11:31 PM - 28.12.04
Headaches
I couldn't get into my email this morning through the program I usually use, so I finally gave up and logged in through the internet webmail service instead. Took a quick look, found there was nothing urgent to deal with, so I went back to the housework projects that were my priority for the day. Around 5 pm I finally could relax and enjoy reading my e-zines - or so I thought. Still couldn't login the regular route, so I opened the webmail again. There seemed to be three times as many mssages as before - what is up with that? Well first were the messages I had deleted - I thought - over a day ago. Then there were the messages that I had moved to other folders - like the report from my co-worker - over two weeks ago and correspondence from some of my friends in dangerous areas overseas that had arrived at that same time. Then there were the emails that were records of transactions for payment or purchases on-line with my credit card - like the two for the on-line grocery store. It was that last group relating to three different services that really upset me. Checked to see if there was any sensitive information contained in any. Two were fine, but the third contained a portion of my credit card number - the rest was blanked out.
So what was going on here? First no email, then email on the webmail server the way it should have shown up, then the same service a few hours later but with material pulled out of different folders that they had been stored in for over two weeks. I did the instant message discussion with my service provider trying to get a response and an explanation. Same old run around as before. First up - it's the email software - it's unstable and is blocking your messages. How does one explained the material already stored in the program away from the main page reappearing in the inbox, then? Well it must be the server of your correspondents. Right - they come from a multitude of servers - including yours. And besides isn't the reason I subscribe to your on-line security services so that this doesn't happen? No we don't promise to protect your information from any of those kinds of activities. Well then why am I paying for those services. No response.
Am I really being so unreasonable to expect to get some answers and the services I pay for? I don't know what I am going to do. On Christmas day I was discussing some of the things that have happened with my brother who makes his living dealing with computer hardware issues. He agreed with the network security company's comment that if someone wanted my messages they could just empty them into their own folder without me ever knowing that they'd intercepted them. Whoever is tampering with my messages seems to want it known that they are doing it and they also seem to be intent on making it so that the result of their actions is to take up a lot of my time trying to cobble together patches so I can access the services I need. This last bit where there appears to be an attempt to get my credit card information is quite threatening though. Don't know what to think right now.
Anyway first day back at work tomorrow so I guess I'd better get some sleep. Good night dear diary.
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