Credit Card Fraud

So I got a letter from my bank yesterday, informing me that my account is overdrawn. This was strange because I rarely use this account. I primarily use cash for all my purchases, but occasionally use this account when I need to upload funds to paypal, write checks that I know won't be cashed immediately, etc. So I call up the bank to find out what the deal is and someone made a $10 purchase with my card to Digital Books. There was a phone number listed with it. I called the number and got an automated message saying I had reached the support line for Digital Books and to leave a message for a return call. There was also a URL listed in the message, leading me to digital-reading.com. I checked them out on the web to see if it's a place I've made purchases on before or ?? Turns out they aren't much of an online commerce place, they sell digital books how-to books: becoming a millionaire, buy a bike, have a successful yard-sale, etc. Books that no one in their right mind would buy, and the whole site/automated support line totally sounds like a front end for a scammer. So I followed up with my bank and filed a fraud alert on the purchase. I canceled the card, and put a lock on the account until the investigation is complete. The investigation is supposed to take up to 30-60 days to complete, at which point I'll be reimbursed for the money and fees. So fortunately I didn't keep a bunch of money in that account. It seems the $10 was a feeler purchase, so see if the card was valid and a transaction could be completed. In the end this will be a slight annoyance. But it's really hitting home the fact that EVERYONE is susceptible to this kind of fraud. I'll be keeping a closer eye on all my accounts in the future, not that I already don't. You should do the same!

Yappy Neighbor Dogs

I'm about ready to tear into my new neighbors. They moved in about 6 months ago and brought their yappy little dogs. Which for some reason they banish to the backyard for extended periods of time, during which all the dogs do is bark/howl/cry until they are let back in. Or if it's day time they start barking matches with dogs in other yards. All the other neighbors have been very respectable regarding their animals, and they bring them inside promptly after hearing their dog(s) bark. These people have got to be deaf because it goes on for hours. I can hear these dogs over my TV in my sunken basement and I'm a lot farther away then they are. The part that really annoys me is these people put the dogs outside late at night and early in the morning. I've even been woken up a few times in the middle of the night (2am-4am) due to their dogs barking. You'd think these people would have a hard time sleeping too and finally get up to let them in, but NO! it's goes on for hours. Last night really pissed me off. I was already having a hard time sleeping, and then when I finally got to sleep I wake up to these dogs again! And it's not just me, my good friends next door have also complained about them. Brandon even suggested we split the cost of a nice air soft rifle. It's really gone on for way too long. At this point these people are either completely ignorant or just a bunch of assholes!

I took some time to read up online about the problem and what the proper legal course of action is. I found the proper course of action as outlined by the city municipal code. I'm going to follow it and get this resolved. I'm starting off by writing a nice letter explaining the problem and asking them to please resolve it. If that doesn't work, then hell with them. I'll get Animal Control over there to talk to them, and if necessary I'll get a petition from all the surrounding neighbors and get the police involved. Should be interesting to see how all this plays out. Stay tuned.