Today I experienced a check denial and was taken completely by surprise. My account has a balance into thousands so insufficient funds was not the problem. I wrote the check at Cici's pizza because I had no cash and they will not take credit or debit cards.
I called Telecheck and they were pleasant enough, but it took some time to get an answer as to the issue.in the meantime I had to divulge way too much personal info to the customer service rep, making the experience very uncomfortable to say the least. I never give out that much information to a third party as a matter of principle.
The denial was triggered by a check written by another person altogether but somehow my drivers license number was either used or mis keyed into the telecheck system. Keep that image in mind as you write checks next Christmas and watch the bored store clerk mindlessly run them through the scanner while discussing weekend plans with the other clerks. You get the idea.
I explained to the C/S rep that I have serious issues with a flawed system that would allow cross-linked records to trigger a lockout due to a simple keypunch error. I have one checking account that ties to two D/L numbers, how could my D/L ever end up tied to a completely different checking account for one transaction? This should have forced a lock on the offending checking account, not the drivers license. Now I have to wait 24 hours for the lock code to clear from my D/L before I can write another check.
Telecheck undoubtedly uses the worst-written software on the planet to verify accounts. I searched usacomplaints.com listing and found many with the same issue, so I know this is not an isolated incident.
Telecheck, heads up. We're watching.
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