How Walkovaya Destroyed My Life

If you read my last post, you know that something went awry with my Walkovaya bank accounts.  In a nutshell, they closed my accounts without notifying me.  And I went nearly two weeks without access to any of my money.  I’ve been unable to purchase textbooks, a parking permit, or even meals.  I’ve had to rely on my credit card for everything (something I never do).  And I’ve been in constant contact with the bank about this.  Last week, I went into the branch four times, spending an hour with them each time.  At the conclusion of each visit, they assured me that my accounts were reopened and things were fine.  Each time, they were wrong.

Let me break it down for you in a time line.

Wednesday, 8/11 – My card is declined at an ATM.

Thursday, 8/12 – My card is declined at a restaurant.

Saturday, 8/14 – I contact Walkovaya about the card being declined. I’m told that my accounts were closed earlier in the week and that I’d have to call back during regular business hours, M-F.

Monday, 8/16 – I visit the Chapel Hill Walkovaya branch. They inform me that my account was flagged for verification in accordance with the USA Patriot Act. Upon closer examination of my account, they inform me that there was no reason for this and that my account is actually verified. They tell me that they’ve reopened the account. Also, they said they cut a check for the funds that were in my accounts (savings + checking) and mailed the check to my house in Kill Devil Hills, NC.

Tuesday, 8/17 – When trying to access my account online, I’m denied. I head into the branch, where they assure me that they will fix the problem that business day. But, they don’t. I’m getting pretty ticked off.

Thursday, 8/19 – My sister gets the check in the mail and takes it to her local Walkovaya branch to deposit it in my account. She is told that Walkovaya has no account for a Mr. Christopher Lane. She informs me of this, so I head into the Chapel Hill Walkovaya branch. They let me know that my account was never reopened, even though they had already told me TWICE that it was reopened. I’m fuming by this point. They FINALLY manage to open it this time and my sister deposits the check. However, Walkovaya informs her that there will be a four-day hold on the funds in the account so that they can verify them. BUT THE CHECKS WERE FROM Walkovaya. Why do they have to verify their own checks? Beats me.

Friday, 8/20 –I walk into the Chapel Hill branch hoping to gain access to my money so that I can pay for food, gas, textbooks, and tuition. They look at the account, see that it’s reopened, and I ask for an explanation about them putting a four-day hold on their own check. They tell me that the other branch must have made a mistake and that they will clear it up for me. They call the KDH branch, who then realize they’ve misplaced the check. They call back in thirty minutes after they’ve found the check. At this point, they realize that they didn’t notice that the checks were from Walkovaya and therefore put an unnecessary hold on the funds. As I leave the branch, I’m told that my funds will be available and all will be resolved by midnight. Another lie.

Monday, 8/23 – I get a call at 10 AM from the branch manager in Chapel Hill. She lets me know that my account is restored and my funds are available. I check online and she’s right. Finally, Walkovaya gets their act together. I just wish they’d done that two weeks ago.

Needless to say, this was a nightmare. I’m thankful to have had a credit card to cover basic things like food and gas. Oh, and I’ll definitely be withdrawing all of my funds and closing my account with Walkovaya ASAP. So, any suggestions for which bank to move to?