Tweet
As part of my divorce agreement I'm taking on a credit-card balance from Tiny Local Bank that currently is in both my & my ex-husband's name. The other day I called to see if I could transfer the money from my own credit line (also at Tiny Local Bank) to the joint credit card, and I was told no, you can only do a cash advance (which naturally, means they assess me a fee). So I stewed about that for a moment then told them to go ahead and do it.
The next morning I check my account online and see that nothing has been processed, so I call back. This time I'm told that, actually, the only way to do a cash advance is in writing, and I'll need to fax over the authorization. Cue more stewing, but I type up something acceptable, sign it and fax it over. Check the balance the next morning and see that all is well.
Today, however, I log in to find not one but TWO transactions on my line of credit...turns out they CAN do a balance transfer after all, and by the post & transaction dates I can tell that it was initiated the day I'd called the first time. So not only did they do what they said couldn't be done, they apparently never noticed that I'd already done it myself.
Naturally, I call to get things fixed...and the first CSR leaves me on hold for 21 minutes and then the call drops. (And that was after he checked back with me once to say that he was working with 2 supervisors, and to ask me which transaction I wanted reversed despite my having told him that twice.) I call back, get yet another CSR (who was much better than any of the previous ones) and after another 15 minutes or so, it appears everything is handled.
And this, as the title suggests, is why people put their money in their mattresses: Something that couldn't be done was done anyhow, no one was able to figure out how or when it happened (guess this bank doesn't track their internal account activity, eh?), and it took several days and at least 5 people to fix (hopefully) what should have been a fairly simple thing.
It should come as no surprise that I'll be closing my accounts there and switching banks.
The next morning I check my account online and see that nothing has been processed, so I call back. This time I'm told that, actually, the only way to do a cash advance is in writing, and I'll need to fax over the authorization. Cue more stewing, but I type up something acceptable, sign it and fax it over. Check the balance the next morning and see that all is well.
Today, however, I log in to find not one but TWO transactions on my line of credit...turns out they CAN do a balance transfer after all, and by the post & transaction dates I can tell that it was initiated the day I'd called the first time. So not only did they do what they said couldn't be done, they apparently never noticed that I'd already done it myself.
Naturally, I call to get things fixed...and the first CSR leaves me on hold for 21 minutes and then the call drops. (And that was after he checked back with me once to say that he was working with 2 supervisors, and to ask me which transaction I wanted reversed despite my having told him that twice.) I call back, get yet another CSR (who was much better than any of the previous ones) and after another 15 minutes or so, it appears everything is handled.
And this, as the title suggests, is why people put their money in their mattresses: Something that couldn't be done was done anyhow, no one was able to figure out how or when it happened (guess this bank doesn't track their internal account activity, eh?), and it took several days and at least 5 people to fix (hopefully) what should have been a fairly simple thing.
It should come as no surprise that I'll be closing my accounts there and switching banks.
Called the ex, asked him if he'd seen it, mutual assurances that neither of us had made purchases, and then he gave Tiny Local Bank a call to see what was up.
Comment