Hello Bank of America? Clearing HOUsr of 800 numbers/? what the H.
@Hatley (163781)
Garden Grove, California
April 20, 2012 5:53pm CST
Onthe back of my new debit card is the phone number, an 800 number tp
actovate pmes debit or credit card. wrong. I hooned that number and was told another number to call as this was not balid. So I called
that 888 nujmber. The lady said that it was the national clearing house for toll free numbers in the US. Okay so after answering u mpteen questions she then gives me another number an d it does connect with the bank of America. but first that lady had to have
my street address as I was the umpty ninth customer and had won a one dollar voucher on blah blah. now I was ticked off as all I wanted was to connectwith Bof A and get my debit card activated. So I still do n ot know what exactly I won if anything. But the fourth toll free number got me to a young man whom I could hear his words distinctly
and he told me they have added an automated activation number for 'Bank of America and gave me the same number I had been given before. But before I got a woman with a German accent whose words I could barely hear and she had been the one to send me to the young man at B of A but I must have dialed it wrong then as this time I was careful and I got"hello this is the automated activation center for Bank of America., may I have the 16 digit number on your debit card " so I thought I was speeding but guess not as she said I do not understand please enter the 16 digit numbers on your debit card so this time I sped up and passed that one, then the date of expiration and had to do that twice then the 3 digit code on the bank then she said"Your debit care is now activated. thank you."
It took me an hour and four different toll free numbers to get to the automated teller and that took about five minutes. Why all
the before confusion? and why do people talk so fast yhey run
]their words together and make it hard for one to get their conversation right? Your take mylotters.
4 people like this
14 responses
@julyteen (13252)
• Davao, Philippines
20 Apr 12
Hey granny,
It's really annoying, why there's alot of toll free given to you instead an easy to call one number only. If I were your side, I says bad words already. Frankly speaking I don't have patience to dial many numbers to get the correct specially if related to banks. Hope I cannot encounter like what you had.
4 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Apr 12
hi julyteenoh my patience was s orely tested because I was not hearing all of the words for some reason and seemed to be go
around in circles.finally whenI got the right number it was
a breeze. Oh july I had some naughty words in m ind but the last]erson I talked to spoke clearly and was very helful. He
explained that the automated number for activating debit cards
was new so I guess thats why the toll free number on the back of
my debit card was now a different number.I hope you do not get teh run around like I did. lol
2 people like this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
20 Apr 12
Bless your heart Hatley! I know that when people talk fast like an auctioneer I can't understand them either. I used to be that way. When I first came to Georgia I talked fast. It was natural. No one down here could understand me. They talk slow down here. If you have ever heard people from Savannah talk that's the way they talk here. 
4 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Apr 12
hi pointlessquestions oh I came from the west originally South Dakota but I seem to have some hearing problem on the phone mostly with women who talk really fast,.I know more southern people do
talk slower.but this one woman kept giving towns and states and I think she was automated too but I could not understand her and asked to be connected to the Bank of America so when I got to talk to the yo ung man he talked reasonably slow so I could understand what I was saying. anyway I did get my goal accomplishe. lol
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157615)
• United States
21 Apr 12
And why do we have to be sent all over the world to talk to people? Why can it not work the first time? You may not have dialed it wrong, it may have been connected wrong. I am feeling your pain at this moment.
3 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Apr 12
hi garden gerty a ton of bricks just fell on me lol the sticker on the front of the new debit card,I totally forgot that. I used the number on the back of the card and it w as obviously outdated but
yes there was a sticker on the front which I had totally forgot. wows probably would not have had all that problem had i remembered the sticker on the front shame on me. I feel really stupid now.
@jerzgirl (9234)
• United States
20 Apr 12
First of all, I'd be thinking about getting a different bank at this point. Then I'd be calling the bank itself (not the number on the card) to make sure that you were actually speaking to people who activated your card. I fail to see any bank, especially Bank of America who's in so much hot water these days, saying you've "won" anything when you called. That sounds like a scam, so I'd want to be talking to the bank to make sure my account is protected. I would advise that you do that just in case you got caught in an elaborate scam - they're getting pretty tricky these days, Hatley. I'd hate to see you ripped off by anyone.
3 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Apr 12
hi jerzgirl I did tell the young man that I could understan all that went on, and he said the US center for toll free numb ers is a n ew system too and the 100 dollar card I had won was legitimate so
I am not worried as they did not get any information about my debit card. He told me that the change came about beca usew the new automated system does awat with anyone getting your bank information and was started after our new cards had been mailed out. so when I got there it was very easy and o nce I got it in my head to type a little faster it was a breeze and I was done in six minutes. wow.
3 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Apr 12
jerzygirl I sure hope so too as i got so rattled what with being given four different p;hone numbers and o nly one was the right one.
