[OT] Banks

spider · Unread post by **spider** » 21 Nov 2010, 21:42

Firstly, this is not FCF related so if a staff member wishes to delete it, that's fine. No names are mentioned.

I just wanted to share my continuing 'adventure'

Its quite complicated but I'll try to summarise it as best as I can, apologies in advance for grammatical errors as its just more or less a quick summary:

My PC died (properly) last week, now I had planned a new one for new year really anyway as I did want one last year but it did not happen. I knew it was going rapidly but was hoping it would make it to Christmas.

For reference, the power supply suffered a catastrophic failure from what I can tell, the motherboard, primary hard drive (I have two) and the memory are completely scrap. Tested them in a friends machine. Interestingly the CPU survived. Bear in mind it is about 5 maybe 7 years old generally, I've just been upgrading bit by bit etc.

Now, to the story. After much mulling around, I settled on buying a base unit (and monitor as I have an ancient crt monitor I purchased two years ago for £5!) , I ordered online using my debit card last Wednesday evening. Bear in mind the purchaser was closed at this time.

I immediately had a 'transaction' issue as it was a large ish amount of money this is normal, you have to go to the bank's site to 'authorise' / 'unlock' the transaction to prove its you.

The next day, I looked at the supplier again, it was still listed as unpaid. I visited the cash point to see, and the money had gone (but, it was showing, just not available to withdraw, kind of allocated I guess)

I then called into the bank itself, spoke to an assistant and the manager (I think) came out and I told him and he said no problem, went into an office with him had a quick chat and he 'unlocked' it. I saw him do this.

The supplier is difficult to reach on the phone and email is best. The bank is best to reach by going into the branch.

I got another email from the supplier saying it was still pending. I then mailed back to say I had unlocked it and had been to the bank and it was unlocked. It was still pending (I went to a cashpoint and checked, no change)

I had a phone call later from the supplier and explained the situation to them but they were insistent it had not gone through, and to be fair it had not. She tried it again while I was there on the phone too. Same thing.

As by then it was late Thursday I had no choice but to leave it till Friday. I called into the bank in the morning and spoke to some yts type youth on the counter, explained it all to him and he looked and said it was OK. I told him but he said they would have to try it again, there was no problem.

Back home, email the supplier and get them to try it again. A few emails back and forth that morning and it still would not work. They suggested they could take it again but I said no as there is not enough money to pay 'twice'. Their suggestion for this was if they did it manually it would show why it was not working, trouble is I would then be overdrawn and have overdraft charges etc so I said no, its the banks fault leave it and I'll go again.

Friday afternoon, I called into the bank again. Waited about 30 to 40 minutes in the queue (bad time to go Friday afternoon I know but what can you do) , after explaining it was 'complicated' I went into a back office and told the assistant what had happened. He more or less smiled and said 'its earmarked', it will release itself in a day or two. I asked why nothing was mentioned before about this on my previous visits, he did not have an answer, just mumbled it was a glitch.

I was very angry and upset Friday after two days of running around really

, I don't have a lot of 'free' time as it is, don't need to be chasing things up that should not happen.

To be fair they should be applauded for having extra fraud protection (ie: a large transaction should be 'held' but ONLY until its authorised by going to their site (which I did) or calling into the branch to authorise it personally (again, which I did)

Complete shambles really

Trouble is it already has been two days, and not counting the weekend obviously now. * sigh *

I intend to contact the supplier Monday afternoon (once they have read their emails they did not answer on Friday) to see what they say.

Its very annoying and upsetting as I had unlocked / authorised the transaction, the manager had, I went back to confirm and went back yet again (so that's three separate visits to the bank and its not easy to get to to be honest either)

Either way, come Tuesday if there's no resolution (I am writing a letter of complaint regardless, but only after all this is 'fixed') I will ask them to cancel the transaction and restore the money. Either way it needs to be 'fixed' before I leave...

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 21 Nov 2010, 22:43

That's pretty terrible Andy

I know banks have to be cautious, given the incidence of fraud that's around these days but they should be a little more on the ball than that. It all sounds very sloppy to me. Is it a well-known bank?

It's not often I do a large transaction on my cards but in the past, I've received a call from the bank to check the validity and it's gone through there and then.

These days, for a large transaction I prefer to do an on-line transfer from my account to the recipient's account direct. Each time I've done this an automated call is made from the bank to my nominated phone number only the the bank knows to authorise and validate the transaction. The number called is set up in advance.

I bank with a well-known bank that has a horse in its logo. I use the same bank for the forum account. This is a business account and recently they issued a passcode generator and special authorisation card to access the account on-line. I was a little disappointed that they did not issue these passcode generators for personal accounts as well as I reckon with all the trojan hijacks of home PCs that abound, the greatest danger to anyones account these days must be down to the stealing of passwords for on-line banking from home PCs using keystroke recorders.

