Suspicious Activity

I just had my credit card frozen again. Lately it happens about every other time I try to use it. Later today I'll have to get on the phone, dance around the different menus, and hope to eventually get a real person who can deal with this.

The credit card isn't used all that much, but it sure is annoying to not have it when I want to use it. Just found out why I couldn't get a car part I ordered. The card was denied. The company tried to e-mail me, but apparently that e-mail was killed by my spam filter. Isn't it nice how all these automatic systems protect me? Hope to complete the sale on the phone in a few hours.

This has happened to me for years. Apparently my life is too random for the credit card computer programs. The first time it happened to me, I had driven nonstop from Florida to New Hampshire. To save time, every time I gassed up the car, it was at the pump using a credit card. Card was frozen the next day.

A couple months back I bought a bunch of computer parts on-line. Never bought computer parts before, so I guess that's why it got flagged. What's the matter? I can't suddenly decide to repair my own computers. (the repairs worked, by the way)

This most recent freeze was after I subscribed to the newsletter at http://urbansurvival.com/. That makes me suspicious. The guy over at http://cryptogon.com/ has his card suspended when he gave $20 to Wikileaks. I can't but help wonder if there is something suspicious going on with the banks. Are they flagging companies and organizations they don't like?

On a day to day basis I use cash. That probably is considered a suspicious activity these days. Since I prefer cash, I deal local whenever I can. However, since I do live way the heck out in the woods, I order stuff on-line once in a while. For that I use a card.

I'll have to look and see if something like a prepaid credit card might solve my frozen account problems.

When I travel the card is for emergencies. While driving down to Florida to be with my dying mother, the transmission in my vehicle blew. Used a card to rent a car to continue my journey, then again to pay for a transmission. Good thing it wasn't frozen then as I had enough things to worry about.

Of course, I expect the banks to completely shut down one of these days, but that's the subject of a future post.

-Sixbears