@celticeagle (159222)
• Boise, Idaho
21 Apr 12
They may be busy and are made to hurry so they can get on to another call. And young people tend to talk fast as if they in a mania. I am not the least bit empressed with how companies run their businesses now days. Customer service is a thing of the past in alot of bussinesses. Sorry you had the problem with the 800 numbers and glad to hear you did finally get your debit card activated.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Apr 12
hi celticEagle it was certainly a learning experince for me.for one thjing I had no idea there was a center for US toll free numbers they asked me what city and what state and my street address,I was the umpty ninth customer so they are mailing me some one hundred dollar voucher for something the something I did not get even thous she repeated it several times. but I really did not care about that all I wanted was to get my devit card activated so I could use it when I ran out of diabetic snack suppieslol using the automated activation number was a breeze and I was told its su per safe as no real person s ees or hears my debit card information just the automated machine.It used to be so easy to contact my bank at its Phoenix headquarters in years gone bye. lol
3 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Apr 12
celticeagle I was told after asking her to repeat umpteen times its a new thing or a new numb er or both.I had never heard of it before and it was the numb er on the back of my debit card.so the man I finally got at B of A said its a new center for toll free US numbers so one more step to make things more complicated. I wanted my debit card activated as I might have to use it as I am out of money and may run of diabetic snacks before the third of May when I get my social security and ssi those checks of course go to the greedy hands of the owners first then I get whats left after room an board are taken out.,I used to have direct deposit now they get my checks lol klol lol.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159222)
• Boise, Idaho
21 Apr 12
Hi Hatley. I think 'years gone by' is the key. In my phone company years we did have a toll free number information number but that was all. Not sure if that is what you mean. I thought you said clearing house. Glad you are having fun with the debit card. Take care.
1 person likes this
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
21 Apr 12
Hatley aunty: good morning for Indians and good evening for your people in USA. Toll free phone numbers make you wait for a long time and also test one's patience. I have also had similar experiences in India with Airtel, Aircel, ICICI bank etc.
but days of automation has come to stay and we have to get used to it. cannot help it.
3 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Apr 12
hi ravi you know actually after not being able to hear all of what three different women said to me, to meet the automated voice that
was clear and loud enough was wonderful. I had to type my 16 digit numbers on my debit card and was not quite fast enough so the automated voice again said I do not understand plus typo the 16 digits on the front of your debit card, I sped up and then she asked me to type in the expiration date, I was a little slow again so had to do it over but second time it passes so the three digit code on the back was a breeze. so now I am all activated. I supposedly won a one hundred dollar voucher on something but what I did not understand. I do not mind automated if I understand how to use it. lol the young man told me this is to stop human errors from happening in activating credit and debit cards so its a safe guard. lol
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Apr 12
hi ravi its kind of funny the automated voice says I do not understand and I am going wait a minute I have to speed up my typing and then it hits me , she is automated lol lol lol
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
21 Apr 12
Hatley aunty:
It happens. My brother who is only six years older than me cannot operate as comfortably as I am able to now. It comes out of practice. And aunty you are great in your age you are able to type this well. Following new gadgets is really difficult one.
I cannot operate internet on cell phones. I cannot use ipod etc.
True toll free numbers are useful and are more time consuming. It replaces men and women.
2 people like this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
21 Apr 12
Personally anymore, especially since I work in Customer Service trying to help people get Cabs, and lost items, etc. sometimes the people I work with can be hard to understand or in a rush, etc. to where things are not getting done the right way the first time. It would be easier if more people were more friendly and helpful the first time, but many times you have to keep on trying until someone gets it right.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Apr 12
hi tina I feel stupid now as there was a sticker on the front of my debit card and I had forgotten all about it. Evidentally the right number was on the sticker. but anyway I finally found this nice young man in Bank of America thet I could u nderstand and he gave me the correct 800 number for automated activation of my debit card. actually it was easier for a change dealing with an automated voice as I could hear her and understand what she said. I may have some smallhearing loss but I have no problem hearing people face to face so am not sure what thats all about.But some of the people gave me 800 numbers that had nothing to do with bank of america headquarters.
Had I remembered that sticker I would have saved my self a lot of trouble. but I am getting a one hujdred dollar voucher for something which I did not find out after asking twice what it was. I have a hunch this thing is a scam and my son told me tonight be careful as this may be one of those things where they want you to send some money in order for the voucher to work. so I will see and I have no big expectations as I kept telling her I did not want a voucher and she kept saying I have to send it to you. So I gave her my name and address but when she started asking about information on my debit card i told her that I would not share as she was not a bank of America employee but just an 800 number clearinghouse for toll free numbers for all of the US. what right did she have asking for my banking info? my son says she may have been a scam too so I am not excited about any voucher. lol
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
21 Apr 12
Can't believe that happened to you!! I just activated a new Bank of America debit card last week, called the number on the sticker on the front of the card, and it worked just fine. Sure wish I still had that sticker with the number on it. If I did, I'd send you the number. Sorry about that.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Apr 12
oh my goodness I had completely forgot the damned sticker of course
it would have the right number. oh stupid stupid me thanks for reminding me as when i got the right number it only took a few'mninutes.
