:Blog o' Doom

So I open up my checking account Sunday night (3 days ago) to find the following transaction posted:

Description:            TIME WARNER CABL DES:EFT PAYMNT ID:0020704075 INDN:REDDICK,CHRISTOPHER CO
ID:C844830000 TEL REF:00033560497312110825000810101165622308041127
Posting Date:           04/11/2008
Amount:                 $1,146.54
Type:                   ACH Debit
Account Number:         Checking-XXXX

This looks roughly like the transaction you get when you do online bill payment through Time Warner’s website. However, as you may know, my name is not Christopher Reddick. Further, I have no cable bills for $1,146.54. Just to make sure I didn’t typo anywhere, I logged into my Time Warner online account and checked all recent bill payments. All were less than $200.

So I called Time Warner, but they weren’t open. Monday afternoon I call them, and Giselle politely tells me that there is no $1,146.54 credited to my Time Warner account. I explain that I indeed can see that, but that Time Warner still deducted the money from my checking account, and that it went into someone else’s account – possibly a Christopher Reddick. She again explains she doesn’t see that on my account (and why would she?). After going around a few more times, I asked for a supervisor. Her supervisor, Eva, said the same thing. I told her to look up Mr. Reddick’s account and see if there was $1146.54 credited to it on 4/11. After some convincing, she finally did, and confirmed she could see the problem, but that she of course couldn’t disclose any information about Mr. Reddick’s account. “I don’t want his information, I want my money,” I explained. She created a ticket for the “banking department” and told me it would take 5 days, but it would go faster if I faxed copies of my statements in. I told her that it better not take 5 days, that I’d fax the information and call back.

So I did just that, and upon calling back, immediately escalated to a supervisor. The supervisor told me it would take a day or two, that they had no way of calling the banking department (as they “don’t have a phone number”), but that the priority on the case was set to the highest.

I called again about 24 hours later when I still not received my money back. I escalated to a supervisor who again told me there was nothing she could do, that the banking department had taken the ticket already and I should have an answer soon. I asked her if I could receive interest on the money they’d stolen from me. She said no. I told her that would be fine if this was $50, but it’s over $1100! I asked if I would get the interest I lost by the money not being in my bank. She said no. I asked, what they would do if it had been $100,000 or a million dollars when hundreds of dollars of interest could be lost? She said, “the same procedure.” I said “does that mean I have to sue for my money, the interest I lost, the interest you owe me, and damages?” to which she responded “well, that’s your right.”

Today I called, a day later, and I’m told by Ruth, the person who answers the phone, that no one is yet working on the ticket. Now I’m really pissed! I was lied to yesterday! I asked for Ruth’s supervisor who wasn’t helpful. I asked for her supervisor. Jose, employee ID ‘bbb’, came on the phone and explained to me again there was nothing that could be done, and that I had to wait for the banking department to call me. I explained, again, that waiting would be fine if this was $50 or even $100 – but this was $1146! I asked for anyone who has the ability to call the banking department directly, but he said “no one can.” I asked for his supervisor and he said he could arrange for his supervisor to call me tomorrow, but that there was no way to escalate further today. I expressed my disapproval of this, but finally agreed.

I find this level of customer service unacceptable and despicable.