Isn't a small charge like that a test charge before the big stuff gets charged?
Often, but then again in this world where you can get thousands of credit and debit card numbers without even having to dumpster dive, the "smarter" criminals just charge a ton of people a small amount they hope might go unnoticed or put down to a self-accounting error (after all, almost everyone forgets to write down that coffee on the way back to work, etc). That's why I go over our finances with a fine tooth comb every night - mom thinks I'm nuts for doing that, and it's often not pleasant staring at that less than $10 bank balance most of the month... but *banks* can be just as bad about nickel and diming you for things you didn't ask for, and our nearest credit union branch is an hour and a half away, so until we can get the intestinal fortitude to switch over completely and make that very long drive on a regular basis, that's what I do. I find "mystery" charges that don't belong to any of us about every six months. Most of the time, it's the bank trying to see what they can get away with (which I then harangue them about till they remove), but occasionally, it's been a mystery third party, just fishing... at which point the cards all get changed, again.
