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The Mystery of the Missing American Express Card

I recently got a prepaid card from American Express — part of the Serve line, that allows you to send and receive money from friends on Facebook. I got it primarily because it promised in game rewards for a game I particularly like on Facebook. I wanted to see how well it worked and so I put a little money on it and went to Starbucks to get my wife Elizabeth a surprise drink.

The following day, I was surprised to receive a call from American Express Serve Customer Service. They told me that they had been notified that I had left my card at that Starbucks and when I looked in my wallet, it was of course not there. I’m not sure why I thought it might be there. I was extremely grateful that they reached out to me and I also thought it was fantastic that someone at the Starbucks store had called American Express to let them know that the card was there.

Continue reading → The Mystery of the Missing American Express Card

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No Photo ID Necessary for Credit Card Purchases and Other Mistakes We Consumers Make in the Marketplace

As a recent victim of credit card fraud, I am now even more well-versed in what is and what is not allowed by your credit card company when you make a purchase with a local merchant and, believe me, the credit card companies are much more on your side than you know.  In fact, it’s the local businesses who are out to needlessly and carelessly throttle you.

Continue reading → No Photo ID Necessary for Credit Card Purchases and Other Mistakes We Consumers Make in the Marketplace

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111111: Eleven Eleven Eleven at Eleven Eleven

Today is Eleven Eleven Eleven. 11/11/11.  November 11, 2011. This article was purposefully published at 11:11am this morning.  I don’t know why I’m so obsessed with all these ones standing in unison, but I am, and shall likely always be, enchanted:

The number one is considered “calming” and “essential” in Chinese numerology and that makes me question if all those ones in today’s date should be taken collectively or singularly.  I prefer to atone to the individual digit and take all the delights that come from pronouncing all those ordered ones.

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Someone Stole My Credit Card!

I was sitting here writing my article on Google+ Pages when an email arrived arrived from my credit card company telling me I had just charged $79.98 at TJMaxx.

“Huh?” I said to myself, “I don’t think I’ve even been in TJMaxx in my life!”   I immediately picked up the phone and called my bank.

Continue reading → Someone Stole My Credit Card!