An oncoming train of bad news derailed and hit me in the gut last Friday. Minutes before my 830 workday officially started, I opened a credit card statement of account that delivered the blow. Another fraudulent transaction listed under my name, another bill that I had to dispute. Prior to this unfortunate incident, the purchase of two other plane tickets were already charged to me, which were reversed as stated on the same credit card bill. Convenience of credit card use sometimes include hidden charges. In this case, the hassle of clearing your name and proving to a credit card company that no, you did not fly to Singapore last month. No, you did not buy any tickets from the budget Asian airline company.
I’ve had enough. My firm request that my credit card be canceled was met by a standard customer service reply: “Ma’am, how about we cancel your annual fee and you may just continue using your card?” But my mind was made up. “No, I don’t want to get into the trouble of contesting another fraudulent transaction next month.”
But something more catastrophic disturbed me later in the day. In the afternoon, after I momentarily left the conference room where we were having our FGD training, four missed calls registered on my phone, all from my brother-in-law Rege. He turned to me because he was trying to get in touch with my sister, afraid that she might have been a victim of the Glorietta blast. What blast? It took several more texts from friends for me to realize the full gravity of situation. National safety is threatened again, and innocent mall-goers and workers had to pay the terrible price.
The PNP chief urged the public to go on their lives as if nothing happened. I find that advice hard to take. Now, you don’t need to be caught in the crossfire between the Abu Sayyaf and the military in Basilan for your life to be endangered. You might as well be having a nice, quiet lunch in a relatively upscale Makati mall and face the same odds of losing your life or limb.
We live in very dangerous times. But this is still no reason for us to lose hope. The ending has been written even if the scene is yet to be played. Good will triumph over Evil. Somebody already paid the price to guarantee the victory.
Filed under: Current Events, Daily Life
if they won’t cancel your card, tell them to send you a new one with a different card number. hopefully, that would detract further fraudulent charges to your card.
my brother-in-law received an urgent call from a credit card company asking where he was at that moment. when he asked why, the person on the other line said someone in another city was trying to to use his credit card at that moment and the price of the purchase is beyond his credit limit! and this is not the first time it happened to him. he was billed for some purchases he did not make. my suggestion, ms. beng, cancel it. even if they offer you a free trip to boracay. and if your history of payment is consistent, one thing is for sure: after it’s cancelled, you’ll find a pre-approved credit card from another company in your mailbox. no required documents to submit, just call the hotline, say you want it and answer some questions. the next day you can use the new credit card. it’s another trap; your profile in the old card has been sold to another card company. it happened to us.
as for glorietta explosion, it was another bloody coverage for us. it was really sad day, i could not not describe how i felt each time the office receive the updates on casualties:-(
Ay, that’s one of the bane of having that darn plastic inside your wallet. Identity theft is one reason why I stopped purchasing books online at Amazon.com.
As for the Glorietta blast, it’s scary to think that one’s life can be snuffed out in an instant, while having lunch or drinking coffee…
If barter trade would be “uso” again, i would go for it. Modernity has its downslide. There is a saying that goes “governments are made for angels” or something like that. I loosely translate it as anything that involves trust and straightforwardness can only be handled by people who have it ingrained in them. Sophistication and high degree of education does not necessarily fit in the equation. Credit cards mean that you have to be always in the credit range (ha-ha!). My friends in the States would often refer to it as their rites of passage to the world of mendicancy.
The Glorietta bombing is very controversial indeed. I have my own suspicion about it but then that is really not important. What is important is that the results of the investigation will sound credible to everyone. And bring justice to the lost lives and dreams. Just imagine about how the wars far away from our sense of reality has done much havoc as well to a lot of people like us!
Hi Swipe, hay naku. Alam mo they gave me a new card already, with just the last two digits changed. Still, I got this fraudulent charge (And to think that I haven’t even used the new card yet). Kaawa rin naman ang credit card company kasi “nabiktima” rin sila. Thanks for the tip, tho.
Hi Gina, really, that happened to your bro-in-kaw? But the company had enough sense to call him no? As for new cards from other companies being offered, yes, I experience that too. Even if new credit card companies send me cards, I don’t use it.
Yeah, it was a tragedy last Friday. Now, they’re looking at the accident angle. If that were true, at least we wouldn’t have to be too paranoid thinking that a group is really responsible for these acts of violence.
Hi Singlguy, agree, the “hidden charges” of credit card. It has its pros and cons. It’s just that lately, I’m experiencing more of the cons. I also would order from Amazon before too. But not anymore. Hope you’re well.
Kelan tayo ulit kakain sa Dencio’s with the rest of the bloggers?
Hi Ate Bernadete, interesting that you suggested the barter system. I wonder if that would be viable during this present time. It was so simpler then: a bag of salt for your chicken.
As for the credit card, your friends pretty much summed it up as a rite of passage ha, to the world of mendicancy nga lang. haha.
As for the Glorietta incident, I’m wishing that the investigators will really confirm that it’s just an accident. That doesn’t minimize the pain of those who’ve lost their loved ones but maybe it’ll make them less angry? I’m assuming here.
Sorry for not inserting spaces between the comments.
Kalito siguro ito basahin.
Sorry Swipe, Gina, Singlguy and Ate Bernadette. Bagong lay-out eh, naninibago pa.
that’s why i don’t own a credit card. nakikiswipe na lang ako sa bro ko. =)
you know, sometimes i can’t wait for the second coming to happen…
Hi Carlotta, haha, I hope your brother’s credit card doesn’t give him any trouble.
Yeah, thoughts of heaven and the second coming are more than enough to keep us hoping. Every bad thing, every misery, every sadness–will soon pass.
Hehe, just say the word, Beng. Just thinking about those creamy brownies is making my heart go a-thumping *wink wink*
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But instead of Dencio’s try natin yung eat-all-you-can in that Chinese resto in Binondo where Alan and I had lunch a while back. I even blogged about it…
Hi Snglguy, yeah, I’ll make sure I’ll bring brownies when we see each other again. You’re a bit of a food critic pala so I feel so honored that you think fondly of my pastry.
When can we eat kaya at this Chinese resto you’ve blogged about? I saw your entry. Mura nga siya ha!
Ah, you’ll have ask Alan kung kailan siya free. And I’m sure Verns and Carlotta would love to join too…