Recently, we visited the Rapid City Office Max store and bought a pencil sharpener and some other items. Went to pay and my check was declined because of Tele Check information. I paid by credit card.
Got back home and checked that account worried that something was wrong. No problem. The account had about 220 times as much in it as the check was written for. I tried to call their number on the merchant denial report. That was a circular run-around. Endlessly asking for re-entry of the same information including full account number, check number, date as a number, check dollar amount number, merchant number..and then requesting the same information again and again until I hung up..
I looked at their website. They claim the denial is based on some kind of mysterious risk assessment. It must be by some computer robot pulling random numbers out of some computer bit bucket working just about as well as their robot phone system does.
The South Dakota legislature should ban this company from functioning in South Dakota or, when they make totally mistaken decisions pay something like 5 times the $35 or so they apparently charge for collecting bounced checks.to the person whose check they notify the merchant to deny.. or perhaps better 10 times the amount denied whichever is greater. The South Dakota AG office should be collecting this companies information to protect South Dakota taxpayers from this chicken-shit mikkey-mousy outfit rather than screwing around trying to fit right in with the national GOP mythology about the Obama health insurance reforms.
Tele Check claims they have no liability for denying checks. Well, it is time the South Dakota legislature made them automatically liable for the consequences of foisting such an error-loaded "logic" system on business and especially on their customers..
This outfit is also a very good argument for a South Dakota income tax on corporations.. including Office Max or any other outfit relying on this nonsense data manipulation system..
But, don't hold your breath, Republican legislators just love bank and intrusive bank-like operations that rip off customers and clients... and contribute mightly to the GOP. None of this sandwich for votes stuff, they want real campaign contributions.
If nothing else, never again do any business with a business that relies on this outfit's computerised risk asssessment mystery swamp for nonsense excuses to deny perfectly good checks..
*** Stay tuned even if you long ago gave up writing checks for anything...hey, you think this might be the intent of merchants who rely on this dark magic random error producing system?--- Doug Wiken
The legislature investigating them would make more sense than some of the really stupid bills that they have been discussing. Doing something like that would probably get SD some good publicity instead of the bills that are making us the laughing stock of the nation.
Posted by: Joan Brown | Feb 15, 2011 at 09:29 PM
We are victims as well! Tele Check run around - I am about to take on foot thru out the country to show how many of us are victims of TELE CHECK - TRS/ this has been a nightmare for us and I will pursue this - your situation is sounds similar to ours - we provided all information for forgery - felony - yet - still cannot right a check - they will know I am on the highways of this country - my name is Donna Fischer and I am the ED of Habitat for Humanity in Pearl River County, MS!
I will be on a mission soon!
Thank you for your wonderful words above.
Posted by: Donna Fischer | Jul 13, 2011 at 07:07 PM
Alas, the same story here. Check declined, confusion ensued, and after much calling it was revealed that TeleCheck had transposed a few driver's license numbers, making me the villian. No apology was ever offered, but I was told I could write checks again after about 72 hours. A two-second error on TeleCheck's behalf ties my hands for 72 hours? The public humiliation cannot be taken back, and I will be left to pay interest on a credit card purchase that should not have been processed. TeleCheck, however, remains at liberty to charge merchants for a faulty service and inflict limitations on innocent consumers.
Posted by: Margaret | Dec 13, 2011 at 09:38 AM