Complaint Review: Union Savings Bank

You would think in a world of steadily increasing identity theft ALL banks would have a suspicious activity department to monitor bank accounts right? ESPECIALLY one that has been "serving customers since 1904". Not Union Savings Bank.

During the weekend of July 4th, 2006 my debit card information was stolen and copied. Thethieves spent over $2600.00 in 3 days, IN CANADA. Okay, warning number one...thats quite a bit of cash being spent on an account that has an average daily balance of $3000.00....Oh, AND I LIVE IN OHIO....canadian purchases? RED FLAG!
NO ONE contacted me from my bank UNION SAVINGS. I called to check my balance only to find it dwindled to a few hundred dollars. I tried calling their customer center, they don't have one open on Sundays...So I looked on the back of my debit card, because ALL VISA debit cards have the customer service number on them right? No. I had to frantically look up my banks website to find a number to dial. Finally reaching a human, I was told, "all I can do is cancel it, you'll have to wait until 8 am tomorrow when the bank opens to get any information".

First thing that morning I went to the bank, they werent open at 8, they opened at 9. The bank manager Debbie Tchorz apologized for the pilferage of my account. I confronted her. I asked "why, why didn't someone from my bank call me when all these out of country purchases were made?" She explained that they were a small town bank and couldn't afford those types of centers, but assured me that the bank was PERSONALLY paying for my funds, and it was more of a loss to them. They did, in fact, refund my money. And I ordered another card. Three weeks later....For the last six days I have been vehemently attempting to locate my card by leaving messages with Andrea and Katie at the Beechmont branch where I was directed to call by Eric at the Western Hills Branch. Andrea affirmed she would have Debbie contact me the very next day to inform me of the whereabouts of my card....In my mind...it was in the hands of another thief. So Monday rolls by, no calls, Tuesday I left a message, Wednesday and Thursday, the same...NO RETURNED CALLS. And there sits now thousands of dollars in my account, just waiting for the next purloiner. I called the Beechmont office again and Andrea answers, I confront her and assert why no calls were returned, no one has contacted me, where is my card, should I close out my account, Im terrified of what has happened. She says, LOOK, I was told by Debbie "you're high risk, so talk to her." High risk? ME? Union Savings is high risk for Identity Theft!! THEY ALLOWED THE CHARGES TO PILE UP WITHOUT A SECOND GLANCE!!!
I speak with Debbie and she informs me that Visa has declared me high-risk and as a VISA customer, I am only entitled to give them "so much loss". I retorted, "I DID NOT PERPETUATE THE LOSS! Your bank failed ME. And now I have to suffer because you don't have a suspicious activity department?" Debbie told me the bank PERSONALLY suffered the loss...well apparently that was a lie too ( theft and lies go hand in hand) VISA paid for the banks negligence and incompetence and now I am paying for it too. She didnt even call me to tell me this was the case, she just let my calls go unreturned and my stress levels increase. How Professional. I asked for a higher authority and she referred me to Bob Bogenschutz and transferred me to a receptionist. When I asked for him and was told he was out would I like to leave a message, I asked for his voicemail....

"He doesn't prefer voicemail" she replied...WELL, Neither would I if I was running a bank in this manner.
So I ask you....A bank in business for nearly 105 years...turns their back on a faithful customer who fell victim to the rising crime of identity theft after turning their backs to red flags...how can they possibly stay in business?...and how can I possibly stay a customer....I wont....and in time, neither will they.

THIS WAS MY NEXT EMAIL TO UNION SAVINGS AND VISA AFTER A PHONE CALL TO UNION SAVINGS......

Union Savings bank, in particular Debbie Tchorz, the branch manager of the Kemper Road location in Cincinnati Ohio, stated that your organization declared me as HIGH RISK to having another debit card because mine was duplicated and used in Canada. Union Savings Bank has NO FRAUD monitoring department, so in three days, the theives stole over $2600.00. Upon investigation I see your company has "ZERO FRAUD LIABILITY FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS" Debbie Tchorz said it was your organizations decision, but I am a tad confused considering your statement. I would like more information on this alleged denial for a new debit card through their bank by VISA. I have decided to close my account with them since they allowed this to happen without monitoring.... considering purchases were being swiped in Canda and Ohio AT THE SAME TIME, my bank did nothing to stop it. So did you declare UNION SAVINGS as HIGH RISK? Or me....? If this is actually true, I would like supporting documentation, if not, I would like to follow up and file an official complaint against this banking institution and allow this email to serve as my initial informing of their possible intentional misinformation and false allegation against your company so you can consider ceasing business transactions with them as I did. They have no department to stop YOUR loss or their customers when it comes to Identity theft. I am now the victim...and all fingers point to your decision.

Please Advise.
Thanks in advance
Tara

THIS WAS MY RESPONSE FROM VISA ASSERTING THEY, IN FACT, DID NOT DECLARE ME HIGH RISK.....
As Visa supports below. Debbie Tchorz falsified information verbally. It is my intention to file an official complaint as Visa has offered against your institution. Your bank decided -fraud monitoring- costs more than one customer. Having as much money as I do was too much of a concern for loss.

Subject: RE: Visa-Union Savings Bank said you declared me high risk.....was this a lie?
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 15:50:09 -0400
From: "Ask Visa USA"
To: "Tara"

Dear Tara,
Thank you for your inquiry. I am sorry, but we cannot directly help you with this situation because Visa itself does not issue Visa cards. Our member financial institutions (the banks) do. Therefore, card accounts are confidential and proprietary information between the cardholder and the card issuing financial institution.
Please contact the disputes area of the financial institution that issued your Visa card using the address or telephone number on your Visa statement. This number may also appear on the card itself. Your financial institution can help you resolve this problem. You may wish to speak with a manager or supervisor.
Since Visa is not a regulatory body, but rather a membership association, each bank has their own policies regarding the issuance of cards. Each bank must evaluate their own internal business needs regarding their card programs and customer service. The banks set the terms and conditions for these accounts and those terms and conditions can be found in the cardholder agreement/contract which the cardholder has with their bank.

If you are unable to resolve this situation with the issuer, please send a brief note to the address below to report issuer practices which you believe are non-compliant. Your concerns will be forwarded to the appropriate person at the bank. It is not necessary to forward supporting documentation. However, please include the cardholder's name and the first six digits of the account number. Please send this to:
VISA International
Customer Information Assistance
PO Box 649
Owings Mills, MD 21117

As an alternative, you may contact Visa Call Center Services to initiate a complaint. Please contact the VCCS at 1-800-VISA-911 (1-800-847-2911). Please advise them that you were referred to file a complaint. The staff will be able to initiate a complaint form over the phone.

((( ROR REDACTED PHONE NUMBER, ADDRESS AND LAST NAME FOR SECURITY PURPOSES )))

Belle
Cincinnati, Ohio
U.S.A.

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