Monday, September 28, 2009

I Hate Commerce Bank

Yes.
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I just named names.
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I hate Commerce Bank.
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And maybe not for the reasons you might think.
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The rowing club has a corporate credit card with Commerce for when we travel. I have a generous limit and Jeff pays it off immediately.
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But often I cannot use it.
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You see, Commerce has a policy that I can only use my limit once in any 30 day billing period. So even if our balance is $0 if we've traveled once already in that billing cycle...I can't use the card.
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Tricky when we often have regattas two or three weeks apart.
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But that's not why I hate Commerce Bank.
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1000 Commerce business customers had cards that they suspected had been compromised. So at midnight on Friday they deactivated the cards. My card. And I was in Des Moines, IA with the team. A phone call would have been nice. An email. Something.
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But even that is not why I hate Commerce Bank.
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When I was younger I often cut the finances close paycheck to paycheck. Oh, who am I kidding...I always ran short. I wasn't making any money and I was a lousy manager of what I did have.
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Things are better now. I make a nice living. Not millions but enough that I don't have to stretch between checks like before. I don't worry about money. I have a plan and it works.
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But I remember what it felt like to have my ATM card denied. Or write a check and have the little check computer spit it back out.
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Embarrassment. Despair. Worry.
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That is why I hate Commerce Bank.
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Because that's how it feels when I use that card and it's declined.
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It's like being poor all over again.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope you sent this to the bank. I hope that never happens to me. I have used Commerce bank for six years and no problems. Wow! Noe i'm scared.
Aunt Sue

Kimmy said...

I am with you sister! And I agree with Sue send this to the bank, there might even be a lawsuit in here for emotional diress!

MUD said...

When I travel to places where there could be some concern about the charges, I talk to the Card Company in advance. I told them that we were going to Spain and Morocco and I damn sure needed the card. There is also the fact that I have my money in a couple of places and have access if I need it. The thing to do here is to have the Rowing Club contact the bank and either get better arrangements or a better bank. In these times I understand the Bank needing to have a good control over the amout it charges but this sounds like an over reaction on their part. Is there a 1-800 number to call on the card? Don't let them treat you this way, make noise and threaten to write to the newspaper. MUD

Kathy said...

Yeah. That stinks!

Anonymous said...

2 words 'US Bank' They may have changed their name several times, but they never caused me that kind of stress! I've been with them since 1987 when they were Mercantile...
Janet