grrRrrRrRRr....

[tugrik]

Some freakshow hacker guy got into various banks over the weekend. Supposedly it was in the papers. Visa took most of the week to identify which card numbers were compromised and then informed the banks. BoFA has a huge number of them... 'tens of thousands across california and nevada', the phone dude said. Mine was amongst them.

This means the card was instantly cancelled. Oh, they could have called me, sure... but that would have taken effort. Instead I get nicely embarrased by a dead card while trying to pay for lunch.

Meanwhile, it's going to take them TWO FREAKIN' WEEKS to mail me a new one, due ot the sheer volume of new cards they have to mail out. No, they can't give temporary cards. No, you can't go to your local bank and get something. No, you're just fuxx0r3d and have to smoke it for two weeks, thankyouverymuch. Meanwhile, those in other banks who got caught in the same hack are trundling down to their local WaMu and Wells Embargo offices and getting temporary ATM cards, lickety-split.

I think this is my cue to tell BoFA what to do with itself, and pick a new bank. I know it's not their fault they got hacked (it was a 3rd party vendor that affected mutliple banks), but their customer service response to it really sucks.

Comments

[fallenpegasus]

Allow me to recommend a credit union, any credit union. (Yeah, I know, I keep banging that drum.) There are probably a couple that service people in your geographic area (and either working or living somewhere counts), and/or your job has an agreement with one or two, and/or you job's insurance company has an agreement with one or two.

I collect CU memberships, as the minimum membership share is ususually just a measly five bucks.

And you don't get the "Big Bank" run-around, your ATM charges are more likely to be free, or at least a lot cheaper, and their rates are better.

[noressa.livejournal.com]

I love my CU. $5 to keep my savings account open. I have my credit card attached to my account, so I can pay it directly online, as well as my car payment I also have through the bank. No checks, no hassel, they scan my checks for me automatically, no additional charges to view, wonderful customer service, no charge to see a teller... Used to be Wells Fargo. Bad juju. *shudders*

[protocat.livejournal.com]

Third person to recommend the 'Credit Union' option. I've been a part of two and neither have tried to screw me once. I think my minimum for savings was $5 as well.

Re:

[noressa.livejournal.com]

Should have been Free checks. ^^' Oops. Thanks for responding so I can see that...

[amilori.livejournal.com]

May I add a 3rd vote for a Credit Union? There's a great deal more safety built into their net & they've now consolidated most of the ATMs in the US & Europe so you can get cash without penalties. Anywhere the US military/DOD/Embassy/other govenmental agency has or has had a presence, there's a CU.

[fallenpegasus]

Yeahbut, you have to be a federal employee, overseas contractor, or member of the military, to get membership in the credit union.

I lust at getting that membership, similar to my lust for getting a BECU membership. But I'm not willing to work for the Fed, or for Boeing, just to get that one perq.

[amilori.livejournal.com]

Not any longer. Many of the credit unions have openned membership to long term area residents (5+ years) or to affiliate business employees. And all of the military CUs have joined at least one of the CU cooperatives.

[perlandria.livejournal.com]

Another credit union vote here. many CU's charters will include a phrase about the area, so juct by living here you qualify for several.
And I think I owe you lunch, yea?

[kiala.livejournal.com]

Credit unions are good, but if you want to insist on sticking with a bank, I recomend Wells.. Out of the three big ones (wells, Bofa and WaMu) Wells has given me the best customer support..

Just my vote ;>