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SMU Chris

Seems like a simple question, but I have conflicting information from my bank.

I have recently had a problem with the company, CashNet, who accessed my information when I applied at a sister company. I had a supposedly unpaid loan with them last year. So, they debited my account for $590. WaMu issued a provisional credit, but CashNet said that if a full credit is issued, they will continue to debit my account under different dbas.

ACH Services Department at WaMu said if I don't do ACH transactions, just go into a branch and ask for an ACH block on all debits. They said it is called a legal restraint and they can set the restraint up, so that it allows Direct Deposits but does not allow ACH debit.

So, I go into the branch and they say that is not possible. They say a legal restraints blocks all activity, period. This was the assistant manager and he said his manager would be back in on Monday.

If you are thinking why not just open a new account, well that was what I tried to do. But they ran a ChexSystems report on me, and now I show up even though I didn't show up when I started with WaMu. So, they refused to open up a new account.

I said if you can't block ACH and you can't give me a new account, I'm going elsewhere. But, I'd rather stay with WaMu until I move to a different state in a few weeks after graduation. The only ChexSystems banks here are local banks, and Maryland is about to be home for the foreseeable future.

Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 5:59 pm Subject:

I think that it depends on the bank, and who you talk to. When I called and talked to one person at my bank, they told me to go into any branch, pay $30, and they would block all ACH debits. When I did that, I was told there was no way to do such a thing. They also told my friend they could not do it. Here is another thing the loan companies can do....they can make up a check number and put a check through, and it is technically not considered an ACH. I am so sorry that this is happening to you. Read this thread. We have a member here, goudah424, and she has done a great deal of research on banks in all states that do not use chexsystems.

http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/settlement/about20020.html

I hope that this information is useful to you. I know where I live a lot of banks are opening accounts now for people on chexsystems to get a fresh start and get an account.

SMU Chris · Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 6:55 pm Subject:

First Convenience Bank is a local bank that does not use ChexSystems. But, I'd really like to just put a block on my account until I move and can set up a new account.

Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 7:30 pm Subject:

Then I would check with your bank about doing that first thing in the morning! Good luck!

Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 8:57 pm Subject:

Make sure your bank has written knowledge of your request, or they may act dumb when you receive fees for NSF's. Banks are in business to make money, and will use many excuses to get it from misinformed consumers, so don't allow yourself to be victimized twice, by two separate entities. I have seen it happen more than once.

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 7:00 am Subject:

A lot of times one banker doesn't know about something that another one does. Blocks on all ach transactions are common. The first banker you talked to was right, they should do the block for you no problems. I would try again with another person.

Unfortunatly, if they won't do it, you will have to close the account to be safe from cashnet.

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 9:45 am Subject:

Bank of america can.. They never charged me to do this.. My Company or all ACH.

SMU Chris · Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 8:12 pm Subject:

Please don't anyone bank with WAMU.

All they do is talk about both ends of their mouth, and it's incredibly frustrating dealing with their Philippines Call Centers.

The branch operations supervisor swore up and down that ACH Services Department was flat-out wrong. So, I asked them to put that in an email, so I could have something in writing. They obliged. I then tried to call back ACH Services, but it took literally an hour to get to them because I was met by the WAMU Customer Services Gestapo, who tried to prevent me from talking to ACH Services, as they stated that ACH Services does not take customer calls. Oh really? Then why did Gus from ACH talk to me already?

So, I finally get a conference call with a Customer Service Supervisor and an ACH Supervisor. She says yes Gus works here in our office, but he would not have told you that. You must be confused. You must have confused what Gus told you. I said I absolutely had not confused what Gus told me. He said I could just block ACH. ACH Supervisor said that was not possible. I could only do a 177 Restraint, which would block all activity on the account period. They further infuriated me with their response to my statement that other banks allowed customers to block just ACH transactions. They said I was wrong. Banks don't allow this. They've worked for other banks and they've been in this business several years. I'm wrong, they say. Well of course, I know that I'm right. I know other banks allow this.

So, I went in and closed my account at the branch. I can't let CashNet continue to steal money from me.

Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 8:24 pm Subject:

I gave out a loan check once, and before the customer cashed our check, she copied our bank routing/account #s from the bottom of the check. About a month later, I started to find all these ACH/electronic payments appearing in our company bank account. Come to find the customer was calling in electronic payments to pay all her bills, and she was reading off our company bank information.

After that, I called our bank about a block on all electronic credits to our account. All I had to do was request, on company letterhead, that all future electronic credits be blocked. This was over a year ago.

Now, this was a business checking account, maybe the rules are different on a personal account ??

SMU Chris · Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 8:32 pm Subject:

Was it with WAMU?

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:05 am Subject:

SMU Chris, I am sorry to hear how things went with the bank. From working in a couple banks this is not an unfamiliar scenario to me. As goudah said, sometimes the right arm doesn't know what the left arm is doing. You did the right thing in just closing out that account because it sounded like a no win situation. Now go today and get you an account at another bank. If you have problems finding someone to open an account for you, let goudah know. She has a list of banks that will let you open accounts even if you are in chexsystems. I know around where I live lots of banks are offering fresh start accounts for people that are in chexsystems. I think there is a serious epidemic of people that really need accounts ut can't open one due to chexsystems and the banks are wanting to attract these customers because everyone has problems and makes mistakes.

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 5:54 am Subject:

Chris, when I blocked our ACH's it was through Chase.

Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 6:55 am Subject:

Chris - Make sure that WaMU won't force open the closed account when cashnet tries to put the transactions through. Some banks will do that, but I've heard that WaMu doesn't. Swedishgirl, a user here, knows a ton about WaMu so maybe she will see this and respond. It really sucks when you think your account is closed, but the bank's reopened it and is allowing transactions to go through. You end up oweing a legal bank the money, not an illegal pdl!

Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 5:03 pm Subject:

Banks can be just as bad as collectors, so keep everything in writing.

Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 5:09 pm Subject:

It's awful narcisistic of this bank to assume that other banks do not allow blocks. I know several banks allow a customer to do this for a fee, which is usually the same cost as an NSF and the block must be renewed every 3-6 months and you will be charged the fee again.