LA, CA Q, C & EE, Episode XI: "The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together."

Sure, like the Skywalker boys. We get it.

 

I feel for JR. Andy is hard to deal with.

 

I'm sick, and so is half of my office. I got sick during our meeting on Saturday. Weird.

 

I found a site where you can create your owl seal.
here's one we can use over and over again:
[image=http://lafanforce.com/Gallery/albums/album58/1Hasketted.jpg]

 

That's awesome! It looks so official.
CBM is no longer blue? Have you been demoted?

 

Yes, lack of spunk.

I'm just to busy to dedicate as much time as is necessary to the job.

 

So, are ya gonna share the name/address of the website?? It sounds really cool!

 

www.says-it.com/seal

that would work. There's a lot of options, so take you time.

 

CBM, I went to that site you mentioned to me today. My coworker who I will now refer to from here on out as HR (his initials) we have the same last name even, watched a video of vegetables reinacting Oedipus. It was interesting to say the least.

 

Ooh, I can think of several I'd like!

 

Sometimes SPAM is too funny: I just got an email from "Laverne Polyhedron!"

 

Veggie-Tales?

 

Just wanted to say that I had fun times hanging out with JediNoc last night. I met her at a famous St. Paul landmark and we went out for a bit after. Yea, a taste of LAFF in MN! Hope you have a good rest-of-your-trip, JN!

Anyway, "hi" to everyone, love ya, miss ya, all that stuff.

 

I heard there were some fun stories to tell. Like the time JN danced on the table. You didn't mention that one.

 

It was SO COOL to see you, ES! THANKS for driving all over to pick me up and take me places, I had fun!

(So what if I did dance on the table, SR?! There is no proof. I did get picked up on by a younger guy--- the truth I speak.)

 

Okay so Monday when I got home from work there was a message from my bank waiting. When I returned the call I was informed that someone had gotten hold of my ATM # and was charging up thousands across the nation! They put a stop on the card, and Tuesday morning I went in to my branch to file a fraud claim. Since then, though, the "red" just keeps getting worse and worse, and the real annoyance is that the bank has been honoring the fraudulent charges, but has returned actual, legitimate checks and charges!!!! Yesterday, a bank employee actually told me "good luck." Grrr...

The crooks have gotten away with thousands, and it could be weeks until the money's back. I have $20 on me, and a credit card; luckily, BeSo and I keep separate accounts.

The bank worker told me that one should only use ones ATM card as a credit card (with a signature) -- never with a pin or zip --as this kind of fraud is reeeeaaaaaaly picking up! So I'm sharing this story as a warning!

[/sadder but wiser]

 

JB, I'm really feel for your problems. I had my purse stolen with everything in it about 5 years ago & the customer service people at my bank's HQ made things worse. One of the local managers helped straighten things out, though. I was "airplane crash lucky." (Are you lucky if you escape an airplane crash unhurt? If you're really lucky you won't be in an airplane crash at all, right?)

So, anyhow, my boss came across the following, which might be helpful to people. I picked up some tidbits from it:

A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company.

1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook, they will not k now if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.

2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "PHOTO ID REQUIRED".

3 When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.

4. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a P.O. Box, use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a P.O. Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks.(DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.

5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport when travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.

Unfortunately I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more. But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:

1. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.

2. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one) .

But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do this.)

3. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away. This weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.

Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, etc., has been stolen:

1. ) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

2. ) Experian (fo

 

That is such a bummer, JB! Sorry you have to deal with that. It seems to happen quite frequently here around USC, with all the students and everything. Definitely not fun.

 

Those are good tips; I use quite a few of them already! I'm a very cautious person -- I bought a shredder loooong before they were readily available. What's sad it that I pretty much only use my ATM card for cash at trusted ATMs (the actual bank or here at work), or to get gas. I get gas at the station on the corner from me. Guess where the first fraudulent charge was? From now on I pay cash there...even though it's a drag to go inside and stand in line. Grrrr!

 

You go on with your bad self JN! Did JN get her groove back?

 

You so seriously better not be implying that I ever LOST my groove!

