June 4
To whomever at K-Mart this concerns:
On 6-3-09 I attempted to write a check at K-Mart at your store located at 33 W State St Binghamton, NY for the amount of $115.45. It was declined by a third-party company called Certegy Check Services, Inc. However, your cashier had no problem processing my payment with my bank card, which is the same bank I tried to write my check upon. Upon calling the 1-800-543-5074 # printed on the back of the declined check in the parking lot, an automated voice informed me there is no negative information on file, but their decision would not be overturned, but the voice did offer a Gold Package which would prevent future checks from being declined.
On 6-4-09 at 8:40 A.M., I contacted the Certegy customer department at 866-543-6315 and spoke with a female named Katina. She asked the check # that was used, the amount it was for, and then asked my Driver's License number and state it was issued in. She then asked my full name and then my birth date. I asked her how they needed that information when they were able to freely decline my check based on nothing more than my driver's license number. She replied that a check was no guarantee of payment, and again asked my birth date. I balked at divulging any further information to her and informed her that I was going to complain to both K-Mart and the NYS Attorney General instead of dealing with a third party that appeared to be fishing for financial information.
Their Gold Package consists of nothing more than a great deal of personal financial information that appears to be a credit application. Why would you use such an obtuse company? Is it because it is located in a poor side of town with many minorities who aren't likely to complain much and have no choice but to frequent your store? Since when does a third party interject itself between a customer and a merchant such as you? Are you aware of the number of complaints concerning this company which can be easily found online, and the security breach they recently suffered?
I hope you no longer wonder why your company is in such bad shape financially. I will never again darken the shopping aisles of your store again for the embarrassment your third party interference inflicted on me, especially after discovering there was no negative information on file with them. On what basis did you reject my check? Because Certegy didn't approve? After I had spoken with the rest of my family, they informed me that they will not shop at your organization, either. Some of them live in other cities in New York. I had usually spent around $1800 per year at K-Mart (which I had to go back through my records for five years to total for this letter) and it is an amount that you will never see again. I and my family will shop elsewhere.
Enclosed find copies of my declined check, the receipt which was accepted after paying with my bank card which represents the last monies you will ever receive from me, and a copy of my complaint to the NYS Attorney General.
Best of luck with your struggling bankrupt organization, you'll need it.
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