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November 27, 2014- By Steven E. Greer
One week ago, I was humiliated at a restaurant when my bank card, loaded with cash, was declined. It turned out that legitimate fraud was taking place. However, the horrible bank had no customer service call lines opened. They closed at 6:00 PM, and no one called me to tell me anything before they shut down my card.
I deal with the CEO of this bank. That is the only reason I have not switched banks. I figure that it is better to deal with a high-level nincumpoop than some low-level schmuck at a too-big-to-fail bank like Chase.
After my ordeal, and free consulting advice from me to them, and they promising to make changes, nothing has changed. One week later, on the night before Thanksgiving, my new card was turned off AGAIN! (I suspect that by me simply using Amazon, they shut it down). There was STILL no phone support after 6:00 PM. Again, no one from the bank called me first to warn me.
I emailed the CEO and they got back with me on Thanksgiving saying that my card was reactivated. However, If I had not had the direct access to the fricken CEO, I would be out of luck until Monday.
The people in the back office who shut me down knew that it was on the busiest travel day. For all they knew, they had stranded me during a trip.
This problem of shutting down cards and not calling the user, to let them learn by humiliation at point of purchase, is common. What are these banks thinking?
If this has happened to you, please post your comments.
This happens to me all the time. Declined for fraud. On business dinners! Without warning.
There is a card I deliberately do not use for business outings because it ends in humiliation. They usually call me sometime the next day which of course is useless.
Always great to make your paying client look like a deadbeat in front of his business contacts.
BTW
It is not just big or suspicious charges that get fraud declined. They have fraud declined me at an NYC parking meter. Total charge 4 dollars.