U-HAUL TAKES ALL MINE AND MY CHILDS MONEY TO LIVE ON FOR THE MONTH Joshua Tree California
U-HAUL leveled my checking account without my consent. Im 32 years old ,im permently disabled with a 6 year old Lil girl.I get very little to live on a month and u-haul took it all with my visa check card # and leveled my account.Not only am i penniless right now, i have no money to feed me or my child this month.I went to my bank about it and they said it was unfortunate but they couldnt step in and help.
Not only that, because of what u-haul did im over drawn on my account. Under no circumstances did I ever give U-haul authorization to debit my account.I went to Social security and told them my social security money for the month was stolen from my checking account.
They couldnt help me either.I went to the U-Haul dealership were the money was paid. They couldnt tell me anything either..Except to call a 1 800 # I did , even asked for the president,apparently he was in a meeting until the end of the week..Left a message with the reginal manager for our area ,explained problem he still hasnt gotten back to me either.
Not only did me, my mother and child almost end up in some serious accidents with their equiptment,their truck was so faulty it wouldnt even keep a tow dolly tightly secure..tow dolly was swaying back and forth behind truck almost caused a serious accident..needless to say i was never able to tow my car back to California.So im out of a car, U-haul would not refund the $141 for the tow dolly..they said they would give me it in free u-haul comps..
The truck was unsafe.faulty brakes,extremely loose steering wheel ,the tires were practically flat had to get them aired up..And we had to drive from Oregon to Washington to get my car which i couldnt get because the ball hitch on the truck was so worn it wouldnt hold the tow dolly,then back to oregon and on through california..We were a week late with the truck because all of the problems with it.Apon turning it in my bill came up to almost $700 in fees.
I explained I had no money to pay it.I was told no problem we"ll give you a 30 day promissary note.I told them i dont get very much a month and couldnt pay .
Once again i was told no problem come in and make payment arrangments.
It hadnt Even Been 30 Days yet .It was only 2 weeks in to the 30 note when i realized they leveled my account without my consent or knowledge..I need some help with this..
I dont know what to do at this point..
Im out of a Car, Out of all the money i had to live on for the month to take care of me and my daughter.And now i owe the bank money because of these lying crooked people. This has got to be illegal!! You cant just go into someones account and take their money and get away with it..Its stealing..These people need to be closed down for good.
Oh yea all my belongings i had hell getting here with there crappy truck are in storage. The rent for that is due in 3 days..i dont have any rich aunts or uncle stashed anywhere.So I dont know where ill get the money to pay storage.If I lose all my belongings and my childs cause these bastards stole my money .That means they screwed me out of my car my money and all my possessions..if someone could lead me in the right direction so these a%^& Holes dont get away with this!!!!
Regina
922522, California
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Alan
Atlanta,Georgia,
U.S.A.
breakdown hotline
#7UPDATE Employee
Fri, March 19, 2004
Regina,
did you bother to call the breakdown hotline with any of the problems that you had with the truck? I also have never seen a trailer ball that "was too worn down" to not correctly hook a trailer to it. All U-Haul trailers have an adaptable hitch so that the trailer can be hooked to a vehicle that has a 1-7/8", 2", or 2-1/8" ball. All U-Haul trucks (except the 10' trucks which do not have a trailer ball at all) have a 2" ball, so even if it had been worn, the trailer should have still been able to be properly secured to it. The handwheel on the tongue of the trailer should have been screwed down tightly so that the threads come up about 2" above the handwheel. If there were any mechanical isseus with the truck or trailer, you could have called the breakdown hotline. They would have issued you a control number and sent a repairman to fix the problems. With that control number, you could have been covered if you were a day or two late, but not a week (unless it was a serious mechanical problem that would have taken a week to fix). Your contract plainly states that there is a $40 per day and $0.40 per mile fee for late return and over allowed mileage, respectivly. There is also a statement that reads something to the effect of "By signing, you agree to extra charges that can occur per the cardholder agreement". To all the people that complain that "U-Haul didn't have my truck even after I had a confirmed reservation!", this is one of the reasons why trucks are not available. I am sorry that you don't have the money to live off of, but I don't think that this is U-Haul's fault.
Jared
Neenah,Wisconsin,
U.S.A.
Zero Liability
#7Consumer Suggestion
Fri, March 12, 2004
I suggest that YOU read the facts before opening your mouth. I issue VISA check cards. I understand the regulations. And to help you out, per VISA's website, I will paste:
(From http://www.visa.com/checkcard)
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Looking for a fast, convenient, and safe way to pay? Using your Visa check card is quicker than making a trip to the ATM, more convenient than writing checks, and safer than carrying cash. And unlike other debit cards, your Visa check card offers acceptance at millions of merchant locations worldwideanywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. There's no need to enter your PIN numberjust sign as you would for any Visa card. So whether you're paying for video rentals, dry cleaning, prescriptions or Internet purchases, the Visa check card can simplify your spending.
Since Visa check card purchases are automatically deducted from your checking account, there's no interest to pay. Your monthly statement provides you with a record of all your transactions, making your record-keeping simple. And each card comes with Lost/Stolen Card Reporting, and Zero Liability.
===
Focus on the last sentence, ZERO LIABILITY.
And here is their definition of ZERO LIABILITY:
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Owe nothing on fraudulent transactions.
