I generally could spot good computer scams when they arrived as innocent e-mails. NO! I will not update my payment information at the request of Amazon when the return email is billing4you@amazon.com. NO! I do not want a $100 free gift card to Walmart when the return e-mail is dave@walmert.com. I thought I was oh, so clever!

Thursday, I received a phone message from the Citizens Bank Fraud Department asking me to call them right away because of a suspected scheme to withdraw thousands of dollars from my bank account from a European location. I tried to get into my on-line banking but was denied access. Nervously calling the number, Alfred, a professional sounding gentleman, was on the other end of the line. Because I did not have access to my bank account information, he asked me my Social Security number which was given to him without hesitation. He recounted the situation, which was confirmed as fraud, and no money was actually taken out. He then hit me with a bombshell…because this potential intruder had access to my on-line banking information, the accounts had to immediately be canceled. WHAT? It would be impossible to cancel 9 bank accounts because they were so varied. Many bills were paid automatically out of them, and the addresses and account numbers which would no longer be in my repertoire without access to my on-line banking. There were direct Social Security deposits for three of my adult children with disabilities, along with accompanying checking accounts for their spending money and bill paying. Also, included were Hubby’s and my savings and checking accounts, along with a checking account for the church account for which I am a signatory. Lamenting to the guy on the telephone, he reminded me that the alternative was to have someone in Europe empty them out because they now had the account and routing numbers.

Hurrying to the bank, I met with Joseph Tahan, a customer service rep at the Strawberry Field Road branch of Citizens Bank. After recounting my story about the fraud call, he told me that the call itself was probably a fraud. When he asked if I had given him any personal information, the blood drained from my face, remembering how easily my Social Security number flowed from my tongue. Checking my accounts on his computer monitor, Joe assured me that all was well, and proceeded to assist me in regaining access to my on-line banking…except nothing we tried worked, even after calling a supervisor for assistance. Just as annoyance started to creep in, the supervisor called back. It appeared that the fraud threat call WAS real, and all the bank accounts associated with my name had to be closed. The situation turned from a simple sign on to on-line banking to having to cancel and reopen nine accounts.

Trying to make a joke out of a serious situation, I asked Joe if they were having a contest at the bank to see which rep would open the most bank accounts, thinking adding nine new ones to the list might put him over the top. Alas, no such contest existed. The next several hours were spent meticulously eliminating any existing accounts and commencing the time-consuming process of creating 9 new accounts.

Joe was the utmost professional through all of this. Although he must have been as frustrated as I was, he never gave any indication that this wasn’t anything other than normal routine for him. Each account required new signature cards, telephone numbers, PIN numbers and personal preferences regarding overdraft protection. (Yes, Steven should be allowed to charge extra money on his ATM card if he needs gas and there is no more money in his account. No, Marie DEFINITELY should not be allowed to charge any more than what is in the account as she would take advantage of this benefit.) Joe had to keep track of the amount of money that was in each account to transfer it to the respective new account. Oh, and I needed to get $100 spending money somewhere out of the mix. Joe was very patient and thanked me for MY patience. At the end of all the transactions, Joe put everything in a green folder, handed it to me, and pleasantly told me to have a nice day!