And Today's Invasion of Privacy Is Brought to You By...

Well, okay, maybe I shouldn't blame them completely.  But a recent and bizarre connection to this store gives me another reason why it is much better to spend the day under my bed.

My quiet and restful evening at home was disrupted by a phone call.  

"Hi, this is Home Depot.  We want to confirm that this gentleman here is authorized to pick up the lawn mower and weed whacker you bought on line."

Say what?

"Did you purchase this items on line?"

Say what again?

She asked me if I was the person on the account.  And, to my astonishment, she read off my full name, home address, and phone number.  I noted that the first name used was Leonard which is my name on only two documents --- my driver's license and my income tax returns.

The store clerk started to figure out there was a problem.  Especially when she noticed while talking to me on the phone that the guy looking to pick up the weed whacker and lawn mower had just bolted out of the store.

I started to sweat.  I've had personal security breaches in the past, but that was all bank-related.  While talking to this girl on the phone, I went on-line to look at my bank account.  All was fine.   

I insisted on more details on this transaction which clearly was not mine but certainly scary enough.   I was pointed to the Home Depot card center for further details.

"Sir, these items were purchased on your Home Depot credit car."

Um, don't have one.

The credit guy again was able to recite my complete name, home address, and phone number.

I began to wonder if, like the IRS and the Federal Government, the California DMV had experienced a hacking.

I get more details for this dude.  The Home Depot that the thief tried to pick up the gardening tools was in Kern County.  Er, where is that?  Hmm, near Bakersfield?  Good.  Never been there in my life.  The e-mail address attached to the account with my name on it was "Markgreco@aol.com."  Also, not remotely me.

The entire transaction was stopped.   While on hold for a while, I listened to the automated advertisements.  Home Depot touting the ease and wonderment of their "Buy On-line, Pick Up in the Store" program.  Uh huh.  And, oh, yes, Home Depot tells me on hold...there was a recent security breach regarding Home Depot credit cards.   That would be good to know if I had one.   Because I was being ripped off without having one.

After profuse apologies all around, I still had little closure.  How did this happen?  My bank account is protected.  Is the process of getting a Home Depot credit card so simple that anybody can get one using another person's identity?

Well, they did it with my Social Security Number.   The grand slam of hacking.   This happened to me once before about 15 years ago.   I did all the usual resulting actions.   Credit reports.  New passwords.  Enhanced fraud alerts.

All of which, in our worlds, are becoming amazingly routine, he said sadly.
  
All I know is that there are bad people out there.  I am vacuuming up the dust and lint under my bed.  I want a clean spot to reside in the rest of my born days.

Dinner last night:  Sandwich in the NY apartment.