A story on credit card fraud in Makati

My colleague went shopping in a major and reputable appliance store in Makati (Clue: Starts with an A). When it was time to pay, she handed her credit card to the sales lady, who mysteriously disappeared for more than 15 minutes.

When the sales lady came back, my friend asked if there was anything wrong with the credit card. She said no, and quickly processed the payment.

The next day, my colleague got a call from her credit card issuer, and reported a number of unusual activities in her credit card. Thankfully, the transactions were reversed.

Lesson learned: Don’t let your credit card out of your sight.

Of course this is easier said than done when paying in restaurants, that’s why I usually use Smart Money to pay in restaurants because I am informed in real time when the card is head, and it needs to be unlocked with a code before it can be used for online purchases.

Hopefully we could also start implementing in the Philippines the practice of the waiters bringing the credit card swiper to your table so that your credit card is never out of your sight when paying.

A belated goodbye

Two years ago, I took on a job in advertising … with fear & insecurity. I knew the creative mind that is required. And knowing the ultimate left brain that I am, I doubted until the minute I was signing the contract if they or I were making a terrible mistake.

At this point in this entry, I’m supposed to give a summary of what transpired in the last couple of years. But a paragraph or two just can’t give justice to the experience.

A month ago, I officially left that company, & I’m guessing, the industry. I wish I kept a journal or took more pictures during my stint. I would’ve loved to remember all the details, especially when I’ve already moved on to my next adventure.

It was one helluva ride. And the people are still terribly missed.

Til next time.

Stay tuned

As some of you have probably noticed, this website is undergoing a revamp.

Although the posts & comments have already been migrated, there is still a lot to do:

  • Redirecting the old URLs of the posts to its new URLs
  • Making the theme more pleasing to the eye
  • Possibly integrating with the Disqus commenting system (still deliberating)
  • Clean up of all files & folders within the server

The Corruption in EMS Philippines

I lost my faith in the International Express Mail Service (EMS) in the Philippines. And lost a certain amount of faith in the country in the process.

I had two packages sent from abroad to the Philippines, worth $17 each. Both were sent on the same day. One was delivered right at my doorstep, and was paid P35.00.

The other package didn’t arrive. Instead, I received a parcel notice from EMS, informing me that I need to pick up the package at the EMS head office near the domestic airport in Pasay City.

Continue reading The Corruption in EMS Philippines