I have a checking account with 5/3 Bank and use the Mastercard debit card as my primary means of transacting personal business.
My wife and I were traveling to Germany on a trip for 10 days. I notified 5/3rd customer service several days prior to my trip that I would be traveling in Germany so I wouldn't have any problems using my card there. I had a problem with my card the day we were leaving (June 28th) so I called 5/3rd and was informed that my card had been frozen because of a transaction in Germany (a hotel reservation that I had made earlier that day.) I informed them that I had already notified them of my travel plans and they said that they saw where I had spoken to someone but nothing had been done with that. They unblocked the account and said that they would add something to my account that would allow me to use my card in Germany without any problems.
When my wife and I arrived at our hotel in Frankfurt, Germany on the 29th after 15 hours of tarvel my card was declined at the rental car desk - we had to use my wife's account. I immediately called and spoke to someone in the Fraud Dept who said that nothing had been done but that they would take care of it for me and I wouldn't have any problems going forward. We arrived at our hotel about an hour later and my card was again declined at the front desk and we had to use my wife's account again. I called again and spoke to someone in the Fraud Dept who said that they would take care of it for me and told me again I wouldn't have any problems going forward.
The next day, June 30th I attempted to use my card again and again it was declined. Needless to say I was so embarrassed and furious. I called and asked to speak to a supervisor in the Fraud Dept. I was connected to someone named Don. Don informed me that they needed to add something to my account. I stayed on the line to confirm that he had completed that. He informed me that I wouldn't have any problems going forward.
On Friday July 1st, I tried to use the card and again it was declined. I attempted to call 5/3rd again but was informed by the phone system that they do not have 24hr customer service or even call center availability on the weekend. I finally gave up and called them again when I returned to the US on the 8th.
I spoke to a customer service supervisor who was only able to apologize but unable to provide me with a satisfactory explanation as to why I had spent 10 days of time, money ($1/minute phone time) and embarrassment at the hands of 5/3rd - on my vacation.
I am amazed that an organization such as 5/3rd could act like this and still have customers. At a time when I needed them the most, away in a foreign country, they were incapable of providing me with adequate access to MY money.
I will be taking my business elsewhere but wanted to make sure my story was heard by an interested third party in the meantime.
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