Pizza party!

[Susan in Tennessee]

Seems I had a pizza party last night, according to our credit card, anyway! I received an email from Chase Fraud alert dept saying my card had been declined for one Domino pizza transaction but approved for another purchase if approximately $60! First I had to determine if the fraud alert email was a fraud!! Oh, the world we live in! Our account had to be closed with new account number and cards being issued. It's a major pain because of numerous auto-Payments set up on this card. Oh, well, I had nothing better to do today...other than eat pizza!

 

[KathrynK]

We had someone charge $80 of McDonalds gift certificates (who knew they had them?). Closed that card. Then, the next crook used my PayPal account to make charges of $14 or so, the kind you don't always pick up on the card statement and I didn't notice for 3 months. After fighting each charge one by one, I closed that and had the new credit card block all charges from PayPal. Later that month, we got a notice someone had opened a PayPal credit card in my husband's name and charged $300 online. Closed that. What's next?

At least credit cards protect you. I have no protection from the electrician who lifted a pearl necklace last week while putting in an outlet. So, now I hid the jewelry and let's hope I can remember where it is hidden!

 

[Susan in Tennessee]

We had someone charge $80 of McDonalds gift certificates (who knew they had them?). Closed that card. Then, the next crook used my PayPal account to make charges of $14 or so, the kind you don't always pick up on the card statement and I didn't notice for 3 months. After fighting each charge one by one, I closed that and had the new credit card block all charges from PayPal. Later that month, we got a notice someone had opened a PayPal credit card in my husband's name and charged $300 online. Closed that. What's next?

At least credit cards protect you. I have no protection from the electrician who lifted a pearl necklace last week while putting in an outlet. So, now I hid the jewelry and let's hope I can remember where it is hidden!

That's awful! Was he from a bonded/licensed company? It's a horrible feeling to not be able to trust anyone!

 

[KathrynK]

Insurance wont help you help you unless you file a police report and the precinct said it was highly unlikely I'd get anything back in the end since it would be "he said, she said." They encouraged me to report the theft, but the guy knows where I live so I didn't. It was the brother of the owner. It hurts because it was my husbands wedding gift to me 39 years ago. I stupidly left it on the dresser. It's not the first time this has happened (carpet installers took some pieces a few years ago) so shame on me. I have concealed the rest since the last time, but I wore that one the night before and forgot to put it back. Everyone I share the story with has their own similar story, a gold necklace after a nurses aide came to the house after hospitalization, diamond earrings after a wayward niece stopped by, gold cufflinks left in checked baggage... I told my husband no more jewelry!

 

[southernlady]

We just went thru closing one checking account and opening a new one with the same bank. Due to several direct deposits linked to the account, we actually put the closed account on credit only status until we are sure the deposits are sorted out. We can take the money out as long as it goes to our money market account. Once there we can move it to the new checking account. Pain in the ass but it will work.

 

[k9ophile]

Seems I had a pizza party last night, according to our credit card, anyway! I received an email from Chase Fraud alert dept saying my card had been declined for one Domino pizza transaction but approved for another purchase if approximately $60! First I had to determine if the fraud alert email was a fraud!! Oh, the world we live in! Our account had to be closed with new account number and cards being issued. It's a major pain because of numerous auto-Payments set up on this card. Oh, well, I had nothing better to do today...other than eat pizza!

And you didn't invite me? I'm just up the road a piece. My husband had World Soccer tickets charged to him. The card company caught it, but the same routine of changing accounts.

Right now I'm seriously considering getting off Facebook. It seems like 2-3 times a week I get a pop-up with sirens and warnings that my computer is infected. I'm embarrassed to say I fell for that one time. The whole story is too long to post here, but it did have a happy ending in that it didn't cost a dime. I just had to get a new account number and notify all the accounts that had auto-pay.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Insurance wont help you help you unless you file a police report and the precinct said it was highly unlikely I'd get anything back in the end since it would be "he said, she said." They encouraged me to report the theft, but the guy knows where I live so I didn't. It was the brother of the owner. It hurts because it was my husbands wedding gift to me 39 years ago. I stupidly left it on the dresser. It's not the first time this has happened (carpet installers took some pieces a few years ago) so shame on me. I have concealed the rest since the last time, but I wore that one the night before and forgot to put it back. Everyone I share the story with has their own similar story, a gold necklace after a nurses aide came to the house after hospitalization, diamond earrings after a wayward niece stopped by, gold cufflinks left in checked baggage... I told my husband no more jewelry!

