Live From New York . . .

[Jenifer Madson]

... and I discovered that someone hacked into my checking account and spent all the money.

I was in the Big Apple for a few days of client meetings and a high tea, and had taken a few moments to check my bank account online, as I do at least twice a week, no matter what my travel schedule.

I got online, logged in, and stared at the initial page, which showed a negative balance. It took a minute before I could digest the information and go on to the screen that would show me why.

There, on the second page, were the transactions that caused this sickening situation. Transactions for which I was not present. According to the bank representative that I promptly connected with, while I was at tea, someone in Brooklyn was having a shopping spree on me.

This actually started about ten days before, when I noticed an entry for a gas company that included NY, NY in the transaction detail. Not wanting to believe it could be fraud, I immediately thought it must just be their corporate information, that I must have visited that station at home recently and they were just now catching up with the electronic details. Except we don't have that company in Denver, it doesn't cost that much to fill up my car and I had just been to a gas station three days before. I called the bank and they started an investigation. I didn't notice anything fishy again until the end of that week.

We can't figure out how the thieves got my information - as careful as I am, they still got to me. All I could do was close the account, freeze the other ones with that bank and work to straighten it out.

Take A Minute:
Do you have instant access to your bank accounts and a regular system for balancing them?

Make A Minute:
Get online banking, check your information regularly and guard it more strongly than ever!

We don't think this kind of fraud can happen to us, but it can. Next time I will act more quickly, and close an account the first time I suspect it has been tampered with. I am so happy that the check balancing system I have in place alerted me before any more damage could be done, and will be ever more diligent in protecting my information in the future.

[David Sandusky]

Important advice. This kind of invasion is common place anymore. Unfortunately many people have been attacked.

Not always internet hacks by the way.

It happened to me via void check and information on an insurance application. ID theft - full attempt. A watchful young customer service rep at my bank stopped the bleeding when he fielded a person claiming to be me in an attempt to change address and contact info. Red flag went up so the rep put the fake me on hold and called the real me - nice work! Unfortunately T.V.s and the like where being purchased - nice ones

Watch your accounts regularly like Jenifer advises. And make sure your bank has policy to react immediately.