"Someone Is Trying to Spend Over 100 Million Won on Your Card": NBA Star's Unexpected Reply to Credit Card Company Call

by Lee Kyungho

Published 27 Aug.2025 09:06(KST)

Promotional photo of Walmart during COVID-19, unrelated to the article content. Walmart

Shaquille O'Neal, the legendary former NBA player, once made a purchase of over 100 million won at Walmart, only for his credit card company to suspect the card was stolen and call him, according to a recently shared story.

On August 25 (local time), the U.S. financial media outlet Benzinga reported, "Shaq (Shaquille O'Neal's nickname) once experienced his card being declined during a record-breaking Walmart shopping spree." This incident occurred shortly after Shaquille O'Neal was traded from the Miami Heat to the Phoenix Suns in 2008.

At his new apartment in Phoenix, there was nothing-no furniture, no daily necessities. O'Neal decided to go shopping, made a list of everything needed to furnish his home, including multiple TVs, laptops, home appliances, and clothing, and bought everything he needed at Walmart. However, when he tried to pay, the amount was so large that his card was repeatedly declined. The total amount was $70,000. At the current exchange rate, this is about 97 million won, but at the time it was worth approximately 150 million won.

Basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal (left). Photo by AP

While O'Neal was attempting to complete the transaction, his credit card company contacted him. The security team said, "Someone is trying to use your card to spend $70,000 at Walmart." To this, Shaquille O'Neal replied, "No, that was me."

Benzinga, in sharing this story, noted, "Although his card was declined at the time, Shaquille O'Neal later became well known for his financial acumen. He now advises young athletes on the importance of financial management and continues to make meaningful charitable contributions to society."

The outlet also commented, "This incident shows that even celebrities can be flagged by credit card companies' security procedures when making large transactions. At the same time, it highlights how thorough credit card companies' fraud prevention systems are. It remains a reminder of the importance of financial literacy and the need for individuals to exercise extra caution when making significant expenditures."