Why you may wonder, would I title this post in such a passionate way? Well dear reader, it’s an accurate description of more than my state of mind. I’ve been hacked – my bank accounts, credit card – someone else has figured out all my automated protections and managed to get their undeserving hands on some of my money. Despite three replacement credit cards, this mischievous little imp (that is so not what I’m thinking) has been showing his/her determination by continuing to try to withdraw some very impressive sums (once even before the card was activated). The amounts themselves don’t reflect my history at all (which helps prove to the bank that this isn’t me – it’s the pseudo-psycho me who I’ve never met). So all is now frozen, fraud alerts are placed on everything that even sounds like my name and I’m thinkin’ this is not what Mahalia Jackson meant when she sang “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands”.
I really don’t like the idea that anyone can ‘hack’ into one’s personal or financial information. I feel that being hacked needs to remain within the realm of the individual. I should be able to choose whether or not I want to be hacked off. So, not only has this person stolen my information, they have taken away my choice about when I want to feel hacked off.
You know, there’s enough going on in my little insulated world at the moment – for starters, there are a couple of disconcerting messages that my body keeps sending which medical science is still trying to interpret (sometimes I can be a little opaque), my continuous quest for world peace, an end to famine and the slowing of global warming. Trying to spread a little good karma takes some effort, you know? Basically this is very distracting and really inconvenient whoever-you-are (I’m assuming you’ve hacked into my blog too – you must be the spammer that emails constantly with the uplifting message “Dear Webmaster, We note that searches for your site on Google are very low…..”). There’s also a few days away starting Wednesday which I can’t even prepare for because my accounts are frozen (ok, I don’t really need anything, but that’s not the point).
Will I be bothered by this in five years? I doubt it, and that’s usually my threshold for determining what will and will not totally piss me off. But I am annoyed. And I don’t like the feeling that someone can – without any sense of conscience – access my data without asking for my okay. I mean, I’m a sucker for a good story – if this person told me the money was needed to help a starving family, I would have been an easy mark. Did you really have to go and hack me off every which way from Sunday? Well just remember buddy – if you’re not nice, karma can be a bitch – and I’m comforted by the fact that the truck is gonna roll up your driveway one of these days – and will you be hacked off.
Waiting for the Karma Truck 
Sorry about your dilemma. It has happened to us three times in four years. Fortunately, we took advantage of some of one of the protection companies and it has worked to keep us from losing funds, but the inconvenience hassle of changing all the credit card numbers affiliated with online services, passwords, PINs, etc. is infuriating. If the hackers would use their skills for legitimate purposes there is no telling how much further along we would be instead of spending so much time, energy, and resources protecting ourselves against them. Hope you get it all straighten out soon and can enjoy your time away.
Richard
Thanks Richard – we are now using one of the protection companies too..And yo’re right – if these people could use their impressive skills in a more legitimate way, we all would be better off..:-)
So sorry you have this aggravation. Would it help if I get TheCapt on the case?
I always need The Capt!!
So sorry to hear that happened… I hope it’s resolved quickly and you can get on with your normal productive awesomeness!
Thanks so much – it certainly put a little chink in my productivity – but I guess I can only stew for so long..:-)
I certainly hope whomever did this not only gets a visit from the karma truck, but, indeed some day gets flattened by its tires. Kudos to you, dear friend, for that extra bit of optimism, thinking that maybe the money was for a starving family et al. Sorry for your aggravation and angst. I would like to be at the wheel when what goes round comes round.
Thanks Jo – in the great big scheme of things, this is not the end of the world and it will work itself out (and if you happen to be on the karma truck when it visits this person’s driveway I will be all the happier…:-))…
It happened to me about a seven years ago. Not to rain on your parade, but I am still angry about it today. What made it worse for me was the complete lack of any desire to investigate it by the police. The police need to hire a few sixteen year olds and start fighting fire with fire. The only way to stop hackers is to use better hackers. I think this is an issue that will get much worse before it gets better.
I am truly sorry for the irratation this is and will continue to cause you.
I do think that this will get worse before it gets better. Apple now has to deal with its fallibility and the sheer frequency with which this happens seems to be increasing daily. I also agree that if people can do this with impunity, there is no incentive to stop trying to crack privacy walls – to some its a game or a challenge and the moral wrongness of their actions clearly is secondary to their desire to be able to best a computer. Thanks, m
I’m sorry AND ticked off too! If I hear anyone answer to Mimi I’ll do a citizen’s arrest!
Thanks Carrie!!! There’s nothing like a buddy having your back!!!