I sat down at my computer a few weeks ago to check my online banking account, just like I do every other day. I was hoping I had some extra spending money to go out with that evening, but I was surprised to see my account was in the negative. I saw several charges – some of which were pending – from newegg.com, a site I had never actually used before. I immediately called my bank, who took off the pending charges right away and cancelled my accounts. They told me I was the victim of debit card fraud, and they would work to refund the rest of my money and give me new account information.
I was completely shocked. I went through the whole ‘How could this happen to me?’ moment. Luckily, it could have been worse; I could have had my identity stolen. Whoever got my card information did not actually get ahold of my billing address, which is what saved me from losing more money than I did. But still, I’m being forced to reevaluate where I use my personal information and debit card.
It’s scary to think about how I almost became one of the statistics on this infographic. Unfortunately, the United States is a fraud-friendly country because our cards still use the outdated magnetic strip on the back, as opposed to a microchip inside. And until the day comes that we finally make the switch, my advice for you is to be careful and check your accounts often. Trust me when I say that it can happen to anyone. [via]
