Phoney Tuesday

I got up earlier than yesterday, but I was still half an hour late. Mippies all joined me on the bed as I watched episodes of Downton Abbey - it's really hard to move, when they're all cuddled around me! It's such a precious time! Even Mewthos joined us! At one point, they were having another lick-fest ... Mini is always separate from the family, though. She likes to curl up near my head or in my arms, or, when I'm sitting up, between my legs. And when you're part of such a cuddle fest, you don't want to move ... so I end up watching late ...

Well, I placed the order for groceries ... now I'm pretty much broke. No worries, though, as I now have everything I need. Wanna hear a joke? I'm already busy with another shopping list! I'm considering buying a coffee grinder. Giving me the option to buy beans, as well as ground coffee. I saw a beautiful manual grinder - I'd love that! And it's not too expensive, either ... but then I remembered my advancing years. Having to turn that handle may become an issue, and I'm not exactly strong, so grinding coffee beans may be just a bit more than I'll be pleased with.

I just had a strange call. Supposedly from my bank's fraud division, stating that there was a debit order of R99 deducted from my account which raised alarm, as my signature was not on it. Okay, sounds legit. So we confirm that I did not authorise a debit order. I'll be receiving an SMS confirming cancellation. Okay, so far so good. In that message I'm also informed of a refund due to me. Of R2850. Apparently that amount had been deducted as a result of the fraudulent debit order ... which puzzled me. 2850/99 = ... not an integer.

So now I must go to my app ... uhm, I don't have the app. Long conversation about how I should get the banking app on my smartphone ... after I've twice stated that I don't have a smartphone!

Okay, so via PC. I log into my banking portfolio ... and the doesn't know the menu ... tells me to go to 'next' or 'continue' ... well, I check my debit orders and there is nothing strange on that list. "Yes, because I've cancelled it. Now go to the 'Send Cash' so you can receive your refund." Okay, go there ... I don't see anything where I can accept a refund. Just sending cash ... now I play stupid.

He was seriously convincing, though. Constantly repeating how banks are not allowed to ask for personal details, etc, etc, Repeating several safety measures, was well spoken and sounded very professional.

In retrospect, I gather his goal was to send me a link on my smartphone, which, if I follow the link, gives him access to my account or approves payment from my account to his ... or something of that kind. Since I do not admit to having a smartphone, he tried to get me to send the money to him via online banking. But he wasn't familiar with the Capitec website. And I can do 'stupid' really well - it's the only acting I can do convincingly ... I'm not sure whether that's something to be proud of, though, ha ha ha!

In further retrospect, to add up to R2850, the R99 must also have been deducted for over two years ... without my knowledge? No way! Okay, so I don't check my statement as often as I should ... but that's just not likely.

Well, I called the banks fraud line and they confirmed this was most likely a scam. One they've heard of before, the goal being to get clients to follow a link sent to their smartphone ... and no, they don't know how they get my number, or how they know who I bank with.

Okay. I'm about to do a bad thing ... spend more money! I've done my sums, and - if I don't pay my Credit Card nor buy electricity this month, but wait till after payday, then I should be fine. And if I don't get paid ... it won't make any difference anyway. I'll have to ask for payment in drips and drabs as I need it. And I still have electricity on my meter.

So, what's got me on the brink of the dark side? You can't guess? Ha ha, a coffee grinder, of course! I was going to leave it till next month, but made the mistake of amusing myself by going through their current specials. I thought of adding a bag of chocolate chips for my muffins, but they are just too expensive ... so I went through their lowest priced specials. And added a cat shaped cookie cutter ... and then stumbled across a Rösti maker! Well, actually it just mashes boiled potatoes ... and I have a masher ... but just never use it. This, however, I would use! I'm sure of it!

Both are an extravagance, I know. And I really shouldn't. Especially, as I also have to add some coffee beans to the cart, so I can play with my new toy.

Ha ha, I'm still thinking ... for such a long time, that I got a mail reminder about my cart! Well?

Done! And the good news is: I can't pay with my debit card ... they only take credit card, so it doesn't affect my budget, only when I top up my credit card to keep it black!

Right, I'm in for a fun weekend!

Sheez! Mewthos just had me end up flat on the floor in the lounge! We were 'playing' our monthly game of 'catch me if you can' - when I give them their spot-on treatment. For some reason they absolutely detest the treatment, and once I treat one, the rest realise what's coming and dash out of reach. I caught Ziva perched behind the store of treats in their room's wardrobe, then cornered Janey in the bathroom. Mini was easy, I just put her on my lap - no problem. Mewthos, however, tried to make a dash for it. I cornered him under the chair by the front door, he tried to get away while I held on to his rump - not wanting to hurt him nor pull his tail, I ended up leaning further and further down, until I toppled over and landed flat on the floor! Nothing hurt - I was so far bent down, it was more of a slow-slide, no falling involved. Though I did squirt a drop of spot-on on my forehead! Ha Ha Ha! Mewthos was so shocked seeing me flat on the floor, I could treat him with no problem!

Well, I've had my dinner and now I'm running my bath ... earlier today than last night!