Jun
Pay Heed or Pay Up!
Yesterday, I took the trek to the post office. Surprise, surprise! There was a package waiting for me. It was an order of my books that were being returned. This rarely happens. I think the last time was when we were on Staten Island, back around 1995.
The latest return? In a letter written on looseleaf paper, the customer claims that her son ordered the books, and that he is actually in a group home and is not supposed to use her credit card. She added that she wanted to resolve it “quickly and quietly”, and that she did not want to press criminal charges against her son. That sounds rather strange. The woman insisted that she wanted the refund returned as a check, or to have it refunded to a credit card. She actually included her credit card info in the letter, right down to the security code.
I merely refunded via Paypal. That would send it to the credit card on which it was paid. I also deducted the money I paid for postage and packing. Frankly, it seems like there is something hinky going on. I do not buy her story.
If the woman is telling the truth, this whole thing would never have happened had she safeguarded her credit card and credit information. That she was careless is evident by the way she sent me her credit card information in the letter. That she even sent it to me in the first place is either screwy or just plain stupid. I would be a fool to send her my check. If her son is sneaky enough to get her credit card info, imagine what he can do with someone’s check number. Since the address to which he had the package sent was the same claimed by the mother, I can only guess. For instance, he might have planned to intercept the mail while his mother was out. Whatever the reason, all of this could have been avoided and future episodes could be prevented if she protected her information.
As you may have surmised, I saw in this incident a lesson for us all. Protect your identity. Be careful how, when, and to whom you submit credit card information. If any visitors to your house are of questionable character, be extra careful. Keep sensitive materials in a place where a snoop does not have access. A good lockbox is enough to deter a snooping relative or acquaintance. It might be an uncle with a gambling problem, a cousin who is mentally ill or a sibling whose addiction has led to kleptomania. The responsibility for safeguarding your information is yours. Having a wackadoodle relative with a penchant for petty theft is all the more reason to safeguard your credit card info, check numbers and other sensitive information.
I put the returned books back into inventory, mailed a reply to the customer, and went back to work. The person who sent that letter was either deceptive, naive, or both. Either way, it is a good reminder to us all that our security is our responsibility. Let us all be a little more careful.
