I think I shall go back to keeping my money in a piggy bank
Written: Feb 17 '01 (Updated Feb 17 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Close to home
Cons: Customer Service
The Bottom Line: I would not mind them so bad if they could give me an explanation for why they keep screwing up my account.
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| menomonee1's Full Review: Firstar |
I chose to use Firstar as my bank for the simple reason that they were close to home, and I have my home mortgage there. At that time they went by the name Mercantile. With the change of name, also went the service.
So far we have had three major problems with them. The first problem was while my wife was transferring money over from our savings to our checking account. She made the error of doing it over the telephone and thinking it would take effect right a way. It wasn't until a few days later and I was at Quick Trip did I find out differently. My debit card was denied even though I knew we had plenty of money in it.
I called her up wondering where our money was, and she in turn called the bank. They had not yet transferred over the money but continued to cash checks on the account racking up over $100.00 in service charges. It was not until I called them back and had then look at our account did they take care of the problem and credit us back the service charges. I first had to argue over the service charges. They wanted to just divide it down the middle and we pay half. They finally agreed it was their error and took them off.
The second problem was just over a month ago. I purchased a television using my debit card. The next day I had to pick up some cables to hook up our VCR to the television and my card was denied for a purchase of $20.00. I still had several thousand dollars in that account.
The following day I called their 1-800 number and was informed that there was a permanent hold on my account. I tried to find out who put the hold on my account but was told I had to go to my bank and talk with them. The bank explained to me that the hold on my account was to my benefit. With a charge that big they figured the card was stolen and that I had to call in to let them know I still had the card. It should have been taken care of over the phone.
I had a few problems with all of this.
1. Why didn't anyone explain to me up front that I had to notify the bank in advance before making a big purchase?
2. Why was it not handled over the phone like is stated in their own policy?
3. If they thought the card was stolen, why did they allow the purchase to go through?
The third problem happened just last week. I went to their automatic teller machine to get out some cash for the weekend. The machine took my card and said it was an un-authorized usage. I took out my other debit card and gave that one a try. Same thing. Now here I am, going out with my wife, and I need some cash. I try her card and it works just fine. Same account.
Here is where there great customer service comes in to play. My wife calls them up Monday morning and explained the machine took my cards in error. She asks them to find out what happened and please call her back. She also informs them that I will be in on Friday afternoon to pick up my cards.
Friday I show up at the bank and they have no idea what I am talking about. They don't have my debit cards and have no idea where they are. They also explain that my wife never talked to anyone at the bank and must be lying to me. Well that seems strange since someone at the bank had called her back earlier in the week explaining she still did not know why they took my cards but she was working on it.
Well to make a long story short, they say there is nothing wrong with my account and have no idea why the machine ate my cards. They would be happy to issue me temporary cards but their computer system is down and they won't be able to help me until the next Tuesday.
On a positive note. They did tell me where a grocery store was only 10 miles a way that I could get cash from over the weekend to tide me over until they could find out were their error was and the location of my debit cards.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
menomonee1
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: Alan Wenberg
Location: Olathe ks
Reviews written: 82
Trusted by: 72 members
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