BY MELCHIZEDEK MAQUISO
DEMOCRATIC SPACE
Posted by Bulatlat
Vol. VIII, No. 13, May 4-10, 2008

Dear Editor:

Mabuhay!

I’m an OFW under the live-in caregiver program working and living at the same time in Stouffville, Ontario, a northern Toronto suburb.

I’m writing to share with you and your readers my horrendous experience sending mail to the Philippines. I sent the following items (all were mailed in 1 bubble mailer) to a friend last February via Canada Post Surface mail: Chinatrust ATM card, swipe card from my previous employment, camera LCD protector (which is roughly the same size as the camera’s LCD) and an envelope containing documents to be mailed locally.

Of all the mailed items mentioned, three were received. Unfortunately the Chinatrust ATM & LCD protector have been pilfered apparently by people handling my mail – which is obviously none other than employees of the Philippine Postal Corporation.

The story does not end there. On April 25, 5 days before the mail was received by my friend, the P3,000.00 balance of my Chinatrust ATM has been siphoned off in two withdrawals on the same day! One of Chintatrust’s customer service representatives confirmed this to my friend when she called right after realizing that the ATM was not included in the mail.

What’s really bugging me is how these thieves managed to get hold of my ATM’s Personal Identification Number (PIN). I never and am not foolish enough to include this PIN or any delicate information connected to my Chinatrust account in any part of my mail. What I can deduce is the thief who got hold of my ATM connived with someone from Chintatrust as I find it hard to believe that this thief was able to pluck out my PIN in random without help from someone inside the bank (considering the thousands if not, millions of possible combinations to get the 4 digit PIN right)

I’ve contacted Chinatrust and requested that they conduct an investigation. It may be a small amount but nevertheless very disturbing that my PIN has just been given out just like that. It is obviously an inside job that constitutes nothing else but plain fraud.

It would be very much appreciated if Bulatlat can publish this letter so my fellow kababayans will be warned and think twice before sending valuable documents by ordinary mail which will go first in the hands of our very own Philpost. They should consider sending valuable documents to more expensive yet trust-worthy mail courier services such as UPS or Fedex rather than regret their choices later just like what happened to me.

Thank you and more power to Bulatlat.

Posted by (Bulatlat.com)

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