No Identity Theft At The Compound!

It's taken me awhile to calm down long enough to be able to type legibly this afternoon.  But before I tell you about our very disturbing afternoon, rest assured that the 'Rents are protected from identity theft.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, the big TV in the family room bit the dust, and we have been shopping around for a cool thin LCD TV.  We narrowed our choices down and this afternoon went up the street to our local Wal-Mart to purchase the TV of our dreams (a 42-inch Vizio).  We even picked out a very nice glass and mahogany TV stand for it, too.  The sales associate, Ryan (he was so good, I want to give him props in TWIT), had the TV and stand on a flat cart and was ready to haul it out to the Odyessy while another sales associate took Mom's check to run through.  Imagine our surprise when the sales associate said that it had been declined.  Actually, the "surprise" didn't last long at all, before developing into shock, awe, and anger.  At any given time, the 'Rents keep a minimum of at least ten times the amount of that check in their checking account.

I called the check processing place and surprisingly enough got an actual person on my first try.  I gave her the routing number, checking account number and check number of the alleged "bad check" and Mom got on the phone and gave her some more info, and then she put us on hold while she checked with the bank to see if funds were available.  Let me say when Mom heard the woman say that, she could have spit nails. You have to realize the 'Rents are a couple who have never had a bounced check or overdraft in their lives, and who have never used a credit card.  After what seemed like an eternity but was only a minute or two, the woman came back on the phone and said that we would have to contact our bank on Monday.  No other explanation; end of conversation. Believe me when I tell you this took Mom's nail-spitting to a much higher level. We just stood there in disbelief, feeling like we were deadbeats trying to pass off a cold check.

First of all, we know it was not Wal-Mart's fault; we're blaming this one on their bank and the limits they put on debit card and check purchases in an effort to protect against identity theft and fraud.  Maybe we can blame this on the Patriot Act, too.  Maybe if we'd gone to the store and tried to buy a new TV earlier in the day, they would have been able to get in touch with their bank.  Who knows.  All I know is that I'm glad that I will be working Monday morning at 9:00 when the 'Rents go up to their bank.