I experienced Identity Theft trauma this Black Friday weekend.

Someone used my phone number to make a purchase, and then I received an unwanted text about it.

I reported the incident to the FTC and BBB, after having spoken to the vendors for which the transaction took place. Two vendors assured me that the order was cancelled, but the third vendor blamed me for not being understanding about it possibly being someone else's old phone number that they mistakenly used. Still, it was within my rights to report it as possible fraud, and to report this incident to the BBB for resolution to cancel that order connected with my phone number and instead have the customer (if it is a real customer) place a new one with their own number.

I also contacted my cell phone carrier to make sure I wasn't being charged anything, and to inform them of what went on. I also had to figure out how to delete and reinstall the app that was supposed to be blocking these spam calls, since it was included with my plan all along. The former reps months ago told me that I needed to pay an extra fee, which I knew wasn't right, so I thought I could just deal with the new spam calls. But I couldn't. And there's no way to block spam texts through their app, and the FTC only requires that you place a fraud report with spam texts, since their Do-Not-Call reports on unwanted calls only work for robocalls and unwanted phone calls, but not unwanted texts.

It took me all of 6 hours to complete these tasks over the holiday weekend.

I hate Black Friday. I hate being retraumatized, since I had my identity stolen as well as money stolen from me in the past. Being a veteran - esp. a disabled veteran - puts me at risk because we're easy targets for data theft and breaches. I got pissed because it ruined my weekend, exacerbated my already pandemic fatigue and pandemic stress and pandemic traumas, and worsened my PTSD and DID.

Once I pay off my cell phone, I plan to get it unlocked so that I could hopefully use it as a backup when I switch carriers. I had better luck with a different carrier in the past. I also will switch phone brands, too.

I'm so sick of being the victim of repeat and polyvictim identity theft.