sorry to hear of your fraud experience – as you say we are all subject to it especially with all the data breaches in the news. It’s important to monitor accounts and credit reports too. Yes, it’s weird in the US that we take your card to run through the machines. In all of my years of serving in restaurants, I never even thought to steal credit card info. I do like the European way though to use hand held machines but sadly it’s too costly in the US (or so they say).

Yes, the credit card company AI is definitely on point to find abnormal activity. I had to laugh when I had to buy something for work at Walmart online – it triggered my credit card to be shutdown and flagged as fraud as I’ve never shopped there since they aren’t around where I live. Opening a Match account is so odd – I wonder if their headline is “looking for love and money”

PS while in the US my only worrying moment was when the waiter took my card away when I paid – I would never expect or allow that at home!