So...opposite side? Several years ago, I was mad at myself for losing a diamond ring. No idea of the value...mostly sentimental, very Art Deco-y, of extremely suspicious heritage. I thought I lost it while having xrays/imaging at tbe VA. I went back there and they helped me tear the place apart, but we found nothing. A week or so later, a man (obviously Latino, from perhaps south of Mexico...I didn't ask for his papers or if he even had papers...lol) who had earlier done some wall painting for us returned to stain a piece of furniture. He moved furniture around and then approached me, with something in his hand, at my perch near my computer.

"¿Señora?" he inquired. "¿Ha perdido un anillo?"

Well, sí...I certainly HAD perdido-ed an anillo. The very Art Deco-y, diamond anillo he was handing to me.

So...there ARE occasions when the very people that many think of as the least trustworthy turn out to be the opposite.

But I still have a hiding place or two...and not in tbe freezer.

Meanwhile...visit a pawn shop or two...you may find it.

 

[KathrynK]

Everyone I have told the story to has an idea for where to hide it. In a Tupperware container kept in the dishwasher (and taken out when the dishwasher is working). Taking the pages out of a hardcover book and replacing them with with a similar size gift box, and put back on the shelves. In the bottom of a trash can under a smaller trash can placed inside of the larger one. Why not the freezer? My neighbor keeps the box from a lean cuisine meal and stuffs necklaces in it and puts it back with the other meals. My religious friend encouraged me to pray with her to St Anthony, patron saint of lost items. Not a believer, but what the h. Spooky, but the next day a pair of pearl earrings that were missing with the necklace appeared under the dresser. No sign of the necklace, but prayers continue.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Everyone I have told the story to has an idea for where to hide it. In a Tupperware container kept in the dishwasher (and taken out when the dishwasher is working). Taking the pages out of a hardcover book and replacing them with with a similar size gift box, and put back on the shelves. In the bottom of a trash can under a smaller trash can placed inside of the larger one. Why not the freezer? My neighbor keeps the box from a lean cuisine meal and stuffs necklaces in it and puts it back with the other meals. My religious friend encouraged me to pray with her to St Anthony, patron saint of lost items. Not a believer, but what the h. Spooky, but the next day a pair of pearl earrings that were missing with the necklace appeared under the dresser. No sign of the necklace, but prayers continue.

My maternal grandmother was a HUGE fan of St. Anthony. Her large statue of him was a prized possession. She "punished" him by turning him to face the corner during World War II until "all her boys" returned home. Tony was left to me and is in MiniSue's possession.

http://retireby40.org/5-places-avoid-hiding-jewelry/
https://www.allconnect.com/blog/5-hiding-spots-every-thief-checks-first-stash-valuables-instead/

 

[k9ophile]

Or your house could look like an episode of hoarders. I thought of that until I remembered the story of burglars that were so pissed at a messy house they set it on fire.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Or your house could look like an episode of hoarders. I thought of that until I remembered the story of burglars that were so pissed at a messy house they set it on fire.

Lol

 

[KathrynK]

My problem is forgetting where it is hidden, because I divided it into 2 places and I have moved it several times. The hoarding is definitely an issue in the closets here. My husband believes Lego pirate ships, and Playmobile doll houses are collectible and will eventually be appreciated by our adult children, who don't want them now. I think the boomers are the last generation to value collectibles. The kids will need a dumpster when we are gone. I better remember to tell them where the valuables are in the piles of junk!

 

[Clematis]

I thought of that until I remembered the story of burglars that were so pissed at a messy house they set it on fire.

