TD Bank -- unreliable and insecure?

[yonyon]

I do my checking (only) with TD Bank because they are very convenient. Today I had an experience that makes me think I should leave them.

I stopped at one of the two TD branches near my home to pull some cash from the ATM. Immediately after I keyed in my PIN the maching started acting as though I were poking the touch screen at random locations. I paniced and mashed on the cancel button. I then wiped the screen and tried again. Again it started making apparrently random selections and drew $80 from my account. It wasn't what I wanted, but close enough that I can call it good luck. I then left a note on the machine to warn others about the problem and went to the drive-up to notify a teller. The teller told me "We know. It's been doing that all day." I was totally dumbfounded.

Whoever is running this branch has an ATM making random transactions and knows about it but allowed it to continue operating "all day." I can't see this as being completely irresponsible. If a teller were experiencing wild hallucinations, could I expect the manager to at least send them home early? Presumably not at that branch. What's the worst that happens, but maybe withdrawing a pile of cash and feeding it to a floating polka-dot rhinocerous as a snack? No biggie.

I called the customer support number for the bank about this and asked if they could place some sort of restriction on my account to prevent any transactions at this branch. After consulting with her supervisor the rep said there's no provision for that and all I can do is bring my concern to the branch manager.

My thinking at this point is that I have to treat this branch as "compromised." The bank has no provision allowing me to ... blacklist? ... the branch or have any other protection specifically from it.

I think I should change banks. There aren't any other banks anywhere near as convenient, and I'll probably have to choose between Wells Fargo which is reputed to be very fee heavy for just basic checking and Sun which which would mean going to a branch in the ghetto. Still, if the aternative is TD?

Am I overreacting? Is it be normal for any bank to ignore an ATM doing that and let it continue?

 

[Eddie]

What you described is scary for sure. I would write to the district manager stating what you have told us. If the response is less than desired then I think you must change banks.

 

[The_Jeff]

This happened to me at a Key Bank! I opened an account that gave me 25 cents if I used the ATM and charged me a buck or two for using a teller. So I stick my ATM card in, type in my (correct) PIN once, and it eats my card saying something about being out of service. I go in to a teller to complain and she says, yeah, that machine does that. And they call their fees "service fees"!!

 

[BrownBox88]

I would change banks. That isn't good customer service. For a bank to let their ATM go loose is irresponsible. I have Navy Federal and USAA and NEVER had a problem with Navy Federal. USAA on the other hand is all electronic.

 

[bluestream]

Maybe you just talked to some A-hole/ Banks are usually pretty good with their ATM due to all the fraud they deal with.

 

[azjake]

You have a right to be concerned. My only suggestion is to monitor your account for the next few days, maybe by calling their customer service to check your account balance, etc.

FYI. I bank with Chase and I receive daily e-mails listing all my account activity. They also offer phone alerts for unusual activity on my account with parameters I can set up. Disclaimer: I don't work for Chase, nor does anyone I know, but for a very large bank these are nice security features that they offer their customers.

 

[Pablo]

That would bug me deeply.

But I don't carry a debit/cash card. When necessary for large cash transactions I see the teller. Otherwise I have enough cash.

 

[DuckRyder]

I suspect the tellers/branch manager have little if any access to the ATM, crazy as that sounds.

I recently had a somewhat similar experience at BofA. (except that the ATM took a cash deposit and credited me less than half the correct amount) I immediately went inside the bank and there was absolutely nothing that any one inside could do (except say "yeah it does that sometimes"). I had to call Non-CS and make a "claim". Took me over a week to get it straightened out.

I think burying it in the back yard in mason jars is the best option if you want to know the truth.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Another stinky thing about TD bank I see is they place the ATM in the lobby. My bank has drive-up ATM machines, much safer and convenient.

Frankly, I don't know why anybody would use TD when there are many other American owned banks to chose from in N.J.

 

[antiqueshell]

I would write a snail mail return receipt requested to the
CEO and CFO of the bank. Briefly explain your concern and how you want them to handle it. Explain that you want them to follow up
WITH YOU BY MAIL on the actions they will be taking to change this flawed policy which creates a lack of trust for you, the customer.

