Again

Last night, I got another call from my credit card company. Apparently, my card number has been stolen AGAIN. This is the second time in less than six months. I don’t understand this. I’ve used the same card exclusively for years and I’ve never had a problem. Now, all of a sudden, it’s happened TWICE.

Unlike the last time, it wasn’t any internet purchases that set off alarms. These charges were for what appears to be direct purchases. I’m assuming this means that someone must have an actual copy of my card in order to do this. I mean, I can’t imagine someone letting me buy something like gasoline or food, for example, just by rattling off credit card numbers instead of showing them an actual card.

There were two separate questionable charges on my card. The first one was for some place called the “Stevenson Inn”. If you look them up, as I did, you’ll see that on TripAdvisor, they have an average rating of two and a half stars (don’t confuse them the similarly named and similarly rated Stevenson’s Inn).

While a couple of the ratings are quite high, most of the other ratings are as low as you can go. And they have a common theme- the theme being that this is a place to avoid. According to one reviewer named “Krizzy777”, the place had, “black mold in shower, toe nail clippings on bathroom floor, glitter on sheets…”. If you do decide to stay, Krizzy777 suggests that you bring Lysol and rubber sheets. Her review carries the simple yet informative title of “Gross”. Other reviews carry titles such as “DUMP DUMP” and “Just keep driving!”

As I mentioned, there are a few higher ratings. But what I found a little curious about a couple of the higher reviews was that they both mentioned “no bugs”. Why did they feel the need to say this? Who mentioned bugs? Why would this be something you would just throw out there in a four or five star review? I wouldn't expect to see it out of nowhere in a positive review, any more than I would expect to see it on their sign out front.

Well, interestingly enough, it turns out there is another site, called “The Bedbug Registry”, and this place has several surprising, if not very well written, comments. Actually, maybe not so surprising, considering the unsolicited "No Bugs" proclamations.

Despite all of this commentary about the quality of the rooms, my charge was for only nine dollars. What would somebody buy for nine dollars? Has the hotel drastically dropped their rates in some kind of an effort to counteract the bedbug and toenail clipping rumors? What kind of a transaction goes down at a place like this where they will not only accept a credit card number verbally, but whatever you’re buying will only cost nine dollars?

Anyway, I’m guessing that what must have flagged this questionable purchase to the credit card credit card company, was that it was made within a couple of hours of a purchase I had just made close to home- and my home is about 1100 miles away from this place.

The other purchase that was flagged was for someplace called “Cutz by Jean”. I looked them up too. This was quite strange. It turns out that this place is nearly a seven hour ride away from the other place, and, according to Google Maps- the route has tolls!!! Where are the charges for the tolls???!!!

The charge from “Cutz By Jean” was for exactly $90. This meant that whoever used my card number, did not get the facial, since, according to their website, the facial is only $85 (a bargain, I might add), unless of course they got the facial and only left a five dollar tip. And if you're on my dime, why are you so cheap with the tip? So, if it's not the facial, that leaves either the Hot Shave, the Hair Coloring or the Hair Extensions- each of which are EXACTLY ninety dollars.

All of this seems very odd to me. Somebody is going to take a stolen credit card number and go to a two and a half star hotel to buy a nine dollar meal or nine dollars worth of coffee or nine dollars worth of something- and then they get the brilliant idea of driving approximately 700 miles to get their hair done, which they apparently were not happy with, since they didn't bother to leave any tip at all - even though they weren't the ones paying for any of it in the first place.

What is going on with this world? And how did they pay for those tolls?