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
21 Apr 12
Hatley this happends to me and my husband a lot. my husband was checking on some insurance that had a toll free number. Well the machine comes on and tells him to press this number or this number. so he pressed number 3 and the machine comes on again and tells hom to press another number.Finally someone answers the phone and my husband did not understand what he was saying cause it was not English. He gets mad and just hangs up the phone.
3 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Apr 12
hi babystar1 thanks for a laugh not in English I do not blame him that would be the last straw.It is so irritating and they kept giving me numbers that had nothing to do with bank of america until I finally go this young man on Bof A and I could understand every
word he said and he gave me the same number for the automated system
but this time it worked before I got another number that had nothing to do with B of A.
man on Bof A and I could understand every
word he said and he gave me the same number for the automated system
but this time it worked before I got another number that had nothing to do with B of A.
@ellie333 (21016)
•
21 Apr 12
hi Hatley, I would just love to be able to speak to a person that replies back rather than an automated service. They frustrate me so much and yes speak so fast it is difficult to know at times which number to press. At least you finally got the card activated.Huggles. Ellie :D
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Apr 12
hi ellie my trouble was opposite as I was talking to real people who talked so fast I could not get all the words. but the man I finally got to talk to in B of A spoke clearly and I understood each wordl the automation activation number worked and I at first typed the 16 digit info from my debit card in too slowly so she said again I do not understand. please type your 16 digits on your debit card in and I did it fast enough so she did u nderstand also the expiration date I had to do twice but the code on the back was only 3 digits so that was fast now its all done thank goodness.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
21 Apr 12
oh man i hate those automated things and hate when you get a foriegner that has a terrible accent. the last time i got one i plain out told her she had the wrong job cause no one could understand her. 
i know that was mean but i was not in a nice mood. people need to work on that accent if they have a job speaking to the public. my son got an automated thing like that once and he was freaking out. laughing at it and everything because it kept repeating back the wrong thing. till he just started playing with words if you know what i mean and they finally got him over to a human that could talk plain and understand him. @Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Apr 12
hi bu nnybon I had a combination of real people who talked too fast and automated ones who gave you no righrt choices but other options got me to talk to a womam who insisted she had to have my address and name as I had won a hundred dollar vo ucher for blah blah I asked her twice to repeat the blah blah but still did n ot understand what the voucher is for. I will be veryh careful beforee I g et involved with it as I think she was scammibn me as I had never heard of a clearinghouse for all toll numbers in the US. well anyway its all done now and I have my card activated., thank goodness.
@yanzalong (18983)
• Indonesia
23 Apr 12
I also noticed stewardess running the words together making it hard for other people to understand. I also found Scottish difficult to understand as they have different pronunciation. What's your take, my friend?
@SinfulRose (3527)
• Davao, Philippines
20 Apr 12
Your last question, Hatley, is the 8th wonder of the world for me.
I really have no idea why people talk as if their butt's on fire but I got to say your situation there is really tiring. That's one of the reasons why I really don't want to talk to bank people on phone. They talk faster than my computer speed.
Even call center agents do not talk that fast. They must have been affected by how fast money moves. I wish I could say the same for our development here in my area. Have a nice day, Hatley and Happy MyLotting!
Even call center agents do not talk that fast. They must have been affected by how fast money moves. I wish I could say the same for our development here in my area. Have a nice day, Hatley and Happy MyLotting!@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Apr 12
hi sinfulrose yes it was almost funny but I was having trouble getting all the sense of what they were saying so when I finally
got the young man ,it was heavenly as the talked normally and I
could understand what he was saying.they no longer activate our credit and debit cards there as they have put in an automate activation for debit and credit cards. once I realize I had to type the 16 numbers in from my debit care pretty fast I got that done the second time then the expriration date also had to do that twice but I lucked out on the 3 digit code on the back once I typed that in the automated voice said congratualiong y our debit card i s now activated. thank y ou. have a nice day .lol
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
23 Apr 12
First of all, I have to say that the whole thing where you have to activate your debit cards is really just some kind of a ploy to sell things to us that we really don't need and it is something that really bothers me.
With that said, I've never dealt with Bank of America, so I don't know what to think about their numbers and the run around that you got, but I know that if I had to waste that much of my time just to make it possible to use my new card.
