Lane von Herzen: Data/Credit Card Breach

My Third Novel's Conclusion, My Heartbreak

My heart begins to break when I think about completing this particular book -- because this narrative has sustained me like no other story I've known. It's both more personal and more universal than my other works. But beyond memory and archetype, it's a cri-de-coeur about needing to become the person one is destined to be. And in the writing, I have met my own life's work, my own fated journey -- having the sense all the while that the pages are suffused with a resonance, an energy, an electrified field that defies explanation. Writers hope and pray to be overtaken by a work in this way -- to be conscripted into passionate service of a profound story. To experience it even once in a lifetime seems a great privilege. I still have several months before this novel is complete, and this constitutes my reprieve. Because I'm not ready for the beauty to end.

Monday, September 25, 2023

Data/Credit Card Breach

OIG Hotline, some important updates:

It appears that Amazon has been engaging in a degree of complicit activity with the FBI with regard to my account. I would hasten to add that this is almost certain practice for all "target of interest" Amazon accounts.

Neither of my sons placed a charge for $152.03 on September 16, 2023. Instead, Amazon, without explanation, charged a credit card that was not my default credit card for Amazon's annual Prime membership fee.

When I spoke to Amazon Customer Service Rep "Jules," she appeared to disconnect our call several times and engage in active duplicity several more. Ultimately, she could not explain this occurrence.

I have, in response, changed the number on my Alaska Visa card in order to prevent future fraudulent activity.

With regard to online data security, it may be noteworthy to mention that Genworth Insurance has repeatedly communicated to my husband and me that this company experienced a security breach recently. (Please see the letter below.) The company's response to this "privacy" violation was to recommend monitoring for identity theft by a company called Kroll. Ironically, in authorizing aggregation of all online information to a company like Kroll, through parent company PBI, consumers inadvertently waive all privacy rights.

Kroll can effectively serve as an indefinite repository of the worst disinformation the FBI and its affiliates have created concerning law-abiding American citizens.

Accordingly, my husband and I will not be activating Kroll's so-called "identity theft restoration services."

Instead, Genworth remains fully liable to us for all data breaches its company suffered at the hands of a malevolent third party.

We will be extending extra vigilance surrounding unusual credit card activity, as with my Amazon account.

Thank you for your forbearance as I attended to this unexplained use of my credit card this morning.