Counterfeit Confusion

Sunday evening we had a little post-vaccination get together at my house. For me, it was far more than a belated birthday celebration. It was the first time all five of us had been together in the same room for a very long time. As you might expect, it felt both slightly weird and completely normal at the same time.

I ordered food from Flavors of India, using their online menu. (It will be easier than calling them on the phone, I thought.) All was going smoothly until my husband stopped by to pick it up and they had never received the order. They also pointed out that the web address I had used was not theirs. This was odd, since I had a confirmation email and had sent my husband a photo of the order in case he needed it. And he did need it, because he had to place the order and pay for it all over again.

The lovely folks at Flavors of India sent him home and delivered our food to us, with complementary rice pudding for dessert.

Meanwhile, I checked my bank account and the charge to my debit card was already pending. This cast a bit of a pall over our family fun. Clearly someone had created a counterfeit website to scam people. Who on earth does this?

Yesterday I contacted my bank, and, after forty-five minutes on musical hold, canceled my debit card and ordered a new one. Today I get to call back and authorize the bank to dispute the charge. Oh, goody. Maybe they will have new music for my waiting pleasure.

If I sound cranky, I am. Though I should make it clear that I am very grateful that my bank is able to help me. But I’m disgusted that there are people out there who would do such a thing. And I’m annoyed with myself for allowing myself to be fooled by a counterfeit website. In retrospect, there were signs that something wasn't quite right but, since I had never used their website, I assumed I was in the right place.

I have been walking around the house since Sunday night with “This is how the elderly are swindled out of their life savings,” running through my head. In truth, I’m not exactly elderly. And $125.00 is not the sum of my life savings. But you know what I mean.

To conclude: I highly recommend Flavors of India. Call them on the phone or it’s easy to order on GrubHub. If I ever figure out the mystery of the counterfeit website I’ll let you know.

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