Column: Fun times in Michigan

As I'm sure is the case with most small businesses, there are times when things get tight financially.

This has been the case the past couple of months, and when I woke up Saturday morning I wanted to check my account to see if a couple of checks had cleared. I got a lot more than I bargained for, and not in a good way. In the back of my mind I always hope to open my account and see that a generous person has transferred me some money, but I'm pretty sure that's not ever going to happen. What I found instead shocked me. I had a purchase on my debit card that I didn't make for $144. After a little investigation, I found out the purchase had been made at a liquor store in Ecorse, Michigan. So it turns out someone 1,725 miles from me was having quite the time, and I wasn't even included.

At the exact time of the purchase, I was sitting in a tiny high school gym in Manhattan, so it surely wasn't me.

I once was in an airport in Detroit for a layover on the way to Atlanta, but that's the extent of my travels to the Great Lakes State.

I've had a few things fraud wise happen over the years, but this was not at a good time and I was upset. I talked with fraud prevention and they put a block on the card, but there was nothing I could do about it until Monday.

About three weeks ago I had ordered a replacement debit card after it had outlived its lifespan. My true crime thinking was that it ended up in Whitehall, Michigan. This may sound silly, but I've gotten mail in my PO Box for the town in Michigan, and we've had bills end up their too. I haven't gotten my card yet and it's been more than 10 to 14 estimated business days, but I thought it wasn't that big of a deal because it is around Christmas and the post office is busier than a liquor store in Ecorse, Michigan on New Years Eve.

I don't know how in their right mind people think it's okay to open a letter not addressed to them, see a card, and think wow, what a great early Christmas present – now let's throw a party courtesy of Jack Smith.

We live in a day and age of technology and fraud is more prevalent all the time. People are getting their cards hacks and their identities stoles quicker than you can say $144 worth of alcohol.

I don't have any experience hacking, but it can't be that easy to get online and get someone's card or identity. Imagine if these people put their skills to use for something that would benefit society. Invent a computer program that helps us all, become a scientist and cure disease, please just do something that doesn't hurt people around Christmas or any other time of year.

This very well could have been the old fashioned fraud of using a card in the mail. At this point I'm not sure, but either way someone is going to be getting coal from Santa -- and lots of it. I'll get the money back and it will go to Christmas presents for those who are close to me. I also was able to give a nice little Christmas present to some hoodlums in Michigan.