Don't this just beat all??

[foulrift]

Hi everyone. It's been a while since I last posted. Not much was going on.
I thought you might get a chuckle out of this (I wasn't laughing).
The other day I got my first social security checks (YIPEE!!!!) Anyway I noticed one was missing.I get checks for dependent child.I went to the social office to find out what had happened and to my horror I found out that some idiot had punched in a wrong number for my bank account (I have direct deposit) and the check went to someone else's account. Talk about a royal screw up. Now they same it can take up to five days before I see the check.
I guess nothing is ever easy.
Bob

[2-8-2]

And these are the same people who want to take over health care.

Just some food for thought.

[tomustang]

And these are the same people who want to take over health care.

Just some food for thought.

How much worse can it be?

Just this month my ins was billed $900 for a velcro belt

[nachoman]

That's interesting. I have always assumed that bank accounts did not use a consecutive numbering system as to avoid this problem. Think about it, you could type in a credit card number one off rom yours, and the bill goes to someone else. But that never happens. Have you oever ordered something online and you have one number transposed, but it tells you invalid number? There is some system that credit card companies use to assign numbers, and I assume bank accounts use a similar system.

Either way, typos happen in every industry. The good thing is that they recognized the error after you notified them, and hopefully will have it resolved within a week.

[foulrift]

Yeah!! Health care is a scary subject . Thank goodness I still get to keep my medicaid for 2 more years .With it I don't have to pay for anything.
Kevin- it's ironic. The mistake happened with the number in the middle of account number not at end. Still as you remarked,the error was found and hopefully will be fixed soon.
Bob

[eightyeightfan1]

I went to the social office to find out what had happened and to my horror I found out that some idiot had punched in a wrong number for my bank account (I have direct deposit) and the check went to someone else's account. Bob

Same thing happened to my Better-Half...TWICE!

[sgtcarl1]

Well, as an example of things getting "fubar"ed, my wife, who is a retired Air Force Master Sargent, with 20+ years, recently got a certificate in the mail thanking her for her "Dedicated Service to her country, by serving in the Army." She didn't think it was funny, altho I did chuckle a bit.

[BR60103]

There are a number of checking systems for numbers, but none are perfect. I like the one where a final digit is added to make the number divisible by 7. The Canadian SIN has a check digit that involves multiplying the even digits by 2 and the odd digits by 1 and then ??? (I programmed it 25 years ago).
The common problems are:
Wrong digit
2 digits interchanged
2 digits interchanged around another digit -- abc becomes cab
whole number typed in one key over.
I had a problem where I was notified that a payment had been rejected for nsf and I knew that there was enough money. Turned out the company had mistyped the account number and was trying to take it from someone else's account. I don't know how long it would have taken if they'd had $200 in their account.

[railohio]

That's interesting. I have always assumed that bank accounts did not use a consecutive numbering system as to avoid this problem. Think about it, you could type in a credit card number one off rom yours, and the bill goes to someone else. But that never happens. Have you oever ordered something online and you have one number transposed, but it tells you invalid number? There is some system that credit card companies use to assign numbers, and I assume bank accounts use a similar system.

That's why you also have to give the expiration date and often the security code off the back. What's the odds of messing all three up so they match another account?

[nachoman]

That's why you also have to give the expiration date and often the security code off the back. What's the odds of messing all three up so they match another account?

The security code: yes. The expiration date: Probably not. When you get a new card, it usually has the same number with a different expiration date. As long as the exp date is after the current date, I don't think the systems know the difference.

[Brakie]

Imagine my surprise three years ago when I checked my bank account and found I had a minus 345.00 checking balance.

After going to the bank and getting hassled about over drafting my account by writing a check and after I proved that wasn't my check or even close to the check number I am using they corrected my account without a apology.

I have since changed banks.

[foulrift]

Interesting stories-I guess it goes to show that mistakes of all kinds are possible.
Larry- I had a case where the same payment was taken out of my account 3 times in two days. The bank looked into it and indeed found that the error was theirs except in my case they actually apologized. I have learned over the years that banks especially don't like to admit that a mistake could be theirs.
Bob

[nachoman]

Interesting stories-I guess it goes to show that mistakes of all kinds are possible.
Larry- I had a case where the same payment was taken out of my account 3 times in two days. The bank looked into it and indeed found that the error was theirs except in my case they actually apologized. I have learned over the years that banks especially don't like to admit that a mistake could be theirs.
Bob

The problem is these days, if you make even a simple honest mistake and apologize- you are admitting fault and could be sued. Sounds crazy, but I work a job where a simple typo could delay an entire court proceeding. Yes, it is a simple mistake, but the lawyers will try an use it as proof of your incompetence and justification that the entirety of your data is wrong.

[foulrift]

Kevin-sounds somewhat familiar. Recently did jury duty on a case where people in court office could not say with 100% certainty that a letter telling def. when to show up for sentencing was sent. All they had was a paper saying that one would be sent.They send this stuff reg. mail,not registered or anything like that. Don't know how it turned out.After judge gave instructions to jury me and another person ended up as alternates.
Bob