 

Re: my bank situation --

It's been 2 and 1/2 weeks. I've been in to see management at my bank twice, and I've called and spoken to around 7 or 8 differing CSRs. I've never ONCE gotten a straight answer. Every single time I've had to tell the story from the beginning, and submit a new claim. Wednesday was the last straw...a rep told me I'd faxed my claim to a number that "didn't exist," when the guy I'd faxed it to had supposedly waited to see it arrive, and told me he had it in his hand. Then she told me that my investigation would take until December 14. What investigation? December???? Am I supposed to somehow have been in Culver City and Texas, Missouri, and Alabama simultaneously??????

At that moment, I realized they were scamming me as much as the original thieves had, and insisted on speaking with a supervisor. The supervisor wanted me to fax my claim again. I said no, and told her they ought to have enough copies on hand already! The supervisor then pulled up my account and asked me to tell her which were the fraudulent charges. Again.

Then she said she'd call me Friday. I said no. I told her I'd been more than patient, I was tired of being lied to, and I wanted my money put back. NOW! I didn't yell, but I was pretty icey.

She put me on hold for a really long time, then said that my account would be credited today (Thursday). I was pretty sure she was lying, but I was planning to check all the way until 5. If the money didn't show, the next call would be to my attorney.

This has me so steamed!!!

Plus, broke (I'm on direct-deposit -- so my paychecks have been going into the black hole that is that account).

This is Washington Mutual just so you all know. As soon as I get my money I'm SSOOOOOOOOO no longer a customer.

Aaaaaaaand guess what. The money didn't show. Not even by 10pm. The "supervisor" was lying. So, I googled (on a lark) "Washington Mutual sucks" and WOW I'm not alone. Apparently they are known as "the bank from hell." At this point I've lost a month's pay to them and I will never go back. My attorney will handle them from here on out. I'm telling everyone I know to pull their money from this company. The words "criminal negligence" come to mind. I've kissed that money goodbye just so I can sleep, but I'm happy to keep fighting the lying and incompetence. Tomorrow I start taking names because I can't sue a big company...but I can get the people who make their living ruining ordinary people's lives and I'll pass those names along to my counsel.

Crooks robbed me first...WaMu robbed me second. Lesson learned. Warning posted to my friends. Sorry to be so long, but this is a really seriously bad thing that has happened to me...and that I've learned has happened to many MANY others who bank with this company. I wish I'd known.

 

That's a shame, JB. Nothing worse than troubles with your money.

For what it's worth, I've never banked anywhere except the BoA, and so for forty six years have never had a problem with them. My sister was a bank officer so if I ever had any questions I asked her . I know others who say they don't like the Bank of America, but my experience has always been different.

Edited to say wow, JN, that's too bad about your boss. See, you just never know. My family's never had any trouble, but you hear these horror stories and you think how lucky you are.

My company banks with CitiBank. Far as I know they've never had any trouble. We use the branch on Lake in Pasadena.

 

Thanks for the warning, JB, and I'm sooo sorry you've had this experience. The money issue is bad enough but the rest of it is just insane. Rotten Big Business companies that have no responsibility!

If you find a bank you actually feel comfortable with, please share as I'd love to switch too. I'm currently with Citi by default as they bought every other bank I had. I'd use our credit union but their only real location is in COMPTON.

Here are the two baddies I know about:

B of A: My boss is currently suing them over identity theft. She was patient up until July when the bank refused to cooperate with the police in TX where her 'other self' supposedly lives. The theft happened because a B of A employee had a laptop stolen. What her data, and that of thousands of others, was doing on a laptop outside the bank, nobody will say.

Wells Fargo: My Home Owners Assoc. almost sued them and I was leading the march. They had our reserve account for YEARS and wouldn't acknowledge the money was there. They cut a check to someone who USED to live here and washed their hands of it. Nevermind that the check was never cashed. It took eight months, three sets of legal docs. and a lot of personal visits for me to get the money.

ARRGGH, they all suck! I should just buy a pitbull and put my money under my mattress.

 

I had Wamu, and they bit me in the a$$. I went to a credit union and never looked back. I got an awesome rate on my car refi and the environment is so much simpler and less crowded. I say go credit union if you can.