LOS BANCOS

Yes,  I know it has been a while.  It has just been to hot to think, (let alone write).  Also as you know, I am lazy.  This posting started months ago, but as you will see, it took a while to play out.

It could also have been called "El Correo en P.V. Part Two".  I noticed another call from an unknown number on my Magic Jack.  In my voice mail was another message from my bank that my account had been "compromised"  (Compromised is bank speak for someone has hacked into our system AGAIN).  They further stated that my card was being cancelled and a new card was on its way to me.  OH NO!  Not again!  I immediately called my bank (well of course immediate means that you wait through 10 minutes of "push this, and push that").

Finally I got a nice man on the line who asked me a series of questions.  One being could I give him the birth date of my co=signer.  I told him that I do not even know how old she is and I would never ask.  Finally he admitted that yes, the bank was sending me a new card "for my own protection".  I told him it was not for my own protection, but for my "antagonism".  I explained that just three months ago they did the same thing.  Since I am not in the United States (I did not want to tell him that I no longer live there) I have to have someone pick up the mail and then send the card to me by UPS which costs $75.00 and takes weeks.  After checking my account on line, I saw that there had been no activity in two weeks (either by me, or anyone else).  I wanted him to reverse the order and let me keep the card I have.

This he could not do (no idea why, except that it is a bank).  I had him check to see about mailing it to Mexico.  He was gone for a while and said that "yes" they would mail it to Mexico.  Once he had agreed, I thought "Oh my God, what have I done?"   He explained that it would come in an "unmarked" envelope without the banks name"  Has anyone ever picked up an envelope with a credit card in it that did not know there was a card inside?  Then he said that in a separate envelope, they would also mail me my new "pin number".  I do not want a new pin number!  What are the odds that these two pieces of mail will ever reach me?  So I got him to lift the ban on my current card for another week to allow me to draw out as much money as I could.  Then I waited.

Luckily I do have another account where my measly social security check is deposited. With all my problems with banks having two banks was a necessity.  But in the meantime I heard that you can have your social security check mailed to a bank in Mexico.  This would not only make my life easier, but safe me $60 month in ATM fees.  I called The Social Security Office.  First they said that the wait would be "about 45 minutes".  I hung up and called back a few hours later.  This time they said that they were so busy, that I should call back later.  They added that the busiest time was in early morning on the first of the month.  It was late afternoon and the middle of the month.  I tried to get in "on line"  I had to register giving them all my vital information.  They told me the information was incorrect and to try again.  I went over everything and it was all perfect.  I pushed the send and they said that I was being frozen out, since I had failed so many times.  Luckily I noticed a "help" button.  They was one that said I could leave a call back.  I did and about four hours later I got a call.

I told her why I was calling and she said, I had reached the wrong office and she would transfer my call.  I waited through 45 minutes of awful music and finally got a live person.  I was told that yes, they could send it to a bank in Mexico but I had to do it through the American Embassy.  That is in Mexico City, but we do have an American Consulate in Nuevo Vallarta, so I decided to try there.  My fear is that since I dropped my Residency Card, they might not do it.  The last time I renewed it took ten trips to the Immigration office and now they have changed the laws which makes it more expensive and almost impossible.  Before I hung up, I asked why I could not get on line.  She checked and the problem was my phone number was wrong.  I have not had that number in four years and could not even remember what it was.


But first I needed to open and account in Mexico.  That was not nearly as bad as I thought it might me (but after dealing with Social Security, anything would seem simple).  I had my passport, a copy of my lease and all my identification.  What I forgot is that all they want is an electric bill.  Why I do not know as it is in my landlord's name.  So I went back home and brought my electric bill, my water bill, and my Telecable bill (which is in my name).  All they wanted was the electric bill, but he wanted this month's bill.  I explained to him that it only comes every other month, and this was my last bill.  Finally he agreed.  Then there was a problem with my signature.  It did not look like the signature on my passport.  I explained that the  pasport was 7 years old and I was only 70 at the time and this is what my signature looks like today.  It did not matter.  I had to practice signing until I got one that was close.  Then I had to do it ten more times.

Before going off to the American Consulate, I decided to try to reach them by phone and see if I needed an appointment, and also what all I needed.  I immediately got a very nice lady who said she would email me the forms and if I could scan them, I could email them back to her.  I actually do know how to scan a document.  I was elated.  The forms arrived, I printed them out and began to read through them.  Then I saw in the "fine print" that the IRS will retain 26% of my check.  This would not do.

So back to B of A.  That had mailed the new card, but it had been returned to them.  I asked them to read back the address.  Sure enough they had eliminated the county, state, and zip code !!  Now maybe they were not familiar with Mexican addresses, but NO ZIP CODE ?  I gave them all the pertinent information and they said they would mail another card.  It has now been six weeks.  I knew it would never get here.  Fortunately no one else did either, for there is no activity on my account.  Nothing to do but close it out.  I worry about only having access to one bank in The States, but Bank of America is just too much work !!


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