Thursday, September 24, 2009

Is Your Jailer a Bank?

Do you think your credit card company has your best interests in mind?

Um, sure, and pigs fly and cows really do jump over the moon.

You probably believe that Santa Claus is fat, wears an uncomfortable-looking red suit and shimmies down your chimney (with plenty of lube of course) on Christmas Eve. Everyone knows that's not true. Folks, Santa is not fat. He gets plenty of exercise up there at the North Pole chasing cute little elves and swimming with the dolphins.

ReformingGeek?

Yes?

The dolphins like the water a bit warmer.

So Santa lives at the South Pole then.

Um, no, ReformingGeek, no. Get on with your rant.

Sigh.

Twice in one month, we've had our credit card account "frozen" because of suspected fraudulent activity. This activity was from Hubby and me. That's right. WE bought stuff. Sorry. Excuse us, Bank, for using your credit card with the painful yearly fee just so we can accumulate airline miles that aren't worth the paper used to print them.

Wait. Paper? Print?

OK. That's an exaggeration but the cost of an airline ticket using miles has gone up just like everything else and would you believe there is a FEE to talk to an agent? YIKES! Don't get me started.

Let me explain this path of disenchantment with Bank. The first incident occurred because of an online transaction, followed by a couple of errands involving fuel and junk healthy food purchases. During the time it took for me to get back home, hear the phone message from Bank, and call to confirm the transactions, our Internet provider attempted to process our automated monthly payment.

DE-NIED.

Thanks, Bank.

Lets me out, Bank. I can has geeks....or maybe shoes or small wienie dogs?


The second incident occurred because we had the audacity to go on vacation and buy something in Texas (at the airport), in Boston, Massachusetts (a meal), and somewhere in Maine (bear repellent and Diet Dr Pepper), all within 24 hours. Oops. SHAME ON US!

When we travel, we rely heavily on credit cards. It's a good thing we had a spare from another bank.
Yes, we did call Bank and straighten things out.

A couple of months before these transactions were flagged, we received new credit cards in the mail because Bank had some sort of compromised data problem and "to protect us" they had to re-issue our cards.
Thanks, Bank. We appreciate having to change almost a dozen automatic payments and we usually forget one or don't get it done in a timely manner (Yes, there is now a list because this is not the first time we have had to do this.)

There are probably more specifics that went into whatever magical formula Bank uses to search for potential fraud, but, PU-LEEZE, stop already, 'K?
When Bank sent us the new cards, they asked us if we wanted to buy credit card fraud protection insurance. WTF? Um, no. I have a better idea: I'M ALREADY PAYING. PROVIDE SERVICE.

In other news, this hilarious and crazy blogger from Utah with a poultry fetish gave me this award:


Thanks, Betty. I'm reviewing my chicken recipes. I've never cooked a zombie chicken, though. I hope they aren't too tough.

This lady reminds me of someone. Yes, someone that might be one bubble short of level.


Um, ReformingGeek?


Yes?


Betty explains "multi-level" over on her blog, My Life in a Multi-Level. You are talking about yourself again, aren't you?

Um, yeah, probably.

I did receive another award and I have not forgotten it. It involves me actually having to think so I will post about it next time.

BTW, this post is way too long and I'm feeling lazy so I'm not naming bloggers to receive the Zombie Chicken Award. Besides, I couldn't catch that greasy, slimy cat to pick out his favorites. I bloggy love all of you great people, zombies, and aliens. Please take the award if you would like it.


Photo credit: jailed big cat: Manuele Hoffmann, flickr.com, Creative Commons license (see sidebar).

21 comments:

The Old Silly said...

Well I bloggy luv u 2, and don't blame ya for doing the pass along tag game. Lovely award, though - you zombie chicken you. lol

Marvin D Wilson

Christopher Jones said...

Santa is actually some scrawny cat from New Jersey. He hates milk and cookies, and thinks Godfather 1 and 2 were terrible movies.

He really is a miserable little dirtbag. No idea how people got the impression that he was jolly.

Meadowlark said...

I'd love to agree.... but can't.

A month or so ago, Husband tried to use his card to get cash when we were at a downtown festival. Card denied. Tried again. Card denied.

When we got home we checked our account and found a charge for $1500 for jewelry in New York (I'm at the other end of the country) and a bunch of charges in Tennessee at a pharmacy.

We immediately called the card in, but had the bank not paid attention to our usage patterns, we might not have known for several days. And believe me, $1500 would cause some serious overdraft charges with my account!!!