Uh oh. This could be my house. I actually had a fire 30 years ago. I wonder...

I abundantly wear my "good stuff' almost daily. Kinda "Yeah I'm old but richer than you so don't mess with me" statement. I've become the weirdo who is out gardening with fingers-ful of diamonds. Locking it away in a safe every night was inconvenient. I was piling it up on Waterford ring holders and bowls next to my bathroom sink -- never even managed to get it in the jewelry drawer in my dressing room. And then I came up with the idea of keeping it in a Cottonelle wet wipes tub with folded up toilet paper, right next to the toilet. (I then have two tubs, one with real wipes, one jewelry. Very convenient for me. And the ordinary jewelry is still in the jewelry drawer with enough fake bling that a burglar would think that's what I had been flashing around and all that I own.

I better remember to tell them where the valuables are in the piles of junk!

YES do this!! Very important. As my father's dementia progressed, he started hiding jewelry in bowls of pennies all over the house. I did not know this. Desperate to get his house ready for market, I just walked around dumping the pennies in the trash (too much hassle to take to coin center). And then I saw the sparkle of a diamond tennis bracelet. I *think* I retrieved it all, but not 100% confident. His late wife had made copious lists of antiques mostly for insurance purposes which came in handy too -- what it was, what it was worth, newspaper articles referencing the item. However like in your case, @KathrynK your kids may find that there really is no market for the collectibles. So they may have an insurance value of $1000 but one can't sell it or even give it away. (This is why I have an attic full of Federalist tables and mirrors that no one will buy but I feel too guilty to give away as they were so precious to my father. In the 1990s my son made me save a full set of unopened Spice Girl dolls as he was sure they would be worth a fortune one day. Sure enough, 20 years later they are selling on Ebay for exactly what I paid for them 20 years ago. Haha

 

[Munchkin]

YES do this!! Very important. As my father's dementia progressed, he started hiding jewelry in bowls of pennies all over the house. I did not know this. Desperate to get his house ready for market, I just walked around dumping the pennies in the trash (too much hassle to take to coin center). And then I saw the sparkle of a diamond tennis bracelet. I *think* I retrieved it all, but not 100% confident. His late wife had made copious lists of antiques mostly for insurance purposes which came in handy too -- what it was, what it was worth, newspaper articles referencing the item. However like in your case, @KathrynK your kids may find that there really is no market for the collectibles. So they may have an insurance value of $1000 but one can't sell it or even give it away. (This is why I have an attic full of Federalist tables and mirrors that no one will buy but I feel too guilty to give away as they were so precious to my father. In the 1990s my son made me save a full set of unopened Spice Girl dolls as he was sure they would be worth a fortune one day. Sure enough, 20 years later they are selling on Ebay for exactly what I paid for them 20 years ago. Haha

Here's a memory for me! After my parents, grands, and my H died, I was left with mountains of STUFF. It took me 5 freaking years to get to the point where I could park a car in my garage! And I am still getting rid of STUFF. One of the big problems was I couldn't just toss it. I found a lot of money being used as bookmarks and things like gold coins in button boxes. So every single thing had to be gone through completely. It was a nightmare!

 

[Clematis]

Oh I hear ya, @Munchkin. My husband and I are both the eldest so ended up with everyone's "precious" crap. (And do not fool yourself: all that stuff you cherish is just someone else's emotional burden when you're gone. The best thing you can do for your kids is to throw out your own ****!! If you think its worth something, sell it now and give them the money.)

My husband not only won't get rid of his father's stuff, he won't even allow anyone to TOUCH the boxes, even himself, as I think he becomes overwhelmed by the emotion. The boxes were waist high and filled the kitchen anteroom for 7 years until one day while he was on a business trip I moved them to the attic. He was absolutely livid but I just shrugged and said it was time and that it was all safe should he ever want to look at it. It's been 17 years since his father died and he still hasn't opened a box.

And then a son moved home and deposited the contents of a 2 bedroom house in my garage, living room and dining room. That was a YEAR ago.

It never ends.