It seems not a day goes by that I don't hear of some new method of identity theft or credit card fraud to guard against. And yesterday was no exception.

I spotted an article about a group of Huntington bank customers whose debit card information had been used to buy several air conditioners at Overstock.com. Huntington was quick to deny fault in the matter, deferring the blame to, "some link on the Internet." Thankfully Overstock.com quickly reimbursed the fraudulent transactions and shed some light on how the theft may have occurred.

Alan Johnson, who heads up the fraud department at Overstock, told our local paper that the numbers were likely compromised by "card tumbling," a method of fraud that seems fit for an upcoming episode of Numb3rs. Since I can't call in Charlie Eppes to explain card tumbling, I'll do my best to break it down for you.

Much in the same way that a locksmith focuses on how a lock works in order to pick it, card tumblers focus on the rules and math that govern how credit card numbers are created in order to get to your money. Once they create a credit card number, they test it for validity and if successful it's used on sites that don't verify other information such as the name or security code on the credit card.

Perhaps what is most frightening about this method of theft is that you don't have to use your card online or have the number stolen to lose out. Even though the normal methods of safeguarding your credit and debit card numbers won't protect you from this method of hacking, there is one step you can take to keep your funds safe. To avoid the realization that someone in Nigeria has emptied your entire account, you can have your debit card attached to a secondary account in which you only keep money you are going to spend in the near future.

Overstock is one of my least favorite companies on the planet for a whole bunch of reasons but I have no problem shopping there. Why? They've lost about a quarter of a billion dollars since inception, so it's not like people shopping there is really doing them any good.

But this corner desk is actually quite nice for $174.99, perfect for those of us whose bedrooms double as home offices. Shipping is just $2.95. According to Overstock:

The Daily Deal for March 9, 2008:

When it comes to cost effective ways to spoil yourself, there's probably no better choice than the purchase of some brand new bed covering. A fluffy new comforter and some fresh pillow cases can give your bed a wonderfully renewed feeling. New bed covering can even serve as the focal point for a full bedroom makeover.

If you've ever shopped for new bedding, you know that attractive, good quality comforter sets can put a serious bite on your funds. That's why my wife shops hard when it comes to bedding and she turns up deals like the one here today. Overstock.com is offering the Tuscany 4-piece comforter set for $89.99, that's 70% off the comparative price of $300. The set is a 50/50 cotton polyester blend, and it includes the comforter, the bed skirt, and two pillow shams.

My wife says this offer is "a real steal", and I suspect that she's right. Customer reviews on this comforter set are positive overall, expressing some enthusiastic approval of the fabric and colors. After checking the full product description and details, I found myself wondering what this set would look like on my own bed. Perhaps I'll ask my wife if it's time to spoil ourselves a bit. Then I could try these out for myself!