Originally Posted by
Dan Druff
A few years ago, I went to go make an $8500 cash withdrawal from a local Wells Fargo. It wasn't the one I had typically visited, but it was about 15 miles away from where I lived.
About a week earlier I had made a deposit of a $27k check. The website showed the funds available.
I went to go withdraw that $8500, intended to be used on a gambling trip (I didn't reveal the reason for withdrawal, though).
They acted really funny. The teller walked away, then came back and told me the funds weren't available. Here's how the conversation went:
Her: "Sir, we can't process the withdrawal. The funds aren't available."
Me: "That's incorrect. The website said they were available."
Her: "You have to understand. A large check was deposited. The funds can take some time to be available."
Me: "Right. Which is why I waited until the website said they were available before coming to get them."
We debated back and forth and got nowhere. I asked for the manager, who was just as stupid.
Manager: "Sir, the check that was deposited was large enough to where we need a little more time before the funds are available for withdrawal."
Me: "I'm not understanding what's going on here. Are you saying your own website was wrong when it said the funds were available? If it was, how is the customer supposed to tell?"
Manager: "I know the website said that. It's not wrong."
Me: "Okay, if it's not wrong, then let me have my $8500, because that means it's available."
Manager: "Just because it says the funds are available doesn't mean the funds are really available."
Me: "What?? That's absurd! They're either available or they're not. If it says available and they're actually not, that means your website IS wrong when it displays that. So is that what you're saying?"
Manager: "No. We make it available as a courtesy to the customer, but it's not fully available yet."
Me: "How is it a courtesy to me if you're displaying my money is available, and you won't let me get even 1/3 of it?"
Manager: "It would really be best if you just waited a few more days, and..."
Me: "Nope. Not doing that. Your website says available, you agree it's not an error, therefore you are legally required to give me my funds now. I'm not walking out of here until you either give me my $8500, or you give me proof that the website displayed 'available' in error."
Manager: "If you could just please work with us, and wait just..."
Me: "As I said, no. Should we maybe call the district manager? I can tell you that unless you can prove that the website was in error, which it seems you're not even claiming, nothing you say will convince me to back down on this."
They went back to talk for a few minutes, then the manager authorized the teller to give me the $8500 as a "one time courtesy".
LOL
I submitted a corporate complaint, but of course never heard back.
My guess is that some kind of bullshit risk warning popped up on their screen, and they were trying to stall me to wait a bit longer, even though their central system had declared the funds available. So strange.