Sealed Pot Challenge ~ 12

rancid-a

Hi Sue, hi potters.
I've been pretty busy lately but here's a bit of an update from me on this chilly morning.

Big 50 last month, big holiday next month, this month????? Cr***iest month ever. EVER!!

Bear with me.

November 2017. I was in India. In a small town called Orchha...Lovely peaceful place, but now quite popular with tourists.
ATM problems - there's three but two were dead and the third wouldn't recognize(?) my HSBC debit card. Buy that's fine, because we all take back up cards on holiday right? Just incase they get lost, stolen or broken etc. My back up card was an EasyFX pre-paid Mastercard with some emergency cash on it, to last me until I got back to one of the main cities. So I used that, once at the ATM which was working.

December 2018 - Over a year later. Two things happen. And I can't figure out if they are linked. It hurts my head thinking about it.

My HSBC debit card is failing in places like Sainsburys, it's probably the magnetic strip, it's all a bit grubby too. I manage to lift my wage at the bank and ask for a new card - A new card would be a good idea before I get to India again in March. I hand the old one to a customer rep and ask if they can dispose of it, this was maybe a bad idea, maybe not. The new card arrives in a few days.

EasyFX (prepaid Mastercard) email me. 'An unauthorised purchase was attempted on your card'....turns out to be 80p worth of concrete....from a firm in America. Really?! I cancel the card. Contacted the name of the company who made concrete. Luckily, they won't be sending any concrete. This wasn't the first time they'd heard of someone using their name. EasyFX also say my card may have been cloned or skimmed (technology I know zero about).

So that's December. In January. EasyFX email me again, 'Someone has attempted to purchase auto parts on the card you cancelled... the origin was India'. My EasyFX card has been sat in one of my drawers for over 12 months, never used it when I got back.

A few days later, I go to the bank to check my wages and print out my statements... and nearly have a heart attack. It kind of looks like this (I'm with EE mobile by the way).

16 JAN VIS WM MORRISONS 6.40
15 JAN VIS GIFF GAFF 15.00
15 JAN VIS GIFF GAFF 15.00

15 JAN VIS O2 UK PAY & GO 10.00
15 JAN VIS O2 UK PAY & GO 10.00
15 JAN VIS O2 UK PAY & GO 10.00
15 JAN VIS THREE.(removed link) 15.00
15 JAN VIS THREE.(removed link) 20.00
15 JAN VIS THREE.(removed link) 20.00
15 JAN VIS THREE.(removed link) 15.00
16 JAN VIS WM MORRISONS 12.00
It goes on a bit......
01 FEB VIS Thames Water 25.00
01 FEB VIS Thames Water 25.00

The bank staff weren't willing to help at first, instead looking at the account and saying I authorized these purchases online using the old card (I didn't!), I was also told I needed to contact each of these companies. It wasn't until I got a bit upset & a tad angry with this useless, unhelpful man, that he took me to to one of those interview rooms and made a phone call or two. He printed loads and loads of statements, I had to go through them all crossing off things that I recognized. Nothing bad happened until January this year. He made another call, and afterwards told me £350 had been paid back into my account and that there was to be a full investigation. Phew!!

So I'm not with any of those mobile companies - and I'm not with Thames water either...Whoever has done this to me, they paid their own water rates bill using my card, how stupid!

So this years trip to India is in 4 weeks time. Looking forward to it... I think.

Not much money saving from me, just dribs & drabs.

Hope everyone is gonna have a super day. I'm exhausted and going to bed for a week!

James
x

mossy

Oh my goodness rancid-a what a nightmare! :eek:

Hello :hello: I was going to ask if I could rejoin this year's challenge as I didn't do it last year, but I see that my number is still on here.

I am potting any random change that I end up with, it won't be a huge amount but I'm hoping that it will be a little bit of extra spending money for our holiday next year. :j

MushyPeas

Hi all :wave: haven't had much chance to pot, but have not been spending! Been away for a few days and were frugal. Looking forward to upping the potting next month

Robin09

Weekly £10 potted plus some change. Hope everyone is well.

32b3in2013

Evening

Oh dear rancid-a. What a nightmare, they have probably bought mobile top ups with the card as they can sell them of and get the money but they can’t be traced as they are selling the top-ups on. Glad you got it sorted out.

£6.70 potted for me today. Change from the parking after I met my friend for lunch.

I hope everyone is well.

32b3

Frogletina

It's been quite crazy since the beginning of the year - I'm still going to be potting but my savings are going to be reduced.

My son's not been well and lost his job after calling in sick for one day (agency job)

Although he's not worked since before Christmas, he's only just had his first universal credit payment of just over £100. At the end of March he will start getting £317.81 a month which is all he is entitled to. He has a mortgage, and get's nothing towards that, so I'm taking that over for now as well as giving him extra so he doesn't get behind with his other bills and can afford to eat.

frogletina

VickyA_2

So sorry to hear about your son frogletina. What a complete pain in the a**e for him (and you).

Potted a small amount of silver coins. Not sure how much, but something is better than nothing. Waiting for DH to make a slip and leave coins lying around/in his jeans pockets, but to no avail. Gah! My training is not complete.

Lost2

Well another month over and I have potted £10 I’ve been naughty

lucyhope

Another £15 in my pot, op over and done with, feeling good and lost 1 stone already! Hope all are well

IWillSucceed

SPC #115 Checking In.... 3 X £2 coins added.. Jar starting to have a little weight, VERY exciting :-)