If you get no response absolutely take your money elsewhere,

like an insured credit union, or yes USAA, although they are a remote bank they have outstanding security and customer service.

 

[yonyon]

Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
Another stinky thing about TD bank I see is they place the ATM in the lobby. My bank has drive-up ATM machines, much safer and convenient.

Frankly, I don't know why anybody would use TD when there are many other American owned banks to chose from in N.J.


The reason I've been using the (although probably not for much longer) is just the convenience. They are all over the place and they have Sunday hours. The drive-up ATM thing doesn't appeal to me because even though I'm above average height, I have disproportionately short arms [stop laughing at that cartoony mental image of a T-Rex driving a car] and as such I just park and walk up to drive-up ATMs anyway.

 

[NHGUY]

Regis wont like it if you leave,your fees pay his contract.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
Another stinky thing about TD bank I see is they place the ATM in the lobby. My bank has drive-up ATM machines, much safer and convenient.

Frankly, I don't know why anybody would use TD when there are many other American owned banks to chose from in N.J.


Nothing like having someone approach your car from the opposite side/behind when youre paying attention to the ATM.

Many of us have TD because we had Commerce, which was a good bank. I was happy with TD until they started sneaking in little fees. For example, ATMs used to be free, so going to any wawa, who had no surcharge, was an easy way to get cash. Well, they added a non-TD ATM surcharge.

So I dont know if/how long Ill have with them. Thing is, in the NJ/PA/DE/NY/DC area, there are lots of branches which makes them pretty convenient, not to mention hours.

ALL banks seem to have fees. I have other bank accounts, and they all have one fee structure or another. Commerce was the one that was really great in that regard.

The ATM thing is screwy. Ive heard that theifs can exchange the cardreader to one that is hacked and steal numbers. I dont think the TD machines have that kind of reader though.

The right thing to do was to shut down the ATM and allow people to get cash there in a pinch from the teller for no fee. To leave it on and know about it is a serious issue if it is making withdraws.

But overall I have to say that Ive had good service with Commerce/TD bank, and with fees overall that were superior. Might I go to PNC/Haddon/Soverign/Susquehanna/Citizens/etc? Maybe, but I doubt that in the end the service or deal will actually be better.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
Another stinky thing about TD bank I see is they place the ATM in the lobby. My bank has drive-up ATM machines, much safer and convenient.

Nothing like having someone approach your car from the opposite side/behind when youre paying attention to the ATM.

They can jump on the hood for all I care.

I'm locked securely in my vehicle, driver side jammed up close to the ATM, trans in drive, one foot on the brake, ready to hit the gas if need be.

 

[bluestream]

Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
Another stinky thing about TD bank I see is they place the ATM in the lobby. My bank has drive-up ATM machines, much safer and convenient.

Frankly, I don't know why anybody would use TD when there are many other American owned banks to chose from in N.J.


TD bank is one of the strongest, best run and safest banks in the world. That alone would be a good reason deal with them.

A side note. I was in a TD branch several months ago and overheard a discussion with one of the staff and the Manager. A customer had given out her bank account info to a thief in a "phishing" email she received. The thieves cleaned out $5700 from her bank account. The bank reimbursed her all the funds even though they were under no legal obligation to do so. That's good customer service IMO

 

[hattaresguy]

I don't deal with large banks so I can't comment, but the small local banks and credit unions I do business with are very responsive to ATM problems.

 

[buster]

TD is good. One of the better banks.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
That would bug me deeply.

But I don't carry a debit/cash card. When necessary for large cash transactions I see the teller. Otherwise I have enough cash.



Braggin' about your cash? I am disappointed!

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: GROUCHO MARX
Originally Posted By: Pablo
That would bug me deeply.

But I don't carry a debit/cash card. When necessary for large cash transactions I see the teller. Otherwise I have enough cash.



Braggin' about your cash? I am disappointed!


Hey, a burrito is only $8

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: yonyon
I do my checking (only) with TD Bank because they are very convenient. Today I had an experience that makes me think I should leave them.


What a bunch of dodos. Obviously, there's something wrong with how they keypad is working, or some other electronic glitch. They know it's causing problems, yet they don't take it offline? Do they not know how? If not, do they not know how to pull a plug out of the wall? Can they print up an out of order sign? Yeesh.