5210 more for prompt 47

It's been cold today - but not as frozen as my mouth!!

Second round of fillings today and the injection was in a really odd place which made my mouth totally not work. My face was so lopsided it wasn't true. I couldn't talk properly and looked most odd. I am hoping it goes soon as it is still a little odd.

I said I had to do two pages for prompt 47. If it was about things that i will remember this year well this is one of them.

I have to say i am quite proud (I know pride is a bad thing) that I have run this course for a whole year (well OK - not quite yet but you get the idea). I have come up with prompts every week, they have never been late, they have never been missed and they have always, hopefully, given you some inspiration. I am actually quite proud of that. So my page reflects that.

 
The page is digital but has already been printed off and is in the album.

 My quote for today is

 
Today I am thankful for

• Novocane that stops drilling hurting
• A husband who knows I am dental phobic and so always takes me

 
 
Finally I post this. I had it in an e mail and I have no idea if it is true or not. But on the off chance that it is it is better to be warned.

CREDIT CARD SCAM BE WARNED - PLEASE READ

This has been passed on via another Force area through our own Fraud Department In Wiltshire Constabulary, and it is a very convincing SCAM. We have been asked to disseminate the information as widely and was quickly as we can through Neighbourhood Watch, School Safe and others.

This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information, except the one piece they want. Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it. This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself.. One of our employees was called on Wednesday from "VISA", and I was called on Thursday from "MasterCard". The scam works like this: Person calling says, "This is (name), and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank) did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for £497.99 from a Marketing company based in London ?"  When you say "No", the caller continues with, "Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from £297 to £497, just under the £500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?" You say "yes". The caller continues - "I will be starting a fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 0800 number listed on the back of your card (0800-VISA) and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?"

Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works the caller then says, "I need to verify you are in possession of your card." He'll ask you to "turn your card over and look for some numbers." There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say, "That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?" After you say, "No," the caller then thanks you and states, "Don't hesitate to call back if you do", and hangs up.  You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number.

But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of £497.99 was charged to our card. Long story - short - we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card. Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or MasterCard directly for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you're receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you'll see charges for purchases you didn't make, and by then it's almost too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from a "Jason Richardson of MasterCard" with a word-for-word repeat of the VISA scam. This time I didn't let him finish I hung up! We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police said they are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is happening .

Please pass this on to all your family and friends. By informing each other, we protect each other

Comments

[Photographing Mom]

Love your page and you should be mighty proud. I am so glad I've done 52in10 with you!!!! It's been amazing. :)

[Calvina]

What a great page!

[Sandi]

Thanks for the tip on the scam. My 90 year old father was targeted with a scam last month in which the thieves claimed his grandson needed money to get out of trouble in Canada. We alerted police detectives. Interestingly, when they called the number back, the thief said that it was indeed a scam but since he was "out of the country" there was nothing the police could do about it. And he would continue to target people in our community. So I did do something about it and wrote a letter to the editor of our newspaper which was published. Hopefully it will put him out of business here. Education is a powerful tool to the public. Also, I have prayed several times that he will be caught. God is the final judge of the situation!

[Bev]

these are ALWAYS Hoaxes. Goggle for a key phrase and it will come up on a hoax website

http://www.sophos.com/security/hoaxes/visa_mastercard_scam.html