Over the weekend, several posts on a social sharing website caught my attention. They were published by customers across the United States who had recently had their debit card information hacked through their local Walmart.

The website Reddit made for interesting reading on Saturday. I was texted a link to a forum where Walmart customers were airing frustration over recent hacks into personal debit cards on file at Walmart. What sparked this text communication to me was the fact my wife was alerted to multiple pending charges on her debit card in which Walmart merchandise was being prepared for shipment.

She immediately reached out to her bank for assistance. My wife's debit card information is on file at the Twin Falls' Walmart, and two separate charges were pending totaling approximately $200. One purchase was for some automotive equipment that had a Texas address on file, and the other was a Florida address in which some new kitchen pots and pans had been ordered using my wife's bank card.

With the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays approaching, more and more people are unfortunately going to fall victim to these types of hacks. Luckily, my wife's quick action resulted in no funds being taken from her account. She was told by a representative at her bank to cancel her debit card so the charges wouldn't go through.

There are several reasons hackers strike during the holidays, including the fact that some businesses are operating with less staff due to vacations, and charges are likely to go unnoticed for a period of time. It's also the time of year when people make several online purchases, making it harder to keep track of personal transactions.

If you find pending charges from Walmart to your account that you didn't order, contact your bank immediately.

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