No $$

Ariel texted me last night saying that her debit card information had been stolen and her account had been drained.  I didn't even know what to say to her, I just kept thinking this is so shitty, I wonder if she can file it with her bank and get her money back or not.  I felt so bad for her and was thinking 'Oh I should get online and check my account just to be safe.'  I hadn't really checked it in probably 10 days or so.  I was just thinking it would be a responsible thing to do, ya know, just keep a closer eye on it in case something like that were to happen to me.  

So this morning I went to a little cafe and was doing my homework when Ariel came to meet me. She said how she had called the 24 hour line and had her account frozen, but because it was Columbus day the day before in the states and because we are an 8 hour difference from Montana, she hadn't been able to call her actual bank yet.  It reminded me I should check my account.  So I got on and couldn't believe it.  My account was $250 in the red. Holy shit.  How is this possible?  How do we both get hacked at the same time?  That is the worst feeling.  In 2 days someone had taken 36 small withdraws from ATMs in Italy and completely  drained my account. 

We realized what must have happened was when we went to Venice the other weekend, we both stopped at the same ATM right after we left the train station.   It had to have been that because all of the fraudulent withdraws on my card were from Venice.  

I called my 24 hour line and had my card cancelled and because of the time difference my parents got a wake up call at 5 in the morning.  Everyone kept trying to reassure us that we would get our money back and that it would be ok, but I was just not sure.  I understand with a credit card how they can just reverse the charges that were put on, but it was a debit card.  They went to atms and took cash out. The money is gone. How does a bank reimburse people for money that is gone?   I had to wait until 4 O clock my time before I could call my bank back home, so I spent my whole day just waiting and feeling so helpless.  

I finally got ahold of them and talked to the lady about which charges were and weren't mine and she was like, "well I have to run the numbers and process the claim. I should have the money back in your account by tonight hopefully.  Wow. I was expecting it to be a very lengthy process.  I still haven't heard anything, but I actually have hope that I will not be broke for the rest of my time in Italy.  I was starting to think I was going to have to try and get a job here! 

We'll see tomorrow what it looks like and if anything has gotten straightened out.  

It was also very sickening because I leave for London on Friday.  I have my ticket and room already, but its almost impossible to travel and not spend a single dime.  I still am not quite sure what I'm going to do about that.   I have very little cash on me.  It will all work out I'm sure, but I may be borrowing money from someone until I get a new card.  Difficult. 

This kid asked Ariel awhile ago if me and her were BFFLs (apparently that is Best Friends For Life) because we're always together. She was kinda like, heh no, we just get each other.  Its easy to hang out with one another.  

I am starting to think maybe we ARE becoming BFFLs.  We can't even get our bank accounts hacked alone, we gotta do it together. Jeez…