When we want to do something and there's a "snag" which makes it difficult to continue, Jule says, "Well, that's just fate - it wasn't meant to be ...", or words to that effect.
Well, that's what happened to me last night when I tried to order a Nikon D300 from Black's.
I can't tell you how much this has been eating away at me the past two weeks. A dozen times I've told myself I will trade the D40 in for the D300, and then, no, I'll keep the 40 and just get the longer lens, and then, no, I'll keep the 40, anyway, 'cause it's so light, but get the 300 because it's the one that fits what I want to do and besides, it will be the last camera I'll ever buy (although with consumer electronics life expectancy these days, I wouldn't want to bet on that).
What happened with the camera purchase is that I misread the security code on the VISA card. I mistook a "0" for an "8" as the card had been swiped numerous times and there was a streak across the numbers. It didn't work when I put it through, offering me instead a "Declined" message. I got out a loupe and saw my error, magnified 30x, and redid it - another four times, but each to no avail. It wasn't going through. Then I had a slew of emails from the payment service telling me I was declined and a duplicate set from Black's saying I'd better call customer service to make sure no payment went through. Good grief! Was this fate saying, STEP AWAY FROM THE CREDIT CARD? Don't buy the D300?
So this morning I called Black's customer service and was informed it was too early - call back later. Figures.
Then the phone rang. It was a 514 area code and I hesitated in answering since it's usually someone wanting me to try the National Post on a trial basis. Turned out it was VISA informing me there was some strange activity on my credit card last night. I was thrilled to hear this, as I was not using my "internet VISA" (the one I got with a purposely low limit just for internet purchases) since the cost of the D300 was over its limit. He told me the first transaction had an error in the security code. The next four were done properly, but since the flag had been dropped on the first one, no others were allowed and it was too late to call and tell me about it last night. Excellent! And he hoped there was no inconvenience to me. Are you kidding? I'm totally impressed with this level of security. Keep up the good work, I said.
So, he wanted to know if the transaction was going to go through now that he had reset everything for me. They'd be expecting it. I hesitated. Ye-e-s-s-s-s, maybe, I said. I may do it from my home computer tonight. I hate to challenge fate, though, you know. Now I have the rest of the day to think about it. Again.
Well, that's what happened to me last night when I tried to order a Nikon D300 from Black's.
I can't tell you how much this has been eating away at me the past two weeks. A dozen times I've told myself I will trade the D40 in for the D300, and then, no, I'll keep the 40 and just get the longer lens, and then, no, I'll keep the 40, anyway, 'cause it's so light, but get the 300 because it's the one that fits what I want to do and besides, it will be the last camera I'll ever buy (although with consumer electronics life expectancy these days, I wouldn't want to bet on that).
What happened with the camera purchase is that I misread the security code on the VISA card. I mistook a "0" for an "8" as the card had been swiped numerous times and there was a streak across the numbers. It didn't work when I put it through, offering me instead a "Declined" message. I got out a loupe and saw my error, magnified 30x, and redid it - another four times, but each to no avail. It wasn't going through. Then I had a slew of emails from the payment service telling me I was declined and a duplicate set from Black's saying I'd better call customer service to make sure no payment went through. Good grief! Was this fate saying, STEP AWAY FROM THE CREDIT CARD? Don't buy the D300?
So this morning I called Black's customer service and was informed it was too early - call back later. Figures.
Then the phone rang. It was a 514 area code and I hesitated in answering since it's usually someone wanting me to try the National Post on a trial basis. Turned out it was VISA informing me there was some strange activity on my credit card last night. I was thrilled to hear this, as I was not using my "internet VISA" (the one I got with a purposely low limit just for internet purchases) since the cost of the D300 was over its limit. He told me the first transaction had an error in the security code. The next four were done properly, but since the flag had been dropped on the first one, no others were allowed and it was too late to call and tell me about it last night. Excellent! And he hoped there was no inconvenience to me. Are you kidding? I'm totally impressed with this level of security. Keep up the good work, I said.
So, he wanted to know if the transaction was going to go through now that he had reset everything for me. They'd be expecting it. I hesitated. Ye-e-s-s-s-s, maybe, I said. I may do it from my home computer tonight. I hate to challenge fate, though, you know. Now I have the rest of the day to think about it. Again.
1 comment:
Sounds like cosmic something to me. Even if I don't believe in it. "The message is always there" and all that. Good news about the visa security however!
Post a Comment