We have auto-draft for our rent. It's convenient and saves us a bunch of hassle like remember which day is the 1st or which holiday impacts rent's due date. Backstory:
Stories that start like this are getting old. Back in college, I bought some cute socks. My less-that-$10 check was returned by my bank for "account closed." After many frustrating dealings with TeleCheck and the "collections" people (who called multiple times of day at all hours, were rude/condescending even though I was returning their calls, etc.) I loudly demanded—in a busy lobby, no less—that the bank fix the problem. They did; moments later, I closed the account. I also vowed to never-again shop at a store that "proudly uses" TeleCheck. If I know they use it, I don't spend money there. I have plenty of other options. TeleCheck® MISTAKE #1: Believing it is always the customer and it could "never" be the bank's error. TeleCheck® MISTAKE #2 Not recognizing that if a customer returns calls, she is trying to fix the problem; A hateful tone is not appropriate and will not be tolerated. TeleCheck® MISTAKE #3: Going "Special Forces" on me for a less-than-$10 transaction. Hedge your bets wisely, people.
Why do checks even exist, still? Besides thieves, whom are they serving by providing the option to pay by check? I know some people pay bills via check and never changed that habit. My grandparents have never used the Internet and don't own a computer, but they could Check By Phone to pay bills. We all cringe and moan collectively when we're in line behind a check writer. Finally, most stores prefer debit/credit cards or cash, and many have eliminated checks altogether. All These Years Later, TeleCheck Still Sucks
With our new apartment, we wanted the same auto-draft. They offer it, but we were told we'd have to pay in "certified funds" instead. I call the "credit" company that the apartment people use, Lexis Nexis. They say I have a history of writing bad checks, as reported by none other than TeleCheck. I fired off an angry Tweet at BBVA Compass because they used to bounce my good checks all the time. I get an immediate response from Compass and find out that they did no such thing in my closed-for-over-a-year account. The woman who helped me was quite nice and patient and understanding.
I contact TeleCheck who tells me that Walmart in McAlester, Oklahoma (pretty sure I've never been there) put me down for a hot check. I call and talk to them. $280 dollars worth was stolen via a bad check. The "perp" used my TX drivers license number as ID for the check. Walmart tells me I can only dispute this with TeleCheck. TeleCheck® MISTAKE #4: Telling me to contact the Walmart store. I check the website, but TeleCheck doesn't have a form for my particular type of fraud. It wasn't my checking account, and it wasn't a typical forgery. I call TeleCheck again. I'm already weary of the scripted "calming phrases" and "robot" accent their customer service reps have. I fill it out, drive to my credit union, stand in line, get it notarized, and drive to the post office to mail it to Houston. I'm supposed to hear back within ten business days, but I never do. So, on the 12th business day, I call TeleCheck again. Little did I know that I'd spend my entire morning on this mess.
No one with a robot accent understands the one most basic and simple fact: I did not write a check. I haven't written checks in years. I don't own checks. It's physically impossible for me to write a check. Customer Service Rep (CSR) can not explain why I never heard from TeleCheck, but after a verifying every bit of data three times and asking for my first born, claims "it's updated." Updated to what? After three laps around this conversation, I finally get her to tell me that it's been "cleared"—or some similar language—from my record at TeleCheck. Then, I ask her how long it will take to update the credit agencies. She doesn't understand the question and keeps telling me I can write a check. So, I demand a supervisor. Three times. Apparently, they can't transfer you until you ask three times. Supervisor Robot Eric #3641 assures me the update is instant and that Lexis Nexis can look at TeleCheck's records. Now, I've worked in enough IT to know that can't possibly be true for about a million security reasons. Turns out, LN can issue a request and get an almost-instant answer, but they can not access TeleCheck's records or see their screens or any such nonsense.
I call Lexis-Nexis and get the same report. The blip still shows. I tell him, "Y'all need to use someone else. TeleCheck doesn't know what they are doing." The LN rep scoffs at my comment. Whatever, Dude. I'm allowed to have an opinion. If one of my vendors treated any of my clients like this, I'd drop them like a hot potato! I call TeleCheck and get stuck in Call Processing. Again, there is no real option for me. I Google for new numbers and try one. I'm told she can't help me and that I have to call their "only" number. She gives me a number different than the one I called, and I get the same call processing menu. When I get through, Male CSR can not help me either. He tells me the check was from wEEEnoose State Bank and asks if I have an account there. "What did you say? Where? No, it doesn't matter, I've never heard of that bank and have never had an account there." After some more conversation circling, it occurs to me I need to make sure someone didn't open an account in my name and ask him to spell the bank. CSR insists that it's "updated." I explain, "clearly, it isn't or LN would be able to see the update." I'm told that Lexis Nexis will need to call TeleCheck to verify the new status. What? And, I'm given the 1-800-366-2425 number. I ask what call processing option they will need to select and I'm told there won't be one. Sure. I call the number and get the same menu I've heard over and over.
I call Ennis State Bank, where I'm quickly transferred, talked to a very sweet woman who confirms that they have no accounts with either my SSN or DL number. Whew! And, score 1 for small business. I call LN one more time and tell another rep that TeleCheck wants her to call them. Of course, she says they can't and even if they could call, they can't rely on a verbal assurance; they can only rely on what they see on their screens. She pulls it up and sure enough, it's not updated. I drive over there. The locked door says the receptionist is out today. I am part way through dialing the number for access when someone comes to let me in. I ask to speak to "someone who works with TeleCheck and the way they report to Lexis Nexis." No one in Austin. Of course. Two women were very nice, but zero help. I explain that the CSRs and Supervisors aren't trained for my situation and are no help; I ask, "Do you have any contact information for anyone in that department?" Nope. Of course. According to her, all their Customer Service is in Denver. I ask about the Houston office and she says she doesn't know what they do there. I leave in tears.
I refuse to be beaten by this thievery, so I start over. I figure I'll just keep calling and pretending it's a whole new story until I get someone who can understand the problem enough to help. I get Mike #5672 who, at first, I think is going to be the same, but turns out to understand the problem fully, removes the flag from my file, says it's fixed, and tells me to wait 72 hours. Um. What? Is it fixed or will it be fixed in 72 hours? Clearly, this part of his training was a bit vague, because he can't clarify. So, I ask for a reference number and get one! One final call to LN and after sitting on hold again for a very long time, I get the same CSR I had the second time. Before I could even get the beginning of my story out she cut me off to ask, "What did you say your name was?" and tells me she's the same one from before. She types in the application number. Clickity-click-click, and then sweetness pours from her mouth to my ears, "Well all your persistence paid off, my Dear, it's cleared from your record. Congratulations!" I verify that our new apartment complex won't have to pay to have it re-run. She says nope. I fire off an email to our Leasing Agent who re-runs her end. All flags cleared! We can now pay our rent like normal people and not like those stuck in the previous millennium.
If you are forced to call their toll free number (1-888-288-0131 or 1-800-366-2425), ask for Mike #5672. No matter who tells you what, ask for a Reference Number at the end of the call. If you have to report fraud, the forms are on their site, you'll have to get them notarized and either fax them or mail them to a PO Box in Houston.
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