WARNING!!!!
So - I'd like to offer a "blanket reply" to most everyone who posted comments above...
Thanks - and I do expect full recovery. I shared this little experience in the hopes that someone else might heighten thier vigialnce and thus save a dollar. My understanding is debit cards are handled almost well as credit cards in theft instances like this. Although the TERMS of protection are technically not as good as I vaguely understand it. I have so far embraced the use of debit cards since I try to not use credit for anything (except mortgages)... its' just a puritan/confucian philosophy/streak I seem to have.
Besides... I'm such a cheap tight-wad that I never really spend much money. Thus I have little to worry about ... right? <chuckles>
Seriously, so I've had lots of replies from friends on and off the DIS on this developement. Soome folks speak of how the account data became compromised and many speak of well known techniques for thieves to obtain the data. Rather than recant EVERYTHING here... I'll just say in my case I have no idea how they got the data - only that is conspicuious (misspelled) that they used an old account number that I discontinued use on for about 6 months. My bank FAILED to cancel the account when they reissued a new card to me - as the old card had worn out (physically).
So - our leading suspician is they must have obtained the data from my use of the card more than 6 months ago! And some of us have heard of how Mervyns/TJ Maxx had thier transaction histories STOLEN TWICE recently. I assume this breech in security is not the only instance - rather it is a large theft of data that made the news. It stands to reason the thieves don't really want to attck us INDIVIDUALLY for account data. Bigger fish to fry are to go after a big retailor and get 100, of 1000s of account numbers in one hit!
Of course, we still hear of people who had thier personal identites cloned and recreated in a different address... where new credit cards were applied for and goods purchased and sent to. By the time you discover someone has copied your identity - they have piled up huge unsecured debt in your name and they dissappear! Leaving you with the potential liability risk and credit score damage. THAT is why we should shred our account data anytime we throw out something ... or if we have our personal info printable anywhere. Plus ... there are other ways for someone to use your identity data for nefarious advantage.
Aside from that - I will share another instance of credit theft. I used to have an AMEX card... I liked the way it looked and I liked the fact it was essentially a debit (and not credit) card. Well... when reviewing the account history I noticed a bunch of little telephone charges. Well... that was pretty unusual since I had a cell phone. And I must confess I used to just pay the bill and review it quarterly more or less. SO when reviewing it I saw these little transactions which added up to maybe $30-40. Well... I got to thinking and looked at every statement going backwards and I discovered I had about $700 in telephone charges that I had been nickle and dimed for in the past few months! Now that was annoying! Fortunately AMEX was great and they reversed ALL of it over several months... even though I know the fair credit laws only protect me for maybe 30 (60?) days.
The moral... you really should review your bank and charge histories. Especially in this day and age. We should NEVER be too busy to check this. Us "Rich Americans" or natives of 1st world countires are looked on as succulent targets by thieves everywhere. And if you pause to consider - these thieves are taking AFTER TAX money from us! I think mostof us cannot recover the losses (typically) and if you lose $1000... then you may have already paid $600-1000 in state and federal taxes to have that $1000 to lose. How much has to be lost before one notices? I think we all don't want to find out!
Somberly - I mean well in sharing my close encounter with a dishonest host. I would not want any of my nice neighbors to become victims if I could have warned them in time to avoid the loss.
OK..... I gotta go. The bad trabnsactions have now all posted - and I have some reporting to do... and I have to take mykids to dinner. They just got out of the pool here at the hotel. Tomorrow we head home but have the Queen L concert at the Bowl. It's a pot luck picnic and I have guests to meet and details to coordinate.
Maybe after dinner I'll duck in to lurk - just in case I can sprint for the 67,000the posting! <chuckles> ... but that is extremely unlikely. And for the record...
I think its' time a WENCH got it!
Cheers!
I never have paid interest to a credit card company in 39 years of using them. 
I always keep all charge receipts and match them to each credit card statement. I keep my shredder right next to my desk.
not sure why.
Have any pictures of some of the newer things at the parks??? It has been almost 3 year since I have been there.
The cruises keep getting in the way of my park time.
