Except of course, when they don't.

Back story: A year or so ago, our town office got robbed and multiple un-deposited checks went walkabout. We were warned to keep an eye on our bank accounts just in case.

I've had electronic banking and e-statements for several years, but I'm a joint owner on my B-i-L's account and wanted to watch his as well, so we signed him up for e-banking, which included e-statements.

Problem is, I'm the only even remotely computer literate person in the house. If something happens to me, nobody else will be able to look at the accounts or download statements.

So, I wanted to put B-i-L's account back to paper statements so SWMBO can balance his checkbook every month.

What. A. Clusterfuck. It's been two months, I've tried everything I know, went to the bank and had the manager log in to my account and try to change things, SHE called the Ops Center and tried to get talked through it.

According to them, I've never signed up for e-banking and have been getting paper statements all along. Wrongo-bongo, Computer Boy.

My bank merged with another bank about 3 months ago and they've completely revamped their software but of course that can't be the problem.

Sigh.

I believe Joseph Campbell said computers were like Old Testament gods; lots of rules and no mercy.

Mixed in with banking and lots of headaches.

I'm curious: Just how "computer literate" need one be to read email and save/view attachments?

Not excusing the bank. Heck, I ran into essentially the same kind of thing with, of all companies: T-Mobile. But ISTM these are relatively simple "e-tasks," even for the completely computer illiterate.

k5blazer: True, dat.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
I'm curious: Just how "computer literate" need one be to read email and save/view attachments?

Not excusing the bank. Heck, I ran into essentially the same kind of thing with, of all companies: T-Mobile. But ISTM these are relatively simple "e-tasks," even for the completely computer illiterate.

k5blazer: True, dat.

Valid point, but there are a few other considerations in this case.

1. It's not as simple as an email. You have to log on to the bank's site, select the appropriate account, select the appropriate document, open a PDF document and print it out.

2. Wife is 74 and not at all interested in learning to use a computer. I've tried.

3. B-i-L is developmentally disabled and does okay with video games, but logins, passwords and navigating websites are a tad out of his reach.

You might need to close the account, and open a new one.

Seriously.

Q: Is this what Clark Howard calls a "Big Giant Mega-Bank?" If so, is there a credit union or a small home-town type bank available? You might have better results with a small institution where, like Norm, everybody knows your name.

I know that when I told SunTrust and the other one, variously named SouthTrust, Wachovia, and now Wells-Fargo, to take a hike, and went to my local credit union, everything improved by about nine thousand percent.

Relatively small, regional bank. Maine and Cow Hampshire mostly.

Theoretically, they have it solved. Time will tell...

So tell them you're not getting your statements and demand proof that they're sending out the paper statements and where are they sending them.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
is there a credit union or a small home-town type bank available? You might have better results with a small institution where, like Norm, everybody knows your name.

{snip}

went to my local credit union, everything improved by about nine thousand percent.

I'll echo this. I have accounts with a local credit union and a small regional bank. At the CU and at the local bank branch, I'm usually greeted by name. (And I'm neither famous nor notorious!) If I have a problem or a question, I call over there and I know exactly who I'm talking with. It's great!

Tangent note: several years back I was having to rearrange accounts due to a divorce and I spent a few minutes talking with the bank's branch manager. At that time I had been a customer there for about 15 years. We sat in his office and talked about things (life) for a bit; he scribbled on a piece of paper for a second and handed it to me. "I've been through what you're going through. If you need help with anything, just call me." On that paper was his personal phone number. He was serious, and not just in the context of banking. He has since retired, and I miss him... but the service there is still just as good.

My father was in his 80's and still using a computer. You need a bigger stick.

I am sure you still have that old cattle prod. If not, they have them on Amazon for $36:

https://www.amazon.com/PARKER-...keywords=Cattle+prod

A credit union is the way to go. I have been with my credit union since 1966.

I used Clarendon Trust in Arlington for car or boat loans. Mr Watson was the VP and very nice guy to deal with, friendly, and always interested in how you were doing.

Anytime you needed a loan, I just called him up and give him the details with follow up information by mail. With in days, he would give me a call and I went down and signed the papers.

Oddly enough I've had really good experience with Chase. It isn't the bank we started with, but about the fourth one in a series of larger and larger banks acquiring the one we started out with. I also live in a small town near a large metro area, but Chase has always treated us very well, even when needing banking services downtown.

I agree with asking them where the alleged monthly paper statements are being mailed, and threaten to get the USPS, maybe local police involved, as this sounds like identity theft (not really, but it should light a fire under them).

I'm one of the few people at our agency who still gets a paper check. I did direct deposit until a few years ago when Paytime got hacked and all of our personal data was stolen. And those assholes were like, "Well that happens in this day and age." I went to paper checks then and was going to go back to direct deposit for the convenience of it last year. Then one pay period instead of depositing everyone's pay, Paytime deducted that amount from everyone's accounts. When made aware of it their "fix" deducted it again. It was resolved within a couple of days, but f*ck all of that. I'll happily be the dinosaur who gets the paper check. Computers are great when they work. A total night mare when they don't. Which you normally find out while typing in front of one in your underwear.