Damn you, Washingto Mutual...Damn you to the furthest rings of hell!

The BBQ Pit
1

My first Pit post. Go me. Or somesuch.

I go to the ATM after work last nite. After the obligatory whirring and beeping noises, I see an odd message on the screen: “Unauthorized Usage.”

Hm. Odd. I didn’t panic, it was one of those free-standing ATMs in a gas station, so I figured it was an odd transmission glitch. Tried again. Get same message. :rolleyes:

I go back to the car to call the bank. One of the telephone banking troglodytes informs me that the error message is due to the fact that the card had been reported Lost/Stolen. Odd, seeing as how I have the card in my friggin’ HAND, obviously.

Troglodyte taps away on his keyboard an informs me that the person I spoke to the night before “picked the wrong option.” No big deal, I thought. Mistake. Please reactivate my card, thanks. I am thusly informed that once a card is reported Lost/Stolen, it cannot be reactivated. :eek: Um, WHAT??

I guess I should explain the call from the night before…I receieved my NEW check card in the mail, but some of the numbers stamped on it we illegible–mainly the expiration date. It was unreadable. I called to have a new one issued, to avoid problems using the card on a daily basis. At no time did the words “lost” or “stolen” fall from my lips. Troglodyte #1 apparently inputted Lost/Stolen as the reason why I called. A new card was issued, yes, but it is going to take 5 to 7 business days to get it. So here I sit, with no access to my money. The branch I opened the account in is about a hour away from where I live; mind you, I SHOULD have changed banks when I moved, but seeing that I have direct deposit, bank online, and use my check card for most purchases, I didn’t see a need to.

I asked for a supervisory Troglodyte, and got the “I’m sorry ma’am, there is nothing we can do” spiel over and over.

Fucking illiterate, careless, knuckle-dragging cock knocker has now caused me to not be able to access my money until at LEAST after the holiday.

Fuck you, Washington Mutual. Hard…with a rusty, corroded Cuisinart blade.

Oh, and don’t forget to go straight to hell. :mad:

2

Call them back and INSIST that they put a rush on the new card. It’ll cost 'em some money, but it’s their fault, so tough shit.

3

Call them by 2:30 pm est at the latest and ask for Saturday delivery. Ask for a supervisor and tell them it’s an emergency.

4

I agree with TYM, or, just threaten to “drive down there pull your money out of that backward hellhole of a bank” it’s their fault, it ought to be their cost to rush.

5

I’ve considered doing this at the bank I use because they’re incorrigible asshats, but then I realized that threatening to pull my usually <$200 out of their multi-million dollar system is hardly that much of a threat. Were I Jed Clampett, maybe, but alas…

6

just a tip for fellow users - if you use their online banking and online check ordering … first order the checks with your new address, then officially change your address with their tools online.

Otherwise you are blocked from ordering checks by web, phone, or mail, for 30 days. You actually have to drag your butt down to the bank and do it (easy for folks who work 9-5, have a short lunch break, and are commuting 100 miles round trip just to unpack new house and fix up to sell the old [/sarcasam])

7

Hell has rings.
That’s the pits. :smiley: :stuck_out_tongue:

8

Not to take away from your rant (because WAMU does, in fact, suck), but can’t you write a check for cash? Or isn’t that an option in the NYC area?

9

Yes, that is an option. But to find the time to take the hour ride to GET to the branch to do that hardly seems worth it…By the time I get out of my FT job they’re closed, and weekends aren’t a much better option (more working for me).

And I am glad someone else sees the Suckiness that is WaMu. :smiley: Luckily Mr. Yak and I have an agreement to always help each other out in times of need. So it’s really not THAT bad, I think it’s just the principle of the thing. The stupidity of their employees is astounding. Truly.

Wow. I think I just took away from my OWN rant. Bah. :rolleyes:

10

Actually, I hate to be on the opposing side here, but it’s not their fault that your card is no good. It’s your fault-you asked to have it cancelled. I’m not saying that they didn’t probably fuck up by not telling you, but anytime, Anytime, ANYTIME you ask to have a new card issued-not just lost/stolen/replaced due to damage-they automatically cancel your card and it is henceforth no longer good.

I should also add that it is not just WAMU, but any, Any, ANY bank you choose to do banking with. The first time it happened to be many moons ago, it was with Wells Fargo and I went through the same thing you’re going through.

Unfortunately, they cannot and most likely will not “rush” your card to you. Asking for a “rush” when the card has already been ordered will lead to further confusion as they cancel your new new card and reissue a 3rd card and havie it rushed to you. THen of course, the first replacement card will arrive before your rushed card and it will not be a functional card and you’ll be back here lickity-split complaining about your bank again.

Sam

11

My anecdotal experience differs from your anecdotal experience. A few years ago my credit union managed to send me a new card to replace one that was about to snap in two without cancelling it. She wasn’t asking for it to be cancelled; she was asking for a replacement card. I don’t see why that should be difficult to do.

Whatever. Sounds like she’ll get through it.

12

Actually, I NEVER requested a cancellation on the original card. The new one was not yet activated. All they had to do was send out the new card, and keep the old one the way it was. In sending out the new card, they did not de-activate the old one originally. Why they would do it now is beyond me and was a careless, rush-to-get-in-as-many-phone-calls-as-possible-before-I-go-home mistake.

13

To the OP’s mind, he didn’t ask for his new card to be cancelled, he asked for a legible one to be issued. If the person he spoke to had either a.) informed him that this would mean that the card he had in hand would no longer be good or b.) chosen the proper option (card damaged) rather than (card lost/stolen) in the computer, then none of this would be at issue.

There are grocery stores, however, which will allow you to write a check over and above the amount of your purchase (usually up to $50) with proper identification and standard check-cashing credentials at their store. Some will also flat out cash a check at the customer service window, sometimes for as much as $200. So you can get your hands on cash if you have such credentials with any grocery stores. Check around.

You could also ask a friend if they’d cash a check for you, given the circumstances.

14

A small credit union and a mega-branch bank are 2 different things.

I do not believe it is possible to replace any card, ever, without cancelling all of the cards yet in play, when banking with mega banks. It is a security measure-if you had 2 cards in play and another on the way and one of those cards ended up in the hands of someone not as friendly as yourself, you’d be pissed as hell if you got ripped off.

So instead of dealing with all of the cards in play, they cancel them all and re-issue a new one to you. SOP.

I know it sucks though, BTDT.

Sam

15

As I said, IME, if you ask for a new card to be issued due to theft, fraud, or damage, they cancel all cards in play. Everyone I know who has ever chosen any of those options has had their current card cancelled.

Another anecdote-

Last year my mother’s card was to expire. By the end of the expiration month, she hadn’t received her new card so she called Wells to request a new card. Immediately upon asking for a new card, they cancelled the card that was lost in the mail. Of course, the next day the cancelled card showed up in the mail and she had to wait another week…

Typical. :slight_smile:

Sam