Dear A.S.S,
I've been a loyal DBS bank customer for the past 15 years but, as of recently, i feel that I've erred for one too many.
On 29/02/16 I'd transfered $100 to a wrong account but only realised it when I've completed the said transaction. I then called the DBS hotline to assist me during which, I was told to keep the transaction receipt & proceed to the nearest branch to fill up some forms the next day as it was already late in the evening. I happilly adhered because this seemed like good news.
On the morning that followed, I'd proceeded to the branch & informed the counter-personnel about what had happened. After checking my transaction receipt, my ID & etc I was instructed to fill a form up. The
counter-personnel then proceeded to tell me that the bank will request the recipient account holder's approval to reverse the credit from his/her account.
After about 2 weeks after that, I'd received a letter from DBS stating that they, unfortunately, have not received any response from the recipient account holder, despite their repeated attemps to contact the aforementioned person by phone & mail. Since the account holder's authorisation is necessary for them ( DBS BANK ) to proceed,they, on another unfortunate note, would not be able to pursue this matter any futher.
I'm sure it would be understood that i was mildly upset with this news and hence called the bank for further clarification. I was , however, given the very same explanation, if not word for word. When I'd asked for the recipient's details ,I was dutifully informed that such information was exclusive to the bank and not privy to the general public.
Now I raise my question(s);
How would I know that the bank had tried to contact the recipient, whether by phone or mail?
Is that all the bank can do?
Couldn't the Bank freeze the amount which was transferred within the 12hrs after I've made the first phone-call, which, it is best to note, was no more than 10min after the mistaken transaction?
Wouldn't it be best to, at least, have the recipient's name displayed just after a customer enters the intended account number on the ATM before any transactions are confirmed? It would be another step to minimise the margin of error.
Being a family-man of five children, i beseach whoever is concerned to understand that $100 is not a negligable amount for my household. What's worse, the said amount is now in the hands of an unknown person.
In this upset state, i cannot help but wonder if the amount had been considerably more. Would the same action (or inaction, rather) be exercised?
Would the "unreachable" person walk happily away with $1000? $10 000?
In all honesty, I am discouraged, disappointed and utterly distrustful of your recent slogan, "Neighbours First, Bankers Second," for I see no neighbourly acts in this whole masquerade.
Mr Kumar
A.S.S Contributor
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