It doesn't seem to matter what your credit is, how your check-writing history looks, or even whether there's enough money in your account to cover a check. Certegy goes after everyone!
Emails like this one tell the story much better than I ever could. "J" writes:
"Well Im glad Im not alone in this. I was so embarrased today at Macy's. A store I frequently shop at.
While trying to purchase a designer handbag, certegy "declined" my check. I have written other checks at Macy's, no issues. I checked my bank account from my cell phone, and it was good. The clerk tried again, they still said code 2, decline. The clerks supervisor was so rude to me, and treated me like a criminal or something. I spend about $1000 a month there on purses and makeup, so they know me, or at least thier commission checks do. She did not even offer me another way to pay, she gave me a paper with certegys number and code 2, and told me to call. I was so embarrased I cried all the way home. If she would have asked nicely I would have paid with my debit card or credit card, or cash.
I was even more devastated when certegy gave me the same line about them trying to protect everyone from ID Theft, and Fake checks, and since my check was flagged by thier computer(which we know computers are always perfect, yeah right) they cannot overide anything, and declined it. But the clerk told me it was " in no way a negative reflection on you, or your bank account, we are doing this to protect you". She also added it had no reason whatsoever due to any negative history .She said the check still would not be approved if I had a million dollars in my account.
After telling her they violated my civil rights, and the FCRA and FTC laws, she transferred me to a manager.The manager had to have been brainwashed, telling me one minute they were trying to protect me from fraud and ID theft, the next minute trying to get so much personal information from me to approve me for thier "gold status account", so I would never have an issue with them again. I even thought he was going to need my fingerprints,name of my kindergarten teacher, and DNA sample.I refused to provide this over the phone or in writing, telling him either the money is there or it is not. I will not deal with thier communist way of dealing with how to verify a check is good or not. The manager then told me I was "flagged" from EVER writing a check to any merchant using thier system. I told him this is not lawful, if my check is good, and passed thier algorithim.He said calling them a communist agency was a threat, and I am now flagged.
So they again asked if I wanted to fill out a gold membership to get around this. They basically bullied me to try and scare me into providing needless information to them. I told him I was not living in Nazi germany, and told him Hitler was dead, thier company needed to be also, telling him they will be shut down for this. He then hung up, which I am glad he did.
I filed a complaint to the FTC, and BBB, and verbally called the local manager at Macy's who also had her check decline there, and told me it happens to at least 90% of thier regular customers. She said she would offer me 20% off my next purchase for my embarrassment. I also called Macy's corporate customer care, and they offered me a discount also. I explained I do not want a discount, they need to stop using certegy. They never responded to that.
It is embarrassing to me, a professional who by day tracks down criminals and thiefs to basically be treated like one. ( I am an ID Theft investigator of all things). I never bounced a check in my life, and hold a platinum checking and savings, which means $10,000 are always in my accounts.My credit is good, I recently bought a house. So certegy's reasons are bogus.
I can certainly understand not having a check approved because you have had proir NSF's or you do not have funds in your account according to your bank. However, we do not fit these categorys.I would like to assist you and whoever else is out there with the same problem to help get these people to act within the law. Maybe the problem is we need to change the law to protect us?
sorry for venting, but certegy needs a "reality check"
I couldn't have put it better myself! "Either the money is there or is not." Isn't that, plus the fact that you are the actual owner of the account, the only thing that really matters when writing a check? It damn well should be! Thanks, J.
