On October 13, I requested a cash advance ($15,000.00) from my WAMU credit card. The purpose of the advance was to consolidate and payoff other accumulated debt.
The transfer was to go to my checking account at Bank of America.
On October 20, WAMU started to charge me for the funds transfer. BOA had never received any transfer to my account.
On November 3, I called WAMU customer service to track the funds down. The customer service person was extremely curt and unresponsive. I escalated to an overseas manager - Marco who was very appologetic, and said he would start a trace on the funds. He also said that it would take 60 days to complete the trace. I told him this was unacceptable and needed an immediate answer. He said he would put the funds on hold and I would not be required to pay for any disputed amount. He told me that WAMU would research and get back to me. He also indicated that:
1. The funds were attempted to wire transfer to my account on October 13 and was rejected. On October 14 a manual check was cut to BOA so it could take 14 days in the mail and another 3 days to process the check and I should wait until few days and then check with my bank.
November 13, I spoke to another representative Glenda who again was without information - I was told the funds were processed and I was responsible for payment. I explained that BOA had not received the funds and could they please investigate. She had no record of my calling previous to this call.
I escallated the conversation to a Customer Service Supervisor - Terry who informed me that I was accountable for the money and that their 60 days for investigation were not up yet. I just needed to wait and they would get back to me. I asked for a copy of the canceled check since apparently WAMU records indicated the check had cleared.
Terry said she would "START" a trace and request the check.
5 days later, on November 18 - I received an illegible email of the "canceled check". The check was made out to Bank of America, not to me. There is a small reference to my husband above the signature line, but there is not indication what account the funds were intended for.
I took the check copy immediately to Bank of America and spoke to VP Melissa to see if they could trace the funds from their end. I presented the copy of the canceled check to the bank manager who called their research department to start a funds trace. There are numerous cancelations on the back of the check, none of which Bank of America can identify.
I then went from BOA to a local WAMU bank to present the same information. The Bank President at WAMU looked at the information I presented and immediately said the problem was not theirs, it is BOA's. I needed to address the issue with BOA.
I gave him the history and told him that so far, I was unimpressed with the customer service I was receiving from WAMU. He agreed it was not what he would expect and agreed to make a phone call to their customer service group.
The phone call was uneventful. The CS group gave the bank president the same information they provided me and said they again would "START" a trace on the funds. They expected it would take 60 days to complete.
I came home and called the customer service group at Bank of America. BOA has gone above and beyond in their efforts to locate the missing funds. I connected with an exemplary employee - Noel - who is a customer service Manager at BOA. Noel has taken it upon himself to call me every day to see if there is any additional information or support that he can provide.
On November 26, Noel initiated a conference call with WAMU payment trace department to see if jointly we could resolve the situation. Noel told the WAMU representative that BOA did not recognize the receipt of funds nor any of the accounts that were on the canceled check.
Wamu said they would have the results of the trace and call me back on Friday (Thanksgiving Holiday) November 28. Of course no phone call was forth coming.
Monday, December 1 - no phone call
Tuesday, December 2 - no phone call
Wednesday, December 3 - I phoned WAMU again. I had to go through the entire history only to have the representative tell me that the trace was in place and I had to wait - their 60 days was not up.
Again, I escalated to a supervisor who equally incompetent. Terry went through the entire history, yet again. She said there was no additional information and that WAMU was waiting for BOA to respond to their trace. I asked her if there was anyone in the WAMU organization who could possibly pick up a phone and proactively make a call to BOA to resolve the issue. Apparently, they have no outbound lines at that entire organization. She said no.
I asked to speak to a manager if she was unable to provide me with any additional information. I was put on hold (one of their favorite moves) for 5 minutes while another person was located. Tenecia answered the phone and I was tasked with providing her history. Tenecia as it turned out was yet another incompetent supervisor - who could not provide answers to my questions, information or escalation.
I demanded a manager, was put on hold for yet another 10 minutes and finally was able to talk to a manager. Patty appologized for the incompetent customer service and inaccurate, non existent information I was receiving. I explained to Patty that I have been a 25 year customer with Chase Bank and was very upset with the quality and concern I was receiving from WAMU. I was assured that Patty would investigate and get back to me.
12/4, no return phone call from Patty. I called her direct line and left a message for her. No returned phone call.
WAMU has not initiated any response written or verbal to resolve this issue.
Noel from Bank of America of course made his daily call to me to see if there was anything that he could do to help me out. I explained that WAMU was waiting on a written response from BOA. Noel of course checked with their payment processing department who verified that there was no request for information from WAMU.
At this point, I have $15,000 floating around the world that apparently, I am responsible for repaying.interest is accruing and I have been required to start making payments on this money since WAMU insists that I have the money.
WAMU has not accepted any responsibility for the transfer and consistently pushes back and tells me that the issue is with BOA.
WAMU apparently makes a habit out of this type of transaction. Their customer service group is absolutely incompetent. They cannot go above or around their chain of command and cannot go outside of their department to gather information.
I believe that this is an illegal action and I should not be held accountable nor responsible for repaying funds that I have not received, cannot be traced to any account that I, nor my spouse, nor any of my family owns, is signature on, nor has knowledge of.
Cindy
Houston, Texas
Cfitzgerald
Spring, Texas
U.S.A.
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