Usually, my posts are full of inspiring prattle of what social app to use this week. I wanted to share this with you in hopes that this will make you aware that this can happened to you. As it happened to me.
I was in Quickbooks online billing my wonderful clients and I came across one that I was sure had paid. So, I went into my bank account and the balance caught my eye....$-275.00 which was strange, as I have overdraft protection. When I clicked on my account to see, it was like all the blood had left my body...because in front of me were 15 charges from Nairobe Kenya. Total Charges over $1300.00. I still had my card in my possession. Here is the kicker under Reg E, the bank is not required to recover my funds themselves because it was taken out of my business checking account. I am fairly lucky as I bank at a small bank where I know a couple of board members and almost all of the employees...so I do have faith that they will do whatever they can to recover my funds.. They are a little horrified that this happened as well. Not the best time to be their guinea pig, but I know that they will help me if they can. This is probably the only thing I know for sure.
Some advice I would like to share to ladies (and boys) who own a business and have a business checking account.
1. Cut up your debit card attached to your business account. Right this very second. Don't be arrogant like someone at the end of this keyboard saying well, if my card got stolen I would know and report it and stop it right away. Click click click....hear that? That is the said debit card I am banging on the computer screen to remind you that I still have it in my possession.
2. Cancel your overdraft protection. Yes, a good thing to have in theory, but had I not had it...I prob would have saved myself a TON of money. There would have been nothing to drain from. Instead, the overdraft overdrafted about an additional thousand dollars to further fund these souless cusswords.
3. Choose CREDIT when pumping gas. Also, jiggle any device taking your credit card to ensure that it dosn't contain a skimming device. Can't believe I just wrote these words.
4. Don't use your debit card when shopping online. Remember when debit cards were introduced? One of their first marketing campaigns was the benefits of how easy it was to use your debit card instead of cash. Don't. Get a credit card. Use Paypal. Read fine Print.
5. Use only ATM's that are at a bank or a trusted institution. That pizza parlor that doesn't take debit but has an ATM for your convenience? Like my eternally wise boyfriend said, oh no problem babe, we will just go back to the Pizza parlor and have them pull the security camera over the ATM and see if anything happened. I get it.
6. Send a positive thought for me. Although, I havent shed many tears which is amazing. I did however drink 2 bottles of wine on Wednesday and ungodly amount of beers on Thursdsay. Insomnia has come back in full effect. Im not eating as much, as I find myself going oh good I skipped lunch, that $20 towards the recovery of my funds. Eventually, I will be in a funny farm and I hope you all will come and visit. I do have hope in knowing that it will all come back around. If nothing else, maybe someone will read this and have the AHA moment that would prevent this from happening to them.
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