Fine Tooth Comb

Want to feel weird? Go over your spending habits with a fine tooth comb. Actually, have someone else do it.

Over the weekend, we had both of our debit cards and one of Lithus' credit cards declined because we triggered security alerts. We had plenty of cash in the bank account, plenty of room on the credit card, but.

So on July 3rd, we sat out in the parking lot of the farmers' market and had the following conversation:

Them: "The account has been accessed at three separate farmers' markets."
Us: "Yes."
Them: "Three, really?"
Us: "Yep. We like our U-pick farms up here in Massachusetts."
Them: "And Alaska Airlines, and Delta Airlines, both yesterday,"
Us: "Yep."
Them: "From different cities."
Us; "Yes, he came from Fairbanks, she came from Medford."
Them: "Yeah...that's what our records show."
Us: "As well they should."
Them: "Okay, thank you very much. We've released your account."

Then July 5th, in a Home Depot parking lot:

Them: "Did you just buy (these appliances) in Rhode Island?"
Us: "We did!"
Them: "Just to confirm (this, and this, and this, and this)?"
Us: "That's correct."
Them: "Okay, thank you very much, We've released your account."

Both customer service reps were professional, respectful, and polite. They didn't make us feel weird for our farmers' market habits or needing three small appliances and one large one, or even traveling on two separate airlines from different states. 

It was, however, weird to look that closely. Kind of like looking in one's pantry or medicine cabinet and wondering what other people would consider "normal" and if having seven bags of 3 different kinds of coffee would make you unusual.

And why did those trigger security alerts when other purchases ~ like a freaking car ~ didn't? Who knows. Not us, and not the nice people on the other end of the phone.

Honestly, I'd rather have them catch something legitimate than let something illicit slide, so I'm even okay with it. But the fine tooth comb was...interesting...to say the least.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.