Whining and complaining

Everyone uses their debit cards, right? Ok, maybe not everyone, but a good portion of the American public does right? It's very infrequent that I have cash. I know that if I have cash on me, it will literally burn a hole through my pockets and drop right there in any store I'm in. I could be in Home Depot and spend my cash. Having my ATM card was different though. Something about swiping my card got to me. The threat of somehow over drafting my account always makes me stop and rethink any purchase. I guess this is why I'm having problems.

Yesterday I got a phone call from my bank. Apparently, the company who handles the Mastercard payments that are connected with my debit card had a security breach and someone got my bank account information. Usually this wouldn't totally freak me out, but this weekend is different. My federal tax return just was automatically deposited into my account. I just put my first paycheck from my new job into my account. I had just paid both the electric and gas bills, and it's grocery shopping week. Oh yeah, and not only do I have my personal account, but that account is connected to my husband's and an account with his parents. All of those accounts were hit, and this is all from my one card. Thankfully our bank is great, with the promise to replace the money. I'm liable for $50. That's a lot less than the thousands of dollars that have been taken. Yeah, thousands between the three accounts. I freaked. I cried. Then I called the identity theft company that my bank uses. The rep I talked to (her name was Irene) was incredibly nice and helpful. She told me that her company just informed the reps all last month that identity theft has increased over 150% in the last 9 months, and they accredit it to the failing economy. When times are hard, people do what they think they need to.

Now, things are a little hard for Dave and I, but we wouldn't resort to anything like this. I just hope that the people who took the money needed it. I finally went to sleep last night after 1:00 am after convincing myself that it was a family who took the money, and they needed it to eat and had no other option. I'm going to keep thinking that too. I'm going to think that it helped a family out. I don't freak out as much when I think of that.

I guess what it comes down to is my whining about this. I'm allowed to whine right? I'm allowed to complain that some dirty person stole from us. Stupid people! Ugh, stupid economy. I'm not even blaming people. I mean, we don't have a lot of money and probably wouldn't be a target in a better market, especially me with my barely there credit and bank account with a balance that is pretty insignificant. I blame the economy that has created such desperate people. People so desperate to pay their bills that they take from others. Thankfully we'll get the money back. Thankfully this will be behind us in a matter of days. Thankfully, it hasn't affected our marriage, or our lives too significantly. Ok stupid economy rant over. Maybe I need a new bank...any recommendations?