Consumer complaint received 2022-06-07
Company: PAY-O-MATIC
State: NY
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Check cashing service
Issue: Problem with customer service

Complaint:
This complaint is taken from the actual email sent to the company. 

The reason for this complaint is due to my experience at a PAYOMATIC located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX NY. The reason I chose this location is because you advertise 24 hour service there and as it was after XXXX This is the closest location to me. Normally my wife and I deposit our checks directly into our bank accounts, however in this case we had a dire need to cash this check through your services to then purchase money orders needed for early the next morning. 

Upon entering I presented the agent with the check I wished to cash and 2 forms of identification. I had advised the agent I was registered with your services many years ago and may still be in your data base. After searching for my information the agent informed me that I was not in the PAYOMATIC data base and asked if I would like to register to complete the transaction and for future transactions. I told her that I did and she proceeded to capture my information for registration, including taking photos of my identification ( Passport card, State I.D ) and face. 

After all this, the agent informed me that there was a problem cashing the check because the check was dated from XX/XX/2021 at which point I politely informed the agent that the check is a STATE OF NEW YORK Department of Taxation and XXXXXXXX XXXX Credit check ( for homeowners ) it is VALID for up to 1 year of the date of the check. The agent then advised me that because it was tax season things had to be done differently and she would have to call her manager for approval. A bit confused and irritated at this point, I complied as the agent photocopied my check along with my identification and stepped away from the window to call her manager, telling me dont to get an attitude with me, its not my fault. I informed her I did not have an attitude with her and that I was just frustrated over the unorthodox procedure she was carrying out. Upon returning, the agent advised me that she could not reach her manager and would try to call another manager. 

At this point my patience is wearing thin because this should have been a simple and quick transaction, but it has turned into feelings of discrimination, profiling, and an a growing distrustful demeanor from the agent, as if my I was trying to engage in some sort of illegal act. The agent returned to the window for the third and final time and advised me that she could not get any of her managers on the phone to help ( with an issue that DID NOT exist ) with her processing my check. 

She then asks who the other name on the check belongs to and I told her it is my wife ( same last names on the check ), she asked if my wife was available or could be present. Floored by this question I asked why and she goes on to inform me that because the check has 2 names ( my wife and I ) she could not cash the check unless the other named person was present. At this point I could see she was looking for reasons not to cash my homeowners tax rebate check. 

Although utterly insulted by this treatment I politely explained that because the check states both names as Pay to : XXXX XXXX OR XXXXXXXX XXXX  NOT XXXXXXXX XXXX AND XXXXXXXX XXXX only one party needed to be present to cash the check. 

The agent proceeded to try to educate me on how wrong I was and when I asked if this was POLICY of PAYOMATIC she said it was. I explained that legally she was wrong and she then proceeded with great sarcasm to tell me that PAYOMATIC was a cash institution where the policy is what she said it is, she has to go by it and if I didnt like it to take my check to a bank! Even after trying to explain my need to cash my check at that moment, she basically told me take it to a bank with a very rude and indignant attitude. 



I left with the feeling that If I had walked into that location with my normal jacket and tie on, at an earlier time of day, the check would have been cashed without incident. However, because it was going on XXXX in the morning and a casually dressed XXXX man comes into your location wanting to cash a VALID STATE OF NEW YORK Department of Taxation and XXXX XXXX Credit check, it seems your agent was extremely biased and seems to have felt that some type of fraud was going to take place, and even though everything was in perfect order, the agent blatantly used false excuses and lies not to provide me the much needed service of cashing my check. 



I understand as a private entity you have the right to refuse service, for various reasons, however in this situation this agent had NO JUST CAUSE to create an atmosphere of distrust and bias against me based on my appearance and the time of day! Usually things like this dont bother me because I have dealt with bias my whole life of XXXX, but I can not get past how I was treated by your agent for actually trying to be a patron of your establishment and services! 



Furthermore, I need to know what was done with my information and check information that was scanned/photo copied. I do not wish to be registered with your company in any way, I am requesting you delete all information in your system pertaining to me, being that your agent did not provide the services I was registered for.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation