nativetexan

I see more young people not taking care of their purses, just letting them hang behind their bodies or letting the strap hand in their fingertips. makes me cringe. I hold mine close to my body with my elbow over it. always have.

In Houston, my sister had her purse ripped out of her arms in a pharmacy and she chased the thief out to his car and beat on his window! she didn't get her purse back but he just drove off, thank goodness.

CoyoteQuilts

A tip about your cards: Make photo copies of front and back so if this ever happens you have phone and card numbers.

It has been on the increase around here too.

Sweetness

Ack! I know that's the first thing instinct makes us do. But she's lucky that's all that happened. Especially living in Houston!

Sweetness

I'm sorry. I hope that the companies handle your issues quickly and I'm glad it wasn't your ATM card. My friend had 2 $300 transactions on her ATM card back to back. The only thing that saved her was the cash withdrawl limit. She was at a gas station ATM and the best they can figure out somehow it didn't log her out at the end (or time out) and the next person took the most advantage he could before using his ATM card. When I'm going out shopping I don't carry a purse anymore, I make sure to wear jeans and put my cell phone in one of the front pockets & drivers license/CC/cash in the other.

Momma_K

This time of year I don't do CC's or checks. I do however make sure I have plenty of cash when I go shopping. I never ever keep it in my purse but in "Grandma's Bank" my bra! I've been told many of times that was the smartest thing to do, men as well tell me they don't blame me, their wife does the same thing then smile. But I do remove it with a little class and privacy. But I don't take the risk of getting ripped off! Also I never put my reciept in the bag with the items I bought. If you get ripped off then they can return the merchandis, so keep your reciepts in your coat pocket along with the change you don't put in your bra!
OK, so it sounds stupid, crude and hillbillyish, but it works!

Ramona Byrd

I absolutely LOVE inside pockets in jackets. It really burns me up that men get them all the time in their jackets, but ours cost as much or more and still we don't have that sort of protection for our credit cards, money or IDs. I try to find matching fabric for mine and make patch pockets, or else a regular pocket inside, under the breast which hides it. A good jacket will have enough of a "drop" to let it be unnoticed.
And I always, every single trip to a grocery store or other stores, see women sit their open purse in the shopping cart and then wonder away, or lean over looking at stuff, while masses of other people walk right by it. I try to warn them and they are always shocked to discover they've done something so stupid, but I've seen the same ones doing the very same thing, in the same visit!! They'll have to learn the hard way.

mmonohon

As a previous assistant manager of a small business, you have access to the card company number at all times because it has to be on every machine as well as in the office. You call that company and they can forward you accordingly if needed. It brings up a lot of questions that the manager was unaware of this.....

Vanuatu Jill

How horrible for you!! My DH is always getting after me for not paying close enough attention to my purse when at the store-grocery especially-I've been lucky so far. I learned a trick somewhere and I do it all the time now-I wind the child seat belt in the basket around the strap of my purse and click it closed so it will be much harder to snatch it, and put my cloth chopping totes on top of my purse. Sorry this happened-and hope they catch the #$%@#$&*'s in the act of using them!

nycbgirl

Wow! The things people are doing to get our money! I also wind the seat belt throught the straps of my purse and put groceries on top of my purse when I shop. However it occured to me that thieves can steal the shopping cart too! Last week at Walmart I left the cart with groceries on the sidewalk and put some groceries in the trunk while doing this I noticed some youths walking by and looking to see what I bought and I thought for a minute they are going to run off with those bags. They didn't but I won't be surprised when things come to that. (good thing I'm dieting those carrots and broccoli weren't too tempting) Also as soon as I get to my car I open the trunk and put my purse in it towards the back. I have a friend who immediately locks her purse in the car as she loads the trunk. Stay safe!

nycbgirl

And one more thing, better to be safe than sorry. If I am uncomfortable for any reason I ask someone from the store to walk with me to my car so I am not alone. It's so easy to not listen to your instincts and push the warning aside but I don't do it anymore. Times are very hard and people are desperate.