Thursday, August 11, 2011

Part II Banking Nonsense.

If you are new check out my previous post from yesterday. This post is a continuation.

So I got my insurance covered and went to the bank. I bypassed the tellers and went to the guy who helped me change my name on my account.

I entered his office calmly and perky. He offered me a seat and asked if I wanted some coffee or a soda.

I  politely declined. Siting back in his king-size plush office chair he smiled and  asked, "What can I do for you?"

I returned the smile and responded, "I want my 34 dollars back."

He frowned and said, "What do you mean?" I explained the predicament I was in and how the bank was wrong..

He asked, "What time did you transfer the money?"

I said, "Around 7:55 am." 

We went through the Q&A of account number, name, address, etc. My account finally appeared on the screen.and he stated, "There is an overdraft fee because your insurance didn't go through."

I focused on his hair sticking up as I regulated my breathing. I was so tired of this crap. It had been 3 business days after my melt down at the SS office.

He was watching me and I just shook my head. I took out a paper I had printed some of their disclosure. and calmly read, "According to the disclosures it states  we will not generally authorize a non-repeating debit card transaction if your available account balance is insufficient."

He leans back in his chair and says, "That is correct."

I said, "This is NOT the point I am trying to make BUT what do you consider a non-repeating debit card transaction?"

He said, "Transactions that are made that have not been repeated so many times in a month or not a monthly debit."

AHA!

I retorted, "How in the heck can you (meaning the bank) decide its non-repeating when its only the 3rd day of the month?"

He thinks he is correct and says, "Today is the 8th."

I agreed and asked him to go the previous month. He quizzically looks at me as he waits for the computer to show what I want him to see. He inquires, "What?"

I said, "Do you see the debit for my insurance last month?"

He nods.

I told him to go back to the previous month. He suggested that he pull up all debits. I agreed.

We both saw the long line of my insurance debits.

Seemingly ignorant, I ask, "Isn't that a repeating debit?"

He rests his chin on his hand and looks at the screen. He said, "Yea, but.."

I shake my finger, "Uh uh, you agree that is a repeated debit? So I covered (the bank's) disclosure on that one, right?"

Shaking his head, he agrees.

I said, "My life has been hell since the 3rd so don't take this personally. I've been upset and just trying to catch up the best way I know how. I know its none of your doing. Just let me ask the questions and you can agree or disagree okay."

He agreed.

I began, "My Social Security check of no fault of mine did not go through." He nods yes..

I continued, "My insurance went through at midnight." He glances at the computer and says, "Right."

I say okay, I do have OD protection, correct?

He looked at the computer and agreed, "Yes, you have Debit card OD protection and savings protection."  Then he adds, "But we charge...

I didn't let him finish, I put my hand up finger up like shh and said, "I have two ways to protect myself from OD protection correct?."

He said, "Yes ma'am but the computer automatically overdrew your account at the time of the transaction. You had insufficient funds."

I said, "I gotcha but according to this disclosure (waving my paper) it states it will not deduct the charge if money is deposited by the end of that day."  Pause. I could see his brain cells reeling.

"I, myself alone did what YOUR computer was suppose to do. The moment the transaction was deemed insufficient, your computer was suppose to take my savings which I had sufficient funds to do so and prevent my checking account to overdraw.."

He exclaims, "Well the bank was not opened and it has to be done manually."

My eyes squinted and I said,  "Are you f--king kidding me? There is something SERIOUSLY wrong with that picture. Your SYSTEM can automatically deduct charges and put me insufficient overdrawn but it CAN'T look at my savings account and transfer money to my checking account when I DO have SAVINGS OD PROTECTION! Are you kidding me?!"

He says, "Well the computer doesn't know you have a savings!".

I said, "LOOK AT THE COMPUTER, what kind of accounts I have on there?"

He stutters, "SAVINGS AND CHECKING."

I snap my fingers in the air. I sigh, "My case is rested."

He gets up and says, "Can you hold a minute, I'll be right back." He comes back a few minutes later.Don't know what he did. I didn't care.

He says, "Ma'am the overdraw was before the transfer." I knew he was trying to play me!

I ordered, "Don't play with me Mr.!"  then asked, "What time is considered the end of the business day?"

He said, "4 pm".

I inquire, "What time did I deposit again."

He glances at computer and says, "8 am."

I raise my arms up and exclaim, "PRAISE THE LORD! ALLELUIA". He studies the computer and says but you overdrew.

I said I rectified it before 4 pm SIR by transferring MY money, that your freaking computer should have done..( Waving my paper in the air)

                                                      This kid looks exactly like I felt..ahhhh




I responded, "WHAT?"

He repeated, "Which account?"

I say, "My checking account, where you took it out of! I so wanted to say MORON.

He clicked and I jokingly ask, "Are you putting my $34 in now?"

He said, "No, I'm starting the process."

I exclaimed, "GEEZUS! Maybe I should just start August all over again. I rambled how easy a bank can charge, make mistakes in a second but takes fricking forever to put it back in and banks wonder why they are screwed.Also how banks have become difficult with their AUTOMATED systems blah blah.

He apologized as he continued to click click click. I get up. Pulling a page out of the printer he said, "Wait, here's your receipt that $34 will be deposited into your checking,". So I took the paper, said thank you and stood up.

He reminded me that if I don't deposit a certain amount in my savings by the end of the month, they will charge me because I'll be below the limit. I stopped, sat back down and said, "You know what. Close the savings account and transfer the money to my checking.

WHIP LASHING, he looked up and asked, "What?"

I repeated my request,"CLOSE MY ACCOUNT, TRANSFER REMAINING SAVINGS TO CHECKING AND CLOSE SAVINGS."

He looked baffled.

I informed, "I would be closing the checking as well. However, when SS finally gets their screw up fixed I need the account for auto deposit. So just close my savings and transfer the little I have left to checking." He apologizes. For what?  No clue. Don't care.

He clicked, paper came out, I signed and he gave it to me.. We exchange good byes and I was done.

The next day, my savings was closed, the money was transferred in my checking and my 34 buckaroos were credited. Yea baby! I count that as a WIN for me.

I've been having a bad headache and I'm exhausted. All because some government employee clicked delete..
























































































4 comments:

  1. From my years of banking experience, I can say the squeaky wheel definitely get the oil. That's the only way to go. You have to tell them you won't tolerate it. Good for you!!! I definitely think you should find another bank. Changing SS direct deposit is not difficult at all. After they get your deposit going again go to another bank. Oh and btw, OD transfers are not done manually. Not in this day and age. NO way, NO how.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Barb-Yes, as you said previously, the disclosures are made to protect the bank. IMHO, they write it for us not to understand it. And I can get confused but I just broke it down and made my point. I was proud of myself. I figured as such about he telling me it's done manually. Everything is usually done electronically. I have considered going to another bank..but with SS.I don't wanna risk any more mess ups. Am bank shopping though. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

For those who are Anonymous, I'll appreciate if you'll tell me who you are especialy if you know me personally or via FB. Because I get alot of spam comments. Thanks. Otherwise, say something to let me know you were here. Thanks. I appreciate all of my readers.