Fact is too that the current chip and pin along with CVV2 is very insecure and too easily hacked. The banks need to get their act together and these passcode generators are a good step in the right direction.

I hope it'll all be sorted tomorrow and your new PC will soon be with you...

Still using a glass monitor? You must be one of the very last!

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 21 Nov 2010, 23:17

Mum and Dad had an "earmark" problem in Mexico several years ago, they paid for a trip but the transaction didn't complete, so the tour operator put it through again, same thing, and again, same thing, and on the 4th go it was declined.
3 amounts earmarked left them with no money, so they had to call the UK (bank that used to have a Griffin) and spoke with their bank manager who was a rare thing in that he ran the branch like a well oiled logical machine (if you slipped over your overdraft they would phone you to let you know and give you several days to sort it out rather than charge you).
He sorted it for them but it cost them a fortune in phone calls.

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 22 Nov 2010, 00:54

I punted my glass monitor only a week ago.

Had to pay $20 for the recycling of it, too - what a rort.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 22 Nov 2010, 08:17

I still have 5 glass monitors here. Not used a great deal although one is sitting on my desk beside the LCD one, ready for action (when I get round to bringing the PC up from the dining room, only been there a week)

Although it appears to be a bank screwup, some retailers do have a reputation for causing payment headaches. One such starting with 'E' and ending with 'buyer'.

I generally get my stuff either locally (Falcon Computers) or from Overclockers UK. Never had the slightest problem with either of them.

reblack68 · Unread post by **reblack68** » 22 Nov 2010, 08:36

myglaren wrote:Although it appears to be a bank screwup, some retailers do have a reputation for causing payment headaches. One such starting with 'E' and ending with 'buyer'.

I've heard they have a bad reputation but I've been dealing with them for years and never had a problem, I've even managed a couple of returns. They did once send me a £25 memory stick when I ordered (and paid for) a £5 card reader but I didn't complain- funnily enough the next order also came with a free card reader. I didn't complain about that either.

spider · Unread post by **spider** » 22 Nov 2010, 11:46

Yes, it is a well known bank. To clarify, it is not a 'massive' amount of money in reality, it is 'massive' for me, but its well within three figures (by lets say 20%) , its not a silly PC just a reasonable spec one as the last one did five maybe seven years so I wanted something to last about five, and I have been saving slowly for a long time.

Have to see what happens later today really, give the supplier chance to catch up with mails (typically the afternoon they start to get ahold of you)

Regarding CRT's , I paid £5 for this one I have now from a place that does ex office / liquidated stock, its just a 17" but its been fine (mostly)

I do have a couple of RGB monitors too, but they are for some of my retro computing bits, actually these used to be really commonplace thinking about it but seem to fetch a silly price now.

Thanks everyone for your kind words

, I'll do bout post back in a couple of days to this thread.

spider · Unread post by **spider** » 22 Nov 2010, 20:36

Supplier called about 5.30pm asking if I had sorted the money. I told them it was ready and unlocked.

They tried it again (while I was on the phone) , bank says no

Did not give an error message just says "declined"

Off to the bank (again!) in the morning to see what they are doing

Gammy leg · Unread post by **Gammy leg** » 22 Nov 2010, 22:11

Maybe it's time to change your bank

spider · Unread post by **spider** » 22 Nov 2010, 22:22

Gammy leg wrote:Maybe it's time to change your bank

It's under 'consideration'

to say the least.

KP · Unread post by KP » 23 Nov 2010, 09:44

Should have asked on here for a newer PC spider

I have had issues like this in the past, mainly when abroad as its classed as unusual activity. Had it sorted then and there.

My bank is the hong kong shanghai fuey bank

On another note when in the states never buy, a pair of trainers and two tanks of fuel without breaking it up as this can often lock your card while over there

spider · Unread post by **spider** » 23 Nov 2010, 13:07

Tis on going

Called into bank earlier. The money has returned to my account. I was hoping it would clear with the supplier but no.

They would not guarantee it would not happen again if I tried it again.

Told them I would just send a cheque instead and very annoyed, that's hours wasted and four visits to the bank.

Letter of complaint coming up later this week, I think I can feel it coming on already.

Gammy leg · Unread post by **Gammy leg** » 23 Nov 2010, 17:35

I recently went to a 'full-on' internet bank ( part of a big high street operation mentioned earlier in this thread ). Best thing I ever did, wish I'd done it years ago. Had to buy myself out of a crippling mortgage deal with them that Mr L Hamilton promotes all over his F1 car but still ended up saving money.
I must say that I've never experienced anything like what you have gone through Spider - most odd and very frustrating!

Gammy