Yes, watch your statements carefully! Last year, our checkcard was used to purchase over $2,000 of electronics in China. The stores were Chinese, and it was a mess. Luckily, I caught it through our online banking the day it happened and our bank deposited the funds right back into our checking. What gets me is this: our bank (Bank of America) claims that they have a computer system that alerts itself to fraudulent purchases. We went to Maryland in October 2003. Now mind you, Maryland is one state above Virginia, where we live. We spent the weekend in Maryland, used Maryland's ATM's, used the card at Maryland restaurant and a Maryland hotel. Midway through our weekend, our card was cut off when we tried to use it in a restaurant (embarrassing!). I called Bank of America immediately and they told me that their computer system had cut it off because there were a lot of purchases going through out of state (Maryland!). So, we got it all sorted out and I rested easy that we were with a bank that looked out for us so carefully! Then, in April of 2004, over $2,000 of Chinese electronics DID manage to get through our account and we had to prove we didn't make those purchases and have the charges reversed! Where's the logic in that??? The computer system is alerted to purchases made one state away but ISN'T alerted when charges are made in China???? Makes no sense!
Moral of the story ~ check your online balances every day if possible!
Sarah