okay, maybe it's not the bank... maybe it was me. but i'm still frustrated!! DH and I have a joint account, but for some REALLY STUPID reason, they gave us separate usernames and passwords to the same account. This, at first, makes sense, but when you consider that biller info is only set up under one login, but is completely non-existent with the other login, and there's no way to join the two, it becomes stupid. WHY would I want to pay the same biller under 2 different logins? The history would be all split up and make it VERY easy to make a mistake or overlook something. Anyway, we only ever use his login. I didn't even remember that I had one. So today when I went to log in, it gave me a security question to answer. And I answered it wrong. It asked what middle school I went to... well, not remembering that it was 2 separate logins, I answered with MY middle school. And it locked me out. Now customer service won't reset it for me to be able to get into all of our billing history because I'm not him. Yes, it's a joint account. Yes I can tell them his ID info and password. No they still will not help me. And they're "very sorry for the inconvenience." Blah blah blah So I'm ranting for a second. I feel better now. But DH is gonna be mad when I tell him he has to call customer service because I had a brain fart moment. Such is life, right?!
Ugh! Our bank does this too - separate user names. And we do what you do and just use his login. Luckily we have a lot of joint logins for things and I've started using his information for all our joint logins so that I can remember to answer security questions as if I was him. I've messed up before on them but they've never locked me out. (Yet!?) We did have a joint credit card once that wouldn't let me do anything so that froze once and I was trying to use it and couldn't. I tried to call them but they said they had to talk with dh. He was probably even more annoyed than I was that he had to call the credit card company during work the next day. Hope you can get it all worked out soon.
Becca, My husband has been known to change banks just because their online system is horrible... most of them are!
Right there with you! We have the double login and I never use mine. I find it ridiculous that they do this if it is a JOINT account. My bigger problem is with PAYPAL. Hubby and I have the same credit card just issued two separate cards to us. We each wanted a seperate PAYPAL account so we could be gifts secretly for each other, but PAYPAL won't let use the same card on to separate accounts.
argh... sometimes technology can be a pain. It does seem an odd thing that could be fixed... it's not like their aren't a zillion other customers that have the same type issue. DH and I are in the same pool. We only use his login - which really creates a mess when we both try to log in at separate locations. UGH!
Oh yeah its a heap of fun isn't it? NOT!!!!! Be thankful its your bank though and NOT your phone/internet provider like me! The damn morons they have there still think my EX husband has a say over my account 2 years down the track! And supposedly after a change of account numbers to avoid this I still get emails and mails from them and heaven forbid I ring them to complain... if the "old" account appears first they start to tell me that they can't help me because I am NOT him! Which is about when I totally lose the plot and let them have it both barrels!
The bank... well they have been fantastic NO major or minor stuff ups at all! Our old bank (that we no longer had an account at after many stuff ups even prior to our separation, still get crap from them!) however... they are in the complete moron pile along with my phone/internet providers!
oh my goodness Cheryl!! I think I would lose it on them too! I can be patient for a lot of things, but that would drive me bug nuts!!
Ugh! That is so annoying Rebecca! I got locked out once too, but I think I was able to fix it with just a phone call. That was annoying enough for me.
This drives me crazy too! I don't really understand why we have to have two log ins? We only use mine (actually, we didn't even know there were 2 log ins until a year or so ago and this account is like 15 years old!) and whenever my husband has to call the bank it's a whole mess while we try to figure out his info. Luckily, we don't have to mess with it very often.
well, he got it all reset last night. this time I am going to DOCUMENT the answers to his security questions so I have a cheat sheet!! maybe that will keep me out of trouble in the future!
That is so annoying!! Our bank does the same exact thing, I use his log in too, luckily we both picked the answers so I hopefully won't ever get locked out.
Our bank does the same thing. I use my log in mostly because I handle our finances. I don't even have a clue about his and I don't think he does either. I do have to call to activate a new debit card for him (or actually have him do it himself...what an idea!) because I can't activate his card under my log-in. I understand why they have so many security measures but they sure do get frustrating!
see, Monica, I should have done that. I do almost all of the finances, so we should have just started from go using my login. but we didn't. I don't know why.
Another way around it that could work but requires a little leg work up front - get powers of attorney and make sure the bank has copies on file... Then, legally, it shouldn't matter who calls in and the banks are bound by law, I believe, to allow access to all sides of things. Could create a very specific POA (ie only for XYZ bank or ### account) vs general if uncomfortable with leaving things wide open. May be worth asking the bank their policies to save some frustration and more repeat frustration!
