Identity Theft is NOT a Joke!

There I was sitting in my office diligently working on a project when I received a phone call from US Bank. "This message is to verify some recent purchases you made on your credit card." Uh oh. How many Coach purses did someone try to buy on my card? "$200 at Gymboree, Florida. $16.50, Target, West Hartford. $4.13, Stop and Shop, West Hartford. Press 2 if you did not authorize these purchases." TWO. I was thus transferred to a very cheery customer service representative from US Bank named Darlene. "Hello, Jessica. Did you authorize any of these purchases?" "Yeah, ummm I do not shop at Gymboree, and in fact have no reason to be spending my money at Gymboree as I am childless." Turns out that someone had tried to purchase a $200 gift card in Florida on my card. I'm sorry, but if you are going to steal money from someone and spend it somewhere, wouldn't you make your way to the nearest Wal Mart and clean out their electronics department--I think the Black Market has really good turn around these days. But Gymboree? That's so...boring. I'd like to think I'd get a little more creative with my purchases. I think I'd buy an espresso maker. Or maybe a new I Pad. The world is at your finger tips...at least until you get caught. I thanked Darlene that US Bank had provided me with such excellent fraud protection, and that I was indeed proud to be a US Bank customer, and that Darlene, with her very cheerful and sunshine-y disposition had made bank fraud quite enjoyable and may I please speak with her supervisor so that I could inform him or her of what fantastic customer service I had received. So thanks US Bank for stopping fraudulent criminals dead in their tracks!!!