It is Sunday, and I am doing my banking online. 'Online' banking needs some explanation here. It isn't really that 'online'. For most transactions you still need to pass by the bank in person to get permission to do what you want to do online.
I want to transfer some Lebanese pounds to my Euro account. I get an error message. I try again. Same message. I call the help center of the bank.
“Oh, but you cannot transfer Lebanese pounds to Euros. Only Lebanese pounds to dollars,” says the man on the other side of the line.
Oh really? Well, how about the other 10 times when I was able to do it?
Silence.
“Maybe because it is Sunday. There are no rates.”
Maybe. Maybe not. That was helpful. Not.
Then I notice that my Euro account has 5 Euros less from last September. Now how did that happen? I check the account summary. Guess what I read?
I paid 5 Euros en 25 cents for service fees. Come again? I thought it was supposed to be the other way. Isn’t the bank supposed to give me money, as in interest?
It is that same sucky bank that offers me a credit card for MY account with MY salary, but who want my husband to come and sign.
Me thinks I need a new bank. Any suggestions out there?
10 comments:
Word of warning... no matter which bank you're going to pick instead it's going to suck as bad! :)
Was it SGBL?
I have a feeling you're with SGBL, who are particularly good at giving you a headache. The only other bank I've tried is Byblos, who were a significant improvement over SGBL, but I know there are people out there who might also have a list of grievances with Byblos.
The irony would be if you're currently with Byblos and are actually complaining about their service, and I'm here recommending them to you.
In any case good luck with your bank hunt !
Cheers !
Oh yes, I had an account with Banque Libano-Français (for which my husband had to sign) and paid €3 for the euro account, $3 for the dollar account, and LBP 5.000 for the Lira account. Per month. So no need to check that bank either.
OMG OMG I thought it was just me! I tried to transfer some Euros- in person- on Friday around 1:30 PM. Like middle of the day right? "No it is 1:30. You need to do exchange before 11:30 in the morning." More like I was cutting into her time to text or do her nails or something. Blom the bomb. Maybe something a tad more international like HSBC?
OMG OMG I thought it was just me! I tried to transfer some Euros- in person- on Friday around 1:30 PM. Like middle of the day right? "No it is 1:30. You need to do exchange before 11:30 in the morning." More like I was cutting into her time to text or do her nails or something. Blom the bomb. And this sort of s*** happens pretty close to every time I go to the bank. "No" is the standard response to any request. Maybe something a tad more international like HSBC?
I am at BLOM. So is Nick, I think. So Blon, SGBL and Banque Libano-Français are out. Anything else?
I have had experience with a few banks since I came back (5), the headaches are an essential part of the Lebanese banking system it seems. The less hassle I have gotten so far is from Audi Bank.
Above view of this news being really good. I known many useful task process useful that every customer.
I have an Internet debit card at Banque Libano Francaise and they started some years ago without notifying me to make monthly charges. As I do not live in Lebanon the monthly charges mounted up and I stopped this card. Also I have a safe deposit box with them and recently they started to demand that i open my cases everytime I put or remove items from my safe deposit box in the name of security. I get the impression that they were snooping into what I put in my box.
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