So, here we are Betsy and her little friend, walking around the grocery store picking out the ingredients for a new (and AWESOME) recipe. Happily picking things off the shelves, no worries.
I am checking out and after swiping my lovely ATM card, the dreaded words “Transaction DENIED” come up…in front of everyone…and of course it is announced to the world my ATM card won’t work…including Betsy’s friend.
I KNOW I have money in the bank. KNOW. A few choice words want to come out of my mouth, but I hold back and say, “Just help someone else, let me try this ATM”. At the ATM machine, once again – “DENIED“. My blood pressure is starting to rise at this point.
I call the bank, and imagine that…the message says “We are experiencing a large number of calls and your wait will be at least five minutes.” UGH. So I am standing, in the grocery store ON HOLD, while my frozen food slowly defrosts.
The bank rep finally comes on and says “How can I help you?”
I respond “Well, you denied my transactions and I have money in the bank.”
Bank Rep – “Well it looks like your ATM card was blocked.”
Me – “Why?” Surely I haven’t spent over the daily limit..oh yea..I haven’t spent ANYTHING today!
Bank Rep – “Well, your card number was compromised”. In other words, a hacker got a hold of a bunch of accounts and mine just happens to be one of them!
Me – “Can’t you just unblock it for 5 minutes so I can pay for my groceries?” Its 9 million degrees outside and my truck has NO air conditioning.
Bank Rep – “No. You should have received a new ATM Card by now. It is sitting in your mailbox. Do you have a plain white envelope at home?”
Me – “Um, I already got my mail today. How do you know what is in my mailbox this minute? And NO I do not know if I have a plain white envelope – I AM AT THE GROCERY STORE. How am I supposed to get these groceries?” (To feed the little girl who is spending the night with my daughter for the first time!!!)
Bank Rep – “Go to the bank.”
Me – “The banks are closed.”
Bank Rep – “Use your husbands ATM.”
Me – “He doesn’t get off until 11:00 PM.”
Bank Rep – “Go to the bank tomorrow.”
Me – “So you are telling me there is no way to get my groceries using MY ATM card that YOU never even told me was cancelled. WOW.”
So, we hop in the smoking hot truck and head home to look for the ATM card they said they sent. Hmmmm….what do you know? There is no ATM card, there is no letter from my bank…NOTHING.
Luckily, I had some cash stashed and we headed BACK to the store. On my way I called the bank again.
Me – “Cancel the card you said you sent me. You didn’t send it to me and I need a new one.”
Bank Rep – “OK”
Me – “But why wasn’t I informed? And who was it comprised with? What company?”
Bank Rep – “We can’t tell you the company and we cannot call you. We sent you a letter.”
Are you EVEN KIDDING ME?
A long time customer at this bank, I get inconvenienced and embarrassed because someone could not at least CALL ME to let me know THEY blocked my ATM card out of NO FAULT of my own.
MAJOR FAIL on the banks part. MAJOR FAIL!
*Although I do appreciate them watching out for me, it would have been nice if they told me…instead of me finding out the hard way.
Wow— what a hard day! The nerve of the bureaucracy is kind of humorous though.;)
I had something VERY similar happen with my bank right around Thanksgiving last year. It was SO frustrating. I’d leave my bank but we have so many things direct deposited or deducted from it it would have been a pain. I hope everything gets straightened out for you!
Katie recently posted..Happy Birthday to my Husband!
Thanks Katie! Now I just have to make a trip to the bank…UGH! Yes..exactly….if it wasn’t such a hassle.. I would definitely consider leaving!
OH! The frustration! I know they’re trying to look after you/us but still. My ‘personal’ favorite was Spring Break this year in the Dom. Rep. My bank left me a message of concern that 1) there was high spending and 2) it was another country where the transactions were taking place. “Please call us within 24 hours or we’ll freeze your account”. What!? SInce it’s a “foreign” country, I have no cell coverage but since I own my own business, I did spring for wi-fi and they luckily had also emailed me. I was able to avoid it but can you imagine being on vacation and checking out to come home and have the same thing happen? Yikes.
This possible scenario though, is the reason that I always keep at least 1 “emergency” check in my wallet.
Kristen Daukas recently posted..No Batteries or Wifi Required
OMG – Now THAT would have been awful! That’s a great idea about the emergency checks…now I just have to find where I put them..lol
[…] after the day we had yesterday, well, we sure did deserve to be cooled off. Stuck in a truck with no air conditioning, you might […]