FOWC with Fandango — Commotion
It started, though I didn’t know it, when Facebook released my personal data to Cambridge Analytica. Eventually, they sold the data to who-knows-who in the hacking world and two credit cards and a money-account got hacked.
I thought this had been sorted out. Police reports. Lots of emails. Far too many conversations on telephones with fraud investigators and a complete reinstallation of my operating system because, not content with stealing my money, they also destroyed my computer.
Lucky there were other computers in the house.
Yesterday, I got a note saying that Synchrony Bank decided I must have “given away my account information.” I couldn’t prove that the hackers were hackers. And, after all, they had my name, address and phone number (thank you, Facebook!), so it must be my fault.
But those transactions never occurred. They were canceled so the “recipients” never actually got anything, but according to their computer, these transactions — or at least one of them — did end up on the bank’s computer. Walmart, whose card it was and PayPal, the paymaster in this all agree there was no transaction, but Synchrony Bank, who owns the computer, is sure it did. I’ve talked to various Wal-Mart divisions (and there are many) and I have paperwork from PayPal (also Synchrony Bank), all of which agree the transactions didn’t happen, but Synchrony wants me to pay for a transaction that never happened and apparently, the release of my name and other personal information by sleazeball Zuckerstump doesn’t count.
You’d think these guys would actually talk to each other.
First, the released my data to Cambridge Analytica. That led to having my identity stolen and my computer hacked. How many new ways can they find to become worthless?
I’m at the end of my wits. This commotion has gone on intermittently since last May. I’m tired and frustrated beyond belief. Just about ready to swallow a handful of tranquilizers and sleep for the rest of my life.
Commotion? You want to know about commotion?
If we weren’t so poor, I’m pretty sure I could have my lawyer call their lawyer and it would be fixed in a split second. We don’t have a lawyer on tap … or the money to get one. So on and on it goes.
Commotion, yeah. Also chaos and a certain amount of misery.
Share this:
Categories: #FOWC, Daily Prompt, Law
AN ALLEGORY OF LIFE AND MORAL BREAKDOWN – Marilyn Armstrong 
PRONE TO READING THE MUELLER REPORT – Marilyn Armstrong 
LOOKING BACK – Marilyn Armstrong 
SERENDIPITY - SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
That’s hideous. And makes me more determined to cut FB out of my life permanently. Can you reach anyone (alive) at the bank place? Make them understand (because you have data to back you up about the fraud and the payment that never was? Or can you hire a lawyer that will go to bat for you, and sue the bastards, the lawyer agreeing to no payment unless you win your case? At the very least try Legal Aid in your area…sometimes they have solutions that one may not have considered on their own. Or law students (carefully supervised) who will do such cases pro bono? I don’t know. I do feel for you though, as the blog post I’ll pen later today will show. We each get a fair amount of crap dumped on us, just when we least expect or can deal with it. Keep your spirits up dear. Some of us would be devastated if you took tranquilizers and drifted away… 😦
LikeLike
Not really and as far as I know, they are located in Dayton, Ohio — a bit of a trip for me from Uxbridge. I have mailed them everything. They won’t accept email and that’s weird because they sure do SEND a lot of emails. You have NO idea how frustrated and angry I am — well maybe you do.
LikeLike
This makes me so angry. You shouldn’t be jumping through hoops over something that never happened and as others have said how stupid is this bank to insist the only way someone could get your information is if you told them. Have they never been hacked themselves. How I wish some smart lawyer read your blog and offered to represent you pro bono because it seems like lawyers are the only ones corporations listen to.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wish that too. I talk to them and they simply reject everything I say. If I keep thinking about it, I’m just going to get more depressed. THAT’s why i didn’t want to write about it. I knew I was going to just get even more morose and upset.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I understand. You had to distance yourself from it to be able to keep doing what you have to do.
LikeLike
Awful. And there’s not much you can do to protect yourself from it happening again.
LikeLike
I know. “How, ” she asked, “could they get your name, address, and phone number?”
Like, because Facebook released the information? And because they are published in a phone book? And I have a blog, so it’s not hard to find out anything you want about anyone if you really want to? Do they actually think the only way anyone can get hold of your home phone and address is if you TELL THEM? What world do they live in?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s universal. Since the advent of FB and other social media, we have religiously avoided public personal names, addresses, or phone info. I don’t use any of them.
