[GH85Carrera]

My credit card and my debit card are monitored closely. Over the years each has had someone charge something against them.

The credit card company called me. I figured it was a scam so I got her extension and called the phone number on the back of the card. Asked for that extension and there she was. She asked if I was in Italy at a dive shop buying scuba gear. Since I was at home the answer was no. They canceled the card and sent me a new one. It did not cost me a dime, just some time to get some of the automatic charges changed to the new card number.

My debit card number was stolen at a local restaurant. Some very stupid employee was going after the debit cards for that same credit union I use. They canceled the bogus charges and I just drove to the Credit Union and they gave me a new card on the spot. They said they had over 100 cards ripped off by the same guy that sold them on the internet. He was arrested.

Shortly before my trip I will call my credit card company and tell them I am driving to California. Mostly because I am lazy I will charge everything for the trip on the credit card. It is real easy to see exactly how much I spent on my vacation by looking at the total bill. I track it out of curiosity.