Consumer complaint received 2022-12-01
Company: Certegy Holdings, LLC
State: NC
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem making or receiving payments

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2022 ( XXXX XXXX ) I wrote a check at our favorite grocery store, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX NC ( Store # XXXX ). Since the banks were closed that day, I asked if I could write my check over the amount of my order. The cashier stated I could write it over {$30.00} to make my order an even {$100.00}. I followed their instructions and wrote my check for {$100.00}. 

As the cashiers were processing my check, they appeared to have encountered a problem with my check. They stated, " It's just not taking it. '' I thought maybe since I had folded my check to put it in my wallet that maybe I had damaged it in some way. I asked if my folding the check could have done something to make it reject it. The cashiers stated, " No, that's not it. It's just not taking it period. '' The cashiers tried another attempt at processing my check. Still no luck. I was directed to Customer Service and explained my situation. They tried to process my check once more and stated that it was rejecting it. I mentioned that our bank XXXX XXXX XXXX had merged and was now XXXX. Our bank informed us that we could still use the XXXX XXXX XXXX checks. I inquired if that was why my check was being rejected. Still the same response, " It's just rejecting your check. '' Then the customer service rep asked if I had another form of payment. It was then that I started to wonder if my account had been hacked since I never had a problem writing a check before. 

I presented my credit card and paid for my groceries. I was handed the rejected receipt and the customer service rep pointed out the Certegy Check Services contact info. It was shocking to read, " Certegy did not make the decision to take the adverse action and is unable to tell you the specific reasons why the adverse action was taken by us .... '' How would you feel reading " ADVERSE ACTION '' and to take the adverse action against me. What? I did not understand what was going on. I asked several times what was going on with my check and the customer service rep just pointed to the area to contact Certegy. It made me scared that my account might have been hacked or something. It also made me feel like some type of criminal being rejected with no explanation. 

Since XXXX XXXX 's customer service gave me no explanation, I sat in my car and tried calling the Certegy phone number. I attempted to answer the robot questions, name, address, drivers license number, routing number, account number... .but I hung up when they asked for my social security number. I am a senior citizen and did not feel safe giving out my social security number ( to a third party ), especially after my shocking encounter at XXXX XXXX with my check being rejected. 

When I arrived home, I went on my computer and contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX to inform them of my experience at their grocery store. I heard nothing from XXXX XXXX until XX/XX/XXXX ( case number XXXX ) which appeared to be a robo response. It stated their XXXX  XXXX would be following up by phone. Here it is XX/XX/XXXX and I still have not heard anything. 

I replied to the XXXX XXXX email response and once again relayed my experience at XXXX XXXX and my rejected check. 

In addition, my husband went to our bank to check on our account to see if it had been hacked or something. The bank stated we have active accounts with more than enough money to cover that check that was rejected. Our bank stated that our check should have been accepted. That was a relief to find that our account had not been hacked but we are still wondering why our check was rejected. 

I just would like to find out WHY my check was rejected and WHY I was treated like a criminal when I did nothing wrong. Who dropped the ball here? Is this how loyal customers are treated? Thank you for following up on this.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation