Weird things bought with credit cards

Credit cards are a great way to do your shopping. Not only are they a convenient way to pay, but you’re also financially protected should things go wrong.

If – say – your card is stolen, you can at least retain your sense of humour if the crook tries to use it for his or her bizarre purchases, knowing that your balance is well and truly insured. While most crooks and fraudsters will instantly go out and try to withdraw as much cash as they can from the nearest ATM, some hapless criminals will risk arrest by attempting to buy goods.

Take, for example, Alaska residents Chris and Susie Linford. They spent much of the latter part of last December receiving $5,000 worth of mail order goods through their door – an autographed baseball bat, a car stereo, clothing – as the thief who stole their credit card went on a Christmas spending spree. The only problem was that the criminal never quite managed to get the goods sent to his home address, and that’s a major fail in anybody’s book.

The Houston Chronicle reports on a similar stolen card criminal who came to grief. This time, Samuel Navarro made use of a “borrowed” company card and spent $40,000 financing his wedding, including suits and a wedding dress. He was arrested and charged, of course.

And then there was the very strange case of British musician Lamar Johnson who turned to credit card theft to increase his own music sales. Using stolen cards, he and his friends made repeated purchases of his sounds on iTunes in the hope of receiving royalty cheques, the Daily Record reports. When he reached somewhere around the 2,000 mark, he and his pals were arrested. Johnson, already serving time for other crimes, was jailed.

Of course, not all weird purchases are the result of criminal activity. One Canadian blogger traded his card with his friend, and the result was the marvellous Things Ryan North Bought With May Credit Card – http://thingsnorthbought.tumblr.com/. Amongst the very strange and frankly hilarious purchases were an enormous strawberry cream cake, a dreadful painted portrait, a dinner at a medieval show restaurant, and unhealthy quantities of beer.

Additionally, your blogger has made several purchases from online stores of which he is not proud. And also an animated owl that plugs into your USB port.

It’s your credit card to do what you like. You can use it for everyday purchases, like filling up your cars or you can use it for weird stuff, like filling up your car with jelly beans. Your call – get out there and enjoy life.

Compare Singapore Credit Cards at Enjoy Compare