It really doesn’t matter, anyway, all anyone has to do to find you is type in your name and the state you live in, and then select the name that seems to be the closest: for a few dollars people can scour services that do nothing but search for anyone in the country: name, address, personal info, all of it.
The web is filled with phonebooks and numbers, cellphone numbers, and even Google Earth will take folks directly to your house (even though the mailbox is discreetly fuzzed out, like that matters at that stage), or any other place on earth.
And let us not forget drones.
Some people really believe they’re private. I try not to think about it, and so far we’ve been careful, and lucky. Lucky trumps careful these days. (sorry about the T word)
And it’s a shame anyone has to go through that stupid rigamarole, being blamed for what hackers have done.
LikeLike
I get baffled as to how you “prove” you were hacked. It’s not like you have their names or addresses. And when you’re a blogger, how hard would it be to get our information. We are all over the place. But if I keep going on about it, I’m going to just be grinding my teeth.
LikeLike
Oh no. Hubby and I each just got Walmart cards (couldn’t resist that $25 off ANYTHING offer). I also have other accounts which are managed by Synchrony. I sure hope none of those accounts get hacked. It sounds like Synchrony makes it more of a nightmare than it needs to be.
LikeLike
It’s stupid. Especially because another account of them — PayPal — took care of this already. It’s like no one talks to anyone else, so what I think we have is a computer glitch for which I’m going to wind up paying. But no money ever was paid to ANYONE, so it’s especially infuriating. Also, Walmart isn’t the problem here. It’s Synchrony and they control a LOT of cards. Dozens. Maybe hundreds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yuk and more yuk. I wish I could think of something constructive to say. I so hope some corporate minion sees sense soon and this finally goes away.
LikeLike
We are being ground to dust by corporations and we will never escape. If it is bad now, just imagine how much worse it will be in the future.
LikeLike
I imagine that Garry can do a fine “attorney voice” imitation. good luck, its beyond maddening.
LikeLike
Yes, but he would have to find someone to talk to … when he can hear on a phone which right now, he can’t. These companies are very insulated from real human interaction. It’s like punching a ghost.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sad but true. Is his recovery going well?
LikeLike
Yes, it is. The dizziness hasn’t gone away entirely, but it’s getting better. Time and patience.
LikeLike
Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! FaceBook is also changing its arrangement me WordPress, as I’m sure you know. I recoil at photos of Zuckerstump -:) almost as much as you know who. Forget the tranquilizers, Marilyn. Hug Garry and the dogs instead.
LikeLike
Between one thing and another, I’m actually depressed and demoralized. I will get over it, but right now, I feel the corporations are killing me and being poor doesn’t help either.
LikeLike
It is a special misery to fall into the hands of corporations.
LikeLiked by 1 person
But these people target the elderly in the hopes that they will be confused enough to pay the bill without really understanding what it means. That’s just wrong. I wish I had the lawyers to make them stop.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My Dad died a year ago last April and Mom, due to her dementia, has moved into an assisted living home. My wife’s intervention has been crucial in helping Mom not get sucked into anything, and you’re right. Predators and bloodsuckers prey on the weakest citizens in our country.
LikeLike
And they get away with it, too. A friend of mine went nuts trying to cancel his father’s (dead) cable package. ONLY THE CABLE OWNER could cancel it. But he was dead. It was like this. Around and around and around. Insane but we have insane laws — or more to the point, and insane LACK of laws.
LikeLike
I would make so they wouldn’t want to mess with me.
LikeLike
I would too if I could figure out how. They are so well insulated behind electronic walls and robotic telephone systems, there’s no way to really reach them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve had quite a time with Bell Canada. I’m embarrassed how I acted. However, our son was shouting in the back ground and I was shouting at him and we both shouted at the A–hole on the telephone. I think he must have thought we were about to kill each other. Then I did go to the C.R.T.C. (Canada’s Radio and Telecommunications Corp.) and made a formal complaint. I got a lot of attention for that.
LikeLike
If there was somewhere to complain, other than a court, I’d go. But there really isn’t. There OUGHT to be, though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We need a lot more ombudsmen….
LikeLike