Proceed with Caution

One of the perils of using your credit card for purchases is credit card theft. I recently tried out a new vendor whose prices and kratom were very good. Several days after receiving my order, there was a fraudulent charge that appeared on our bank statement, charged to the card that I used to purchase from this particular vendor. It wouldn't be fair to disclose the name at this point, because I can't conclusively trace the charge back to the vendor. I'll be reaching out to the vendor to let them know what happened and to try and see if there was a breakdown somewhere on their end. Thankfully, we discovered the charge quickly and were able to close the card in question.

This is a very busy time of year for buying. Keep tabs on your purchases, and be sure that vendors are using the latest SSL encryption to ensure your credit card information is secure. Also, a PCI-compliant vendor is held to higher standards with respect to retention of personally identifying information. Some vendors will advertise PCI compliance, but if you're not sure, a quick e-mail to the vendor can give you the information you need to make a smart purchase.

Another thing that would help keep online transactions safe is for services like PayPal to understand that Kratom is not some kind of dangerous street drug. Though I continue to use PayPal for online purchases, I find their stance regarding Kratom to be abhorrent. It is a stance supported by ignorance alone, and it's disappointing that a modern corporation, presumably designed to make people's lives easier would be so tone-deaf on this issue. I encourage you to take the time to write them a well-thought-out letter about what Kratom has meant to you, and how their stance has affected you.

Happy Holidays to all, and be safe!