And I’ll be sent her bill for three tins of cat foodat 59p each.
Which, naturally, I’ll pay without question.
Fair’s fair, after all.
A smile is plastered over my face as I gaze out of the window. I’m convinced that this month it’ll happen – my secret dream is about to come true.
From: Sophie Kinsella – Secrets of a Shopaholic
This actually happened.
Someone I met paid a bill for $3000 on his card thinking his (ex)-wife spent the cash.
Then a couple of months later, he saw ANOTHER bill for $5000+, and it was only then that he realized that his ID had been stolen because he confronted his wife about her alleged spending habits, and strange transactions to stores he didn’t understand.
But that earlier $3000? Lost.
He paid the bill without checking, which means he assumed financial responsibility for those transactions.
He didn’t spend the $3000, he just saw it on his statement and figured his wife went on some spree.
How he didn’t at least check a couple of the line items and question his wife about the validity of them, is beyond me.
Then again, I am pretty crazy about entering my expenses on a daily basis and reconciling them with my online statements using my budget & expense tracking tool.
5 fast ways to help prevent ID theft
- Check your bank statements. If not daily (I know, I’m a freak!), then monthly at the very least
- Be careful when you use your cards, anywhere you go (keep your card in sight at all times)
- Limit your online shopping — some websites can be easily hacked
- …or at least use a third-party payment like Paypal that can offer another level of protection
- Don’t save your passwords or any card numbers online — also easily hacked from your browser
You just never know when something like that could happen to you.
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year.
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I find it even more disturbing that he just assumed that his wife spent that much money without checking in with her and confirming or that it wasn’t out of the ordinary. I mean, a spending spree like that doesn’t merit a question?
I check every amount spent and verify that either PiC or I was the one to spend that money. At least an eyeball scan, those few minutes are all it costs while if I don’t, I could stand to lose a lot more.
It has been my habit to check my bill. This is one thing I learned from my parents who became victims of fraud. Besides, I know what my spending limit on my credit card is. So if I see anything dubious on my bill, I immediately contact my card company. Other people’s experience should be sufficient for us to learn our lessons.
Yikes! I’ve never been good at tracking my spending (cash anyway) like you do, but I know a rough estimate of what I’ve spent. I DO check my bills and online statements regularly though, and make sure everything lines up. Just last week, I saw a charge for over $10 from the cafeteria, from a week when I knew I hadn’t bought lunch, and hubby usually spends less than $5 when he buys lunch. Turns out, hubby just bought lunch for a coworker who forgot his wallet, but sometimes identity theft starts with a small charge to see if you’ve reported the card stolen yet.
Many years ago, my grandfather’s credit card number was stolen, and the thief bought several thousand dollars worth of stuff before my grandparents got their bill (this is before the days of internet statements). They were able to get the charges removed, but it was not easy (it might be easier now that the companies have dealt with more of these cases). So…I might be more acutely aware of the potential than some people.
Confessions of a Shopaholic was a book all too familiar to me once upon a time. I’ve gotten much better since then.
I too long for the day when someone pays off my debt. Folks can start with my student loans and I will take care of the rest. LOL. Thanks for the tips on avoiding identity theft.
Wow, that’s a scary story. I often pay the bill without checking it, since I spend roughly the same amount each month and so I know — ballpark — what the bill should be. Great reminder to check it!