Debit Card Security

I came home from work yesterday and there was a voicemail from my banks security department urging me to call them immediately.
After calling in I was informed by a digital voice that my card had been used at a location that is currently being investigated for skimming and card duplication. I was then required to go to my local branch for a new card.



Upon arriving at the branch, I asked the teller what business in town was suspected and was told "I don't know. None of us do. Unless the police get involved nobody will ever know."


Might I say that this really bothered me. I use chip and pin technology. These "new security measures" are supposed to prevent this from happening and I am standing at a branch location having to be issued a new card and now have to (after 12 years) choose a new pin.


Besides the inconvenience of the whole ordeal, the most disturbing thing is that the business in question benefits from complete privacy and is still allowed to open it's doors every day and breach the trust of it's customers.



WHAT IF.... businesses that were being investigated or charged were publicized and held accountable. In a day and age of FOIP and privacy, where is the line that says we have taken it too far??



In the name of privacy we have eliminated accountability and integrity in business dealings in this capacity. I am all for protecting a persons personal identity (especially online) however I feel that individuals should loose that right if they are participating in theft, bullying or trying to remain anonymous while exercising "freedom of speech" because they are too cowardly to receive the backlash of their "freedom of speech".



What do I do now? Well...... I guess I will start memorizing my new pin.

Non Profit: Do you Donate?

Since picking up blogging again, I have kept a notebook in my purse anytime a topic comes up that would be interesting to blog about. I work for a very large non profit and currently they are running their "family campaign".

I've been in the non profit sector for 5 years now and have observed the great differences in running and managing charitable organizations. Everyone feels (of course) that they are doing amazing work and are always after the almighty dollar to keep things running.

I have sat around boardroom tables and discussion have been had about the expectation of board members financially contributing to the organizations they volunteer with. Of course there was some push back. This got me thinking. We do the work we do because we want to make a difference (why else would you work for lower than average wages?) but at the end of the day do we really believe enough to personally sacrifice a few dollars each month to support the "great work" we are doing?

If I do not believe enough in the work I do to contribute some dollars each month then perhaps I should not be there. If we expect donors to open their pocketbooks and support us then maybe we need to also be accountable and follow suit as well. I'm not talking tons of money here, if you donate $20.00 a paycheck, at the end of the year that's $ 480.00. If all your staff do that, in my mind going to funders with that bit of information is more powerful then the number of volunteer hours.
I'm sure there are those reading that would maybe disagree, or maybe not.
I'd love your feedback on this one.