Visa's Zero Liability policy means 100% protection for you. Visa's enhanced policy guarantees maximum protection against fraud. You now have complete liability protection for all of your card transactions that take place on the Visa system. Should someone steal your card number while you're shopping, online or off, you pay nothing for their fraudulent activity. If you notice fraudulent activity on your card, promptly contact your financial institution to report it. It is important to continually monitor your monthly statement to identify any unauthorized transactions.**
Visa's Zero Liability policy took effect April 4, 2000, and is a great improvement on the previous policy. The former policy required that you report fraudulent activity within two business days of discovery. After this two-day period, you could be held responsible for up to $50 of the unauthorized charges. With the new Zero Liability policy, you're no longer required to report fraudulent activity within two days and you're not responsible for any fraudulent transactions made over the Visa network.
The Zero Liability policy covers all Visa credit and debit card transactions processed over the Visa networkonline or off. The only transactions not covered under the Zero Liability policy are commercial card, ATM, and non-Visa-branded PIN transactions.
For transactions on other networks, the liability decision is left to the financial institution that issued your card. The Issuer has the option of extending the same protections afforded by Visa's Zero Liability policy.
==
To your other comments: I do not know what the U-Haul contract stated, nor was that the purpose of my post. I was telling her what options SHE had, and what duties her financial institution has. Nothing more, nothing less.
Don't insult my intelligence before STUDYING your facts. By the way, which financial institution do you work for? You'll have much better success issuing Check Cards knowing how safe they are!
Bobbye
Oceanside,California,
U.S.A.
Get a new checking account or new ATM card
#7Consumer Comment
Thu, March 11, 2004
AT&T was taking out hundreds of dollars from my account monthly for internet usage using my debit card a few years ago. They positively were not authorized to do this. Heck, I only pay AOL $25 month why would I pay AT&T hundreds?! I told the bank to use their heads!
I went to the bank and talked to their customer service immediately and repeatedly. The bank told me that unless the amount was for an exact dollar amount each transaction they could not automatically refuse to pay it.
Their suggestion while all this was being checked out was to either get a new ATM card or a whole new checking account. I got the new ATM card and the withdrawals stopped.
It took about 6 months but I did get every penny back once the bank investigated. The bank was Washington Mutual and I appreciate their help in this and have remained a customer ever since.
Rob
Tampa,Florida,
U.S.A.
There WAS a signed contract!
#7Consumer Suggestion
Thu, March 11, 2004
Jared,
Perhaps you should read the entire complaint fromthe consumer. First off, there WAS a signed agreement, i.e. the truck rental agreement. If the truck was not returned on time, etc.. the customer is responsible for any charges. And they would have beenbilled to their debit/credit card as indicated in the original agreement. DO you honestly think that they just picked her card # out of the air? Of course not! Furthermore, you are talking about Visa regulations for a CREDIT CARD. The liability and chargeback regulations are totally different for a Visa branded debit card. You may want to check your facts before you open your mouth in the future.. There is NO zero liability for a debit card as per Visa!
Jared
Neenah,Wisconsin,
U.S.A.
Fraudulant Transaction Advice
#7Consumer Suggestion
Thu, March 11, 2004
I offer advice to you as an employee of a Financial Institution.
Unless you had a signed contract authorizing the transaction, U-Haul has no legal rights or ability to debit your VISA Card. New VISA regulations also call for ZERO liability for unauthorized transactions on one of their cards. It's one of the biggest selling points to VISA.
Your financial institution is right that they can not simply take the funds back from U-Haul, or place a "Stop Payment" on future withdrawals, as that type of activity is not allowed by VISA's guaranteed transactions system.
However, what your financial institution is obligated to do, is file a fraud report on your transaction, on your behalf, with VISA. I would call your financial again, and ask for supervisors until someone who knows their legal responsibilities is willing to help you. You may also try to go directly to a Fraud or Asset Protection Department at the Financial, as those would be the people who would be working directly with you.
If your bank/financial is not willing to help you, I would recommend contacting VISA corporate and filing a specific complaint and/or fraud report with them. Your financial has specific responsibilities when you report fraudulent activity, that they are clearly not following. VISA would not be pleased to know that they are not following their mandates.
When the transaction is investigated, U-Haul has the burden to provide the signed sales slip and/or contract from you, authorizing them to charge your account. If U-Haul can not provide the documentation, the funds must be released to you. If U-Haul does have the documentation, then, you don't have an argument, or a case.
I hope this information is helpful to you in trying to recover the funds. VISA is supposed to be a guaranteed, safe system with guranteed protection against fraud. Make sure it holds up to it.
Michael
Walhalla,South Carolina,
U.S.A.
Suggestion For Your Problem
#7Consumer Comment
Thu, March 11, 2004
Regina, I would first address your immediate problem which would be food shelter and clothing. I don't know If your mother lives with you or not. But I would go to the closest Red Cross and or Haven of Rest Ministry, And ask for emergency assistance.
Most of these agency's are very willing to help you If there is a child involved. This will take care (hopefully of you more important need)
Then 2nd The rental on the storage unit allthough due in 3 days, I believe that most storage units must wait 30 days and mail you a right to cure. This time could be used to talk to the storage unit owner and explain the situation you are in. Then I would contact some local media in your area, Hell Id flood the market with my story. Maybe You will find a happy ending to this story.
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