Z says goodbye

It’s the Headteacher’s last day.  I’ve been in to see him, as I have done nearly every week for the past four years, but we didn’t talk about governance, just chatted.  His PA is also retiring, after more than twenty years at the school.  They will both be hugely missed.

Not that any of us look back, we’re a forward-thinking lot.  Our Deputy Head is taking over for the next two terms and she is exceptionally good, and then we will have a new Head in September.  The DH is not a caretaker in any sense, she will bring in her own ideas and we’ll keep moving forward.

I have found out how my credit card was hacked.  I had a letter this morning from my travel insurance company: it is they whose security was breached.  I knew it had to be someone I’d dealt with online, the card had never been out of my possession, no one but me knows the PIN (and it’s not written down and each card has its own, different PIN) and I’ve only used it with reputable companies – if in doubt, I use PayPal.  Apparently, my card number would not have been accessed, but the three-digit number on the back could have been, so they must have got the card number itself from elsewhere.  I bought the insurance at the end of March and they were hacked into in October, so there was no likelihood I could have worked it out.  But it’s not what goes wrong, it’s how it is put right that matters and I’ve been impressed with B/card and now am satisfied with the insurance company.  And I don’t have to wonder any more and can put it out of my mind, relieved at least that I hadn’t done anything wrong that caused the situation.

7 comments on “Z says goodbye

  1. Blue Witch

    Was that the travel insurance company that I suggested, or did you find a better one? If so it could explain how I know so many people whose cards have been hacked.

    Most people never find out how it happened – and I’m surprisedd the company owned up, so good on them for that. But, you would think that in this day and age they’d have secururity worked out.

    Reply
  2. Z Post author

    Yes, it was that one – the card number had been encrypted, so their security was good enough for that. Yes, I appreciate being told. B/card notified me before they knew about the company’s hacking, which was discovered in mid-November, so it makes their prompt reaction all the more impressive. A good thing I’d given them my mobile phone number, as I was away from home.

    Reply
  3. Blue Witch

    Given that that company have done a lot of advertising in publications of groups that are largely older age groups, who will have more pre-existing problems (eg WI, WEA, U3A, NT, EH, quilting groups etc etc), along with higher credit limits on credit cards and – I would suspect – more unused credit, one cynically wonders whether the hackers targeted them specifically.

    Does explain why almost everyone I know who travels abroad has been hacked – they’ve all been using the good value insurance! I also know several people who’ve needed to use it and they seem excellent in a crisis, and to pay up promptly and fairly.

    I’d still use a credit card online every time and NEVER a debit card or Paypal (much more hassle to sort out a fraudulent transaction linked to a current account, or where the money from your account has gone and needs replacing, rather than fraud involving a credit card where the money hasn’t been paid by you. Even if your Paypal account isn’t linked to your current account, but rather to your credit card, you don’t get the CC’s S.75 protection and Paypal are much harder to deal with than CC companies.

    That last bit is more for anyone who may be reading who doesn’t know than for you Z!

    Reply
  4. Z Post author

    I’ve never needed to claim but I have phoned them and they were very helpful. And they add a few pounds and take an existing medical condition into account – since anyone could argue that a dodgy hip caused a fall, even if it didn’t, that was far better than the much more expensive company that specialises in the over-50s. And yes, now I’ve experienced the efficiency and sympathetic response I received on the phone from the credit card company, I’m very reassured. I’m very careful in any case, but it can be easy to be caught out – well, anyone but you, BW.

    Reply

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