Also, whenever I travel outside my home area, I notify the bank so they do NOT tag my card. When we went on our Florida vacation, it only took a 3 minute phone call to say "I'm going on vacation in Florida and don't want you to put a hold on my card". It worked. Same thing when BabyGirl and I went to Vegas.

It's just a thought.
Sorry for your bad luck.

Donnie said...

Well, I have the same problem with BOA as well. I had to go through quite a hassle before things were straightened out...I think. It's just easier to be overdrawn and maxed out than it is to be safe.

ReformingGeek said...

@Marvin - Thanks! I smell chicken cooking.

@Meadowlark - Yeah. I'm sure we would not be complaining if our number had actually been stolen. I think we have called before to tell them not to "hold" the card but it's usually not a problem when we travel so we just didn't think about it.

@Don - Yeah. I'm not a BOA fan, although I'm a stockholder. ;-)

Kaylia Metcalfe said...

Ach, had the same problems with my Bank as well.

Grr arg and all that.

Zombie Chickens? how would you be able to tell....?

Anonymous said...

So where are the zombie tacos?

You take the undead zombie chicken cut it up into zombits, some salza, some sour creamz.

Tazty!

Ha!

Sorry about the credit card woes. Would you like to trade? I probably have a higher balance on mine than you do.

That's not a problem, is it?

*smile*

Kelly P said...

Well I don't have cards any more.I cut them up, paid what was owed on them and never looked back. HA! That was about 12 yrs. ago.Yes it has been along time, but, seeing the way things are today,I'm glad I did.As for banks? Don,t have those either.I've been screwed over by 3 differnt banks, 2 with the same thing,and the other it was something different. So I just said" F-IT. Yeah it is hard but at least I know where its going.The cat behind bars is so cute.They ought to have these bankers behind bars.

ReformingGeek said...

@Kay - Yeah. All those zombie chickens look alike.

@Quirky - Yum, tacos!

@Donna - Wow! You really did pull the plug! I like the cat, too, but I don't think I want him as a pet. ;-)

Mike said...

As Yosemite Sam might say," I hates banks! Run by no good varmints!"

honeypiehorse said...

Yeah, I've run into credid card problems too. It's annoying as heck. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the zombie chicken award, it's so you!

Meg said...

We have the opposite problem. The card is never denied--just a $37.00 fee for each over-draught. Once our check didn't get automatically deposited and we had fees of $400.00 plus.

Oh, so be denied.

Unknown said...

Banks, suck for so many reasons. The bank I have on the other hand is excellent. I have had only one problem and it was fixed immediately. I do NOT have credit cards. Now those REALLY suck... the life out of you that is.

ReformingGeek said...

@otin - Sometimes I think you are right.

@honeypiehorse - Thanks. I have felt like a zombie this week. ;-)

@Prefers - Hum......that's strange.

@etta - I like my credit union and we normally do OK with credit cards but every once in awhile something happens that is worth a rant.

http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com said...

Nothin' like a good Zombie Chicken Award to cheer a girl up! Sounds like you need some cheering up, what with the bank and all. GRRRRR!

K A B L O O E Y said...

What happens when it rains and zombie chickens look up at the sky with their mouths open? The can't die because they are already ZOMBIES. What happens???
This is not a Zen koan; just wanted to clear that up ahead of time.

ReformingGeek said...

@CatLady - Yeah. Zombies rule!

@Kablooey - Good question.

Marvelous Marv said...

Hey! It's Saturday! I came over here for a fresh dose of my favorite Reformed Geek's brand of off the hook humor and same ol' same old ... time to get busy, GF ... light me up! lol

Sorry - dropped in and just HADDA leave a comment - u no me. (wink)

The Old Silly

Bee said...

Maybe you shouldn't be going on vacations? (:op

United Studies said...

Do banks even have fans these days?

My parents have had their credit card stolen a couple of times over the years, the most recent was someone shopping in Vegas.

And just earlier this year, I was called for suspicious activity on our credit card....from when we bought Emma's guinea pig from Petco. Yup, pretty suspicious!

Hit 40 said...

My card got flagged when I used it at Victoria's Secret. LMAO!! The company just knew that I was not into buying lingerie. I was there to get a comfy robe.


"1.00s, 1.50s, 1.75s for the short arms. If you know what I'm talking about, you're probably old, too."

"Boomer brain fog: What was the last, middle, and first part of what you just said to me?"