Messages from Discover Card

Yesterday morning, I got an email from Discover Card saying:

Dear xxxx:

This is not a promotional e-mail. Please call us immediately at 1-800-xxx-xxxx regarding recent activity on your Discover Card Account ending in xxxx. We're available 24/7 to take your call.

Please disregard this e-mail if you've already spoken to us since the date this e-mail was sent.

We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

Thank you
Discover Card Fraud Prevention Security Department

I looked at my Discover Card activity online, nothing looked suspicious. I also looked up the phone number they asked me to call, but it was not mentioned anywhere on Discover Card website. So I thought maybe this was a scam?

After I got home at night, I found that I had a similar message from Discover Card on my answer machine, except it asked me to call a different 1-800 number, another number I couldn't find on Discover Card website. So I called Discover Card customer service number. It turns out both numbers are indeed Discover Card Fraud Prevention Security Department numbers. They contacted me because there was a $1,600 transaction at a Wal-Mart or Sam's Club store that morning on my card that they thought was suspicious, so they put a security hold on my card until I contact them. I asked the guy in which city the transaction was made. The guy said that information hadn't come in yet. Thinking Dave is traveling this week for business, and he told me he needed to buy some stuff for work using personal credit cards, I told the guy it could be my husband who made the transaction. He asked Dave's name, and then confirmed that it was indeed from Dave's card (same number as mine, except different name). Since it didn't seem we lost the card, he said he would lift the security hold on my card, and the call ended.

I called Dave immediately. It was him who made the transaction. He saw it got approved without any problem, so he didn't bother to tell me earlier. Just the day before, he made a similar transaction in a Wal-Mart store on our Master Card, the transaction actually got declined! A special cashier had to come over, call the Master Card Security Department or something, and the Master Card people had to talk to Dave in person to make sure he is the cardholder before they approved the transaction later. It seems Discover Card's action is a little delayed (approved the transaction, then thought it was suspicious). Either way, I am grateful that someone is looking out for fraud and thieves.