I decide on a recent Saturday to grab my trusty old First National debit card and see if the Prosperity ATMs accept deposits. But noted that the card still had the activation sticker. I had never used it because Franklin's ATMs didn't accept deposits, I use very little cash, and I generally use an American Express card for purchases in order to take advantage of cash rewards.

So I call the activation number and my card number is rejected. A recording tells me to call my local bank.

So I call the number on the back of the card. I get a recording that apologizes for the inconvenience and explains that I'll just have to look in my local phone book under First National, or Franklin, or Prosperity (this is what the recording said) and call that local number.

So, I call various numbers, but it is impossible to talk to a human being on a weekend. I can find out my balance, but I can't speak with anyone about activating my card, or ascertain whether Prosperity ATMs accept deposits.

So, on Monday I call locally, and the banker on the other end patiently assures me that I will never be able to use my debit card unless I come in to the bank during banking hours.

I ask her whether Prosperity ATMs accept deposits. She doesn't THINK so. I finally coax her into asking around and see if someone at the bank might know for sure.

I'm eventually transferred to a banker who assures me that no ATM in BCS will accept my deposits.

Meanwhile, my wife tries to withdraw with her card, and the ATM rejects it. A teller tells her the ATM wasn't working. But she later finds out she needs to go in during business hours and get her card activated.

So she does. She waits in line, reaches a teller, and is told that someone over in such and such a section will have to do it.

So, she waits and waits and finally gets the attention of one of the bankers in that section. No, she can't help her. The only person who operates the activator is a few desks over.

So, she gets in the line for that desk. And is given a paper form to fill out. So she goes and fills out the form, gets back in line, and gets her card activated.

I am pretty sure I can open an account somewhere else in the amount of time it took for my wife to get her card activated.

The way this I understand your story, It is the banks fault that YOU didn't activate YOUR cards when it was known as the previous bank. Huh I wonder if your cards had been activated if you would have recieved something in the mail OR even new ATM/Debit cards in the mail as I did. Then you might not have had this problem.

Tinman05
Sponsored by Kleenex, The tissue for your issues

I would have pulled all my money out of that bank and went somewhere else if I had that kind service.

My wife's card was activated and regularly used. She has not been sent any new cards.

My card is apparently perfectly useful once it's activated. Perhaps if it is a valid card the number on the back should enable one to communicate with the issuer, rather than simply broadcasting a recording asking one to look for a number in the phone book.

[This message has been edited by Senecation (edited 4/4/2009 9:17a).]

I would open a new account at another bank ASAP. There was a link on here not too long ago where you could see how healthy banks where in your area. It might have been on Bank Rate.

I know at Wells Fargo you can make a deposit at an ATM.

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There was a link on here not too long ago where you could see how healthy banks where in your area.

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I would move my money if I was that hacked off at the service I received, but I would not move my money because of the health of my local bank. You aren't going to lose your money if the local bank goes under unless you have more in there than the FDIC insures, in which case you would be wise to move enough to get under $250,000.

I opened a Wells Fargo account when I lost the ability to deposit in ATMs. But Wells Fargo charges for online bill pay. So I left my automatic deposits at Franklin (now Prosperity), deposit the occasional check at Wells Fargo, and eventually upload it into PayPal and download it into Prosperity. Convenient but slow.

Regarding Prosperity Bank, yeah that sounds like it was chaotic, but maybe now you can do everything except deposit at an ATM.

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Wells Fargo charges for online bill pay.

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There are certain kinds of Wells Fargo accounts for which there isn't a bill pay charge. Of course, one of them involves a minimum balance, but I believe you can also qualify if you are a Texas A&M employee and have direct deposit. The Wells Fargo web page says it's also free if you have "Wells Fargo College Checking," whatever that is.

Prosperity Bank sucks. Just MHO

Thank God I use USAA. I couldn't stand all this new-ownership-and-renaming-every-two-weeks BS.

I waited in all the requisite lines and filled out the forms at Prosperity to re-activate my ATM card that worked when it was First National and Franklin. Then I was told I just needed to go to an ATM and use my card to ask for a balance, then it would be really activated. Where could I go to do that? They didn't know. They didn't THINK their ATM was working, but they really weren't sure if it was fixed yet or not.

D- for customer service.

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.

Agree with AggieMommy!

As for me, I love Aggieland Credit Union and always will. I can't imagine dealing with all that BS.

+ 1, AgMom

We have an account that for reasons beyond our control has to be at Prosperity. Their transition has been worse than any other and we've been through a few.

Most of my money is with ING Direct. I just have a couple of small accounts with Citibank for paying the bills.

The level of service there is way off from what it used to be. Shame really, I have bank there for 20 years and will most likely switch when my current supply of checks runs out.

Way worse service. They no longer take deposits at ATM's, closed the bank and ATM at 6 & 21, the one by Blinn, the one on University by IHOP and the last time I went from one to another to find one, the one at the main bank was broken and their old prosperity one across the street was also closed down. I ended up paying a fee at a non-prosperity machine. I joined first national many years ago because it was locally owned. It went downhill as Franklin Bank and totally fell apart as Prosperity.

+1 shevy/ agmom

So, my wife gets a balance reading in order to activate her card, and discovers the card is now linked to my account, rather than hers.

dp

[This message has been edited by Senecation (edited 4/5/2009 6:35p).]

It is still all your fault.

I have had great service at the Prosperity on Greens Prairie. However, I have never seen a smooth bank conversion.....anywhere.

TXgirl76 is right. Bank transitions are never smooth. The inconvenience factor you have experienced does suck. However, I think that switching banks would be a knee-jerk reaction. I am giving them time. I also know that Proserity Bank (headquarters) is determined to make that location exceptional. They have poured lots of time and money into making it successful. Also, because local politics are at play, they are more than determined to do well. When they bought Franklin, they aquired many, many more accounts and are doing their best to service everyone they can.