Fraud Miles Credit card theft soars to alarming heights By Allie Davison the seemingly harmless thought that however deep I may be spiralling into debt, there could be a silver lining after all. At least with the Air Miles American Express credit card, something good could come out of my raging student debt. As I browsed the “rewards” section of the Air Miles website, I was convinced that this plan would not only reward me prize- wise but, as an added bonus, my credit card interest rate could go down a whole percent! I filled out the online credit card application and instantly began dreaming of the things my millions of Air Miles would get me. That was on December 6. Between the holiday madness and ~ school ending/starting, my potential rewards slipped my mind. It wasn’t until [: all started with a quest for Air Miles; the first week of January that I started to think something wasn’t quite right. After an impromptu room-cleaning session turned up the reference number of said credit card application, I decided it was time to call. After I confirmed my identity to the American Express agent, I told her I had not yet received my American Express Air Miles credit card, and with that she put me on hold. After a second agent picked up the phone, I was asked once more to confirm and then reconfirm my identity, He didn’t just ask about my name and birth date, but about every piece of personal information that had been on the application. After this round of twenty questions, he said “Well Ms. Davison, I’m afraid I have some bad news.” The agent proceed to tell me that my card had apparently been stolen, activated, and then maxed out. The total charges equalled around $2800. Some jetkface had done all of their Christmas shopping on my credit card! Now, I could understand if the person had shopped at high-end fashion boutiques, or perhaps I could show some sympathy if they had spent the $2800 on groceries or baby supplies. But these idiots decided to have a shopping spree at Lougheed Mall! They hit up stores like Urban Planet, Bentleys, La Senza and Sirens. They even made pit stops at London Drugs and Walmart. When the possibilities seemed exhausted, these fools decided to spend over two thousand dollars on poorly made, synthetic, out of style trashy tank tops and knock-off Ed Hardy hoodies. The police tell me the thieves were probably either one of my roommates (whom I met on craigslist) or someone in my building. Because I live pretty much Bivaros directly across the street from Lougheed Mall, this seems pretty likely. Although American Express cleared my card of all charges, and sent me a new card, the drama has not yet ceased. Now, I am left questioning my roommates, and therefore looking for a new place to live. I feel as though I cannot trust my mail system and am having all my important mail redirected to my parents house (I am fairly certain they will not steal my identity). And—most importantly —I am left to wonder about the fate of the 500 Air Miles now sitting in my account as result of this fraud. Will I get to keep them? I hope so, as the optimist in me needs something to cling to; there has to be some silver lining in everything, even when it comes to credit card fraud. Insufficient (Fun)ds: Ice Cream Social Dance Party Party like it’s 1950-69 By Jacey Gibb bar events that sound awful but deliver more fun than a barrel of monkeys, I present to you the Biltmore Cabaret’s monthly Ice Cream Social Dance Party. Once a common event, the Ice Cream Social disappeared from Vancouver for a while but reappeared a couple months ago, now being held on the last Friday of every month. I’m not sure I can describe this event to you in a way that will convince you of how much fun it really is, but I’m going to try anyways. The Ice Cream Social was described to me by a friend as a dance party where they play fifties and sixties music. I assured her that my monthly requirement for grandparent music wasn’t something I was overly concerned about; but she was insistent. “It’s a lot of fun! People dress up and it’s really cheap beer and everyone just gets wasted.” She made a thorough argument and I made sure I was there to attend the approaching November edition. Before I continue, I'd like to point out that I am not a fan of clubs. I love alcohol as much as the next childhood memory repressor, but I refuse to pay a cover charge just to get in, then have to pay seven dollars for a drink and listen to American top forty crap be force-fed down my ear canals. Clubs are something I just don’t do. The Dance Party aspect of this event had me worried more than anything. I like going to a pub with friends where conversation is free-flowing and I don’t have to compete over Stereos remixes. However, the Ice Cream Social was different. I: keeping with last week’s theme of I don’t know if it was the music or the crowd or if it was the three seventy five Pabst Blue Ribbons that had become a staple food in everyone’s diet for that evening, but I had a time and a half. The soundtrack of the night was refreshing too, as it was made up of bands usually not thought to be dance material such as The Beatles or Velvet Underground. The evening’s climax was without.a doubt when Shout came on and everyone was overcome with the urge to throw their hands up and well, shout. I miss parties where this track would come on and every attendee would stop what they were doing to join in, so a fair bit of nostalgia came with the Ice Cream Social for me. Hopefully you read this before the January 28 Ice Cream Social Dance Party passes by. I’ll see you there! And make sure to bring your best Shout arm throwing with you. Damage: $8 at the door. Bring more dollars if you want to get your beer on though. 250 Columbia St. THURSDAY) STUDENT NIGHT! BROOKLYN PUB WATERFRONT LOUNGE 604.517.2966 ww orn Se rolely n.ca 13