Techno Troubles, Credit Card Hack

[Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland.]

3/11/23

 

Aloha, Familycicles ---

 

My week has been focused on overcoming modern dependence on technology.  As I mentioned in my last email,  I've had several encounters with the not-so-convenient side of tech.

 

I'll start with the most recent one.  A week ago last Thursday we got an email from our credit card company asking if we had made a specific charge that their system had flagged as suspicious.  We hadn't, and when I checked our account online I found a few others that we hadn't made, either.  I replied "no" to the email, which immediately froze the account. The company issued new cards with a different number, supposedly to arrive "2nd Day Air," (a joke here in Hawai'i, in the same category as Amazon's "Same Day Delivery." ) This is a rewards card we use frequently, and it's tied to a number of services that are charged automatically (like monthly renewals of our internet, tv channel subscriptions, cell phone service, etc.), so we were eager to get it replaced. We have other credit card accounts, so we weren't entirely thrown into the dark ages of cash and checks, but switching would be a major inconvenience.  Anyway, on Saturday we got another email about another suspicious charge -- this one using the new number, despite the fact we hadn't yet received the cards!  I had a long chat with the security folks about how this could happen.  At first they suggested somebody here had intercepted the new cards, but I finally convinced them that they hadn't even been delivered (in fact, the cards showed up on Monday afternoon).  The new numbers were cancelled and second set of cards were sent.  The agent was puzzled but then discovered the card info had been linked to a Google Wallet (which we don't have), allowing it to be used without being physically present and which is automatically updated if the account number or expiration date changes (!).  The agent was able to shut down the link, and presumably this should take care of the problem.  It isn't clear how and when the nefarious ne'er-do-well got our credit card info. We are usually very careful with it -- we even cover our security code on the back of our cards.  However, traveling involves many times when your credit card can be out of sight for a few minutes and give some bad actor easy access to the information. Making purchases online exposes it as well, unless you use something like PayPal or a digital wallet like Google's or Apple's.  Anyway, we got the 2nd replacement cards on Wednesday and so far so good.  Geez, what a pain, however.

The other two techno-problems have been with devices.  First, about a week ago my stereo receiver (less than two years old) suddenly stopped streaming content to our t.v..  I spent several hours trying to pinpoint the problem (different cables, different t.v.'s, different ways of connecting, etc.) before concluding the problem was definitely in the receiver.  The next step was to try to get warranty repair, which likely would have involved sending the unit to some facility off-island and waiting for it to get fixed.  My techno-savvy neighbor then suggested what I should have thought of myself --- REBOOT.  This is usually my go-to first step in solving most techno-problems, but this time the receiver programming seemed like a long shot.  Well, I did the reboot and voila! Problem solved.  It may have been that during all the stormy weather we've had lately an electric surge or some lightning-produced static electricity somehow zapped the firmware code.  Anyway, except for the hours of hassle and about a week of reduced quality sound, everything is now fine.

Finally, about the same time as the receiver problem, my 3+-year-old phone developed two issues in a row.  First, the charging port went kerflooey.  I was still able to charge it wirelessly, but not with a cord, a definite inconvenience while traveling, say while on a plane. I took it to a local cell phone repair shop and got the port replaced in just a couple of hours for less than $100.  All is good, right?  No.  A couple of days later I noticed problems with some of the sounds -- incoming text notifications were no longer triggering an audible signal, and sometimes an incoming call sound starting fairly loud but then quickly became very faint.  I checked all the settings, REBOOTED, and went into the geekosphere to look for solutions.  Nada.  I took it to the repair shop and the technician verified that according to the software settings it should be working.  She also insisted that replacing the charging port couldn't have caused the sound issue.  As a last gasp effort, I did a factory reset of the phone which is more than just a reboot because it resets the phone software completely.  Still didn't help.  My solution is to get a new phone --- well, not new-new.  I've ordered a certified refurbished one that should arrive in the next few days.  This was much cheaper than buying a new pristine phone, and since it is the same model as the old one, I don't have to relearn how to use it.  If this would have happened a year or two from now I would have welcomed the chance to upgrade to the latest and greatest, but it seemed hard to justify at the present time.  Anyway, I'll keep you posted on how this works out.

Ok after this long litany of techno-woes, I will close on a more positive note.  We've had some gorgeous

Spot the Ball

weather this week, the solar pv system is really cranking, the pool temperature has become comfortable enough for us to do our daily workouts, and we were able to get in 16 holes of golf on Thursday.  Alas, the weather was far better Thursday than my performance, but it was still an enjoyable outing.

Off to market and a beach breakfast picnic.  Take care.  Praise be to the center!