The Deliberate Utter Incompetance And Ignorance Of Credit Card Companies

I am now convinced that financial institutions have an agenda of creating as much fury and misery by means of incompetant and ignorant customer service.

All I wanted was a "VISA TRANSCASH" prepaid credit card to shop online. All I got was a battle to try and rectify and understand problems caused by a system designed to p*ss people off.

Please read as this is just crazy....

1. Wanted the prepayed card, advertised as available in a pack sold at thousands of distributors throughout France, supermarkets, tabacconists, magazine stores etc. Nobody within 50km has them, just the refills by till reciept.

2. Phoned card company, told to buy recharge and buy the pack on their online site. OK....bought recharge.

3. The online form on their site will not function when the big green "proceed" button is clicked. It says "please resend the form".

4. Phoned the company and after ages giving information and spelling everything phonetically the order was placed for the card pack. Should be delivered "in under 4 working days".

5. 2 weeks and many phone calls and emails later I finally get them to confirm that they have sent the pack to an address in a different town....stoopid automated address systems run by children who cannot do their job.

6. Second card pack sent, finally arrives.....no email or indication of the code needed to activate the card online.

7. Phoned to activate and told the code was sent via a conformation email.....NO IT WASN'T!

They agree to give me the code over the telephone after I answer lots of security questions and spell my life story to them again.

8. Finally, I access my online profile and the card is activated, only to discover they have spelled my name wrong (by this point I am laughing hysterically).

9. I also wanted a "PIN" to use in stores etc and the "PIN" can only be sent by SMS to my mobile phone number...

THE CARD I AM ORDERING IS TO BUT A MOBILE PHONE!

10. OK, so ignoring the fact that I can't use the card in stores I'm ready for my first transaction online which I was assured is set up and ready to function and this is where it gets beyond rediculous....

11. Place online order, go to pay, select "VISA" as payment method. Input card number, expiry date, security code...."EXACT NAME AS APPEARS ON YOUR CARD"....

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAh! There is no name! it's a prepayed card that doesn't have a cardholder name printed on it!

In their words: "a prepayed card that works the same as a classic bank credit card". Cr*p!

12. I try every possible configuration for inputting a card name including codes, misspelled names, card company name and absolutely every possible configuration.

For my name I can choose from all these different versions:
Name on the letter for the card pack that arrived (correct)
Name for my online account profile (spelled incorrect)
Card "title" on my online profile (first name)
Card name on my online profile (first name and 4 digit code)

None accepted.

I now have to wait until after the weekend because there is no customer service until then. WHAT????

This whole affair I think is rigged to create a negative effect on society and will continue to do so until we destroy every single financial institution and slap every single person who works for them.

If anyone knows which name to use for filling out the name for an online VISA transaction using a Visa Transcash card which doesn't use a cardholder name please let me know.

You gave them an interest free loan. Gives "credit" a whole new meaning.

a reply to: nerbot

Oh dear. The system is such a load of bollocks isn't it??

You might have been better off buying one from cash converters to pay cash and not have the aggravation.

a reply to: nerbot

Sorry to hear of your poor treatment by this company. I'm sorry but I can not help. May be they are only good for certain kinds of transactions and limited in that sense.

I hope you can work it out when they open again after the weekend. I would not bother using a company like that again tbh.

I know that your way of doing this is not credit as such, but my advice to anyone is don't let these bastards use you and make their huge interest out of your desperation and need.

After my experience of credit and loans I have vowed never to use any form of interest loan or credit card EVER again no matter how desperate. I would rather DIE than let them take such levels of interest. It is total abusury, lol!

They have always come off worse when dealing with me. I'm not joking. No-one gets away with using me like that without it costing them.

originally posted by: intrptr


You gave them an interest free loan. Gives "credit" a whole new meaning.

Actually, I gave them free money if I can't use or access it.

originally posted by: Revolution9
May be they are only good for certain kinds of transactions and limited in that sense.

In their (translated) words:

"The Transcash card for all your needs, it is accepted in all VISA merchants network (32 million merchants)"

But they make it overly difficult to actually get to use it in the first place.

11. Place online order, go to pay, select "VISA" as payment method. Input card number, expiry date, security code...."EXACT NAME AS APPEARS ON YOUR CARD"....

That's the name you gave them to get the card in the first place. The new one with your name actually on the card is sent out after a week or so.

So, this one is on you.

The rest? I agree...incompetent,uncaring @$$holes.

Jude

a reply to: jude11

I hear what you're saying, but like I said in my OP, I've tried every single possible combination available from all sources.

Still doesn't work. And being as this is France, I don't think they provide a new card with a name on after any period of time.

Parasites!

edit to add: It is possible to get a card with your name on it but it costs an extra 15 euros.