Certegy

• Introduction • One Strike, You're Out • The Paperless Trail • The Disloyal Opposition • Warning Shots • The Starving Class • An Alternative: PassChecking --- • Consumer Complaints about Chexsystems • Consumer Complaints about Certegy

Carrie of Omaha, NE May 4, 2009

I tried to cash my paycheck at Walmart money center after work on Friday. I was told that for some reason they couldn't cash my check and was given a slip with reason 2 on it. Since I get off work after normal business hours I can't get my check cashed through my employer's bank until Monday. Or I can deposit the check in my bank until Tuesday. I was able to borrow money from my mom to get through the rest of the week.

Lauren of Donald, OR May 14, 2009

I went to Bed Bath & Beyond to make a purchase which totaled about 90.00. I had more then enough money in my account to cover that purchase. My debit card was rejected. The clerk couldn' tell me why. I then wrote a check and it was declined. The clerk couldn't tell me why. I was given a phone number to call which was Certegy. What I was told was that they don't check accounts, they have a computer system that tracks area patterns and the decision to accept or decline a check is based on the pattern, not the individual. £3,000I also went to my bank to see why my debit card was rejected and they told me nothing was wrong with it so I am assuming it had to do with Certegy. They should be sued. I am filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and also letting Bed Bath and Beyond I won't be doing business with them anymore. I will use local busineses even if it costs a little more.

Frankie of Bowie, TX May 13, 2009

I bought a storage coacktail stool at this Big Lots. I wrote a check for my purchase which was denied. My check was on one of my accounts. We have 2 checking accts, 2 savings accts. household acct and I am a stockholder in this bank. The account I used has 6700.00 in it. My check was for 194.84. Certegy check system denied it. The code was a 2 and the saleman did not know what that meant. My question is If they do not accept checks for some amounts, why is it not posted?

Carol of Belle Vernon, PA May 9, 2009

I went to make a layaway payment at my local K-Mart and my check was denied for no reason. I was embarrassed I live in a small town people talk. I didn't like this experience I have never written a bad check. I would never do that not to mention on a layaway why would I write a bad check for something I don't even have yet. When I called and tried to have an intelligent conversation with the customer service department they spoke to me as though I were naive enough to believe that for some magical reason my check number and the amount of the check had caused their system to decline my check. That was their answer basically no answer just nonsense. I asked to speak to a supervisor which took ten minutes (2 hours in cell phone fuming mad time) she explained that because I don't write checks they have none on file for me and the amount was considered too large (143.00) for them to approve. I wanted specific information this again is nonsense.

This company is a joke and should not be allowed to do business in this way. They state they do not look at your credit report or your bank account balances. Well that's fine, but what do they use a crystal ball? I want an explanation and a letter written to myself and K-Mart apologizing for what they did.

Jerry of Houston, TX May 5, 2009

Today my wife and I went to Barnes and Noble. Our total bill was 111.60. The cashier said she had to call to get the check approved. The check was declined with no particular reason given. There was more than enough in the account to cover the cost of the books we were trying to get (well over 2000.00). Earlier we had to purchase a new cell phone since I ran my previous one over. I am guessing that the reason I may have been declined was due to the earlier check that had been written.

The past week (4/28/09) We had tried writing a check at Academy Sports and Outdoors. The check we were writing was for 81.00. Again more than enough in the checking account. We called Certegy and my wife was told that we did in fact have more than enough money in he account, that our credit rating was great, we had not ever had late payments.

We had tripped some kind of flag and were denied. Certegy would not tell us what this flag was. This to me is like being accused of something and having to prove your not guilty. This is the second time we had to stand in line and have people think we were dead beats and trying to write a bad check. I did call Ceertegy today but since my wife was the one who wrote the check they had to speak with her only. I told them that once she wakes up I will have her call.

I know there are similar complaints about Certegy. Is anyone interested in a class action suit? I have no idea if one can be started but I am willing to see what I can do. Certegy will not give out a list of companies that use them. Does anyone think that compiling a list of companies that use certegy and have rejected your check would be of help?

Judith of Fort Worth, TX April 29, 2009

I purchased merchadise on two different days with two different checking account at two different places of business. Both times my checks were declined. The first check was denied because of insufficient funds. I called my bank and they assured me that I had sufficient funds in my account. I went to the bank and the Bank Manager and I were on the phone with a customer service representative from Certegy, Samantha, for two hours before we resolved this issue, which was an error on the behalf of the checking company, Certegy. The second check was declined because of a security risk.

I called a customer service supervisor from Certegy named Chris. Chris stated that businesses were getting away from paper checks and that I needed to pay by some other means such as a debit card, credit card or cash, which does not make sense because that is what Certegy does, verifies checks. But for a small fee I could become a Gold Member with Certegy and that might reduced my checks from being declined. He also stated no matter what place of business I went to that my checks would be declined no matter how many funds I had in my accounts. I was very embarassed and this left me very distraught and upset.

I reported Certegy to the FTC, BBB of Florida and my State Attroney Generals Office. I have also contacted many attorneys but they do not want to take on the case or their fees are too expensive. I also contacted the news media. I feel I have been discriminated and that Certegy is practicing unfair trade practices. There are hundreds of consumers that are experiencing these same issues as myself. I encourage any victim of Certegy to write these establishments. There is power in numbers and there needs to be a Class Action Lawsuit against this company. Certegy has already been through one for identity theft and there needs to be another one.

Shawna of Buena Vista, PA April 26, 2009

On April 11, 2009 I attempted to purchase a Penguins jersey for my 9 year old son's birthday. The cost was 90. I was running low on cash, so I decided to write a check at Dick's Sporting Goods. The cashier told me my check had been declined, and asked if I wanted to call customer service of Certegy to see if they would override the decision. I explained that I was furious and that I most definitely wanted to speak to this company. I am 37 years old, fully employed, as is my husband, there were more than sufficient funds in the account, and I had not had ANY history of bad credit or bad checks. As I spoke to the representative and she explained that there were no flags on my account, but that I fit some sort of profile and that she could not verify the funds with my bank so therefore they could not clear the check. I was humiliated!

I immediately went to my bank after I left Dicks to check on the status of my account. The bank teller said that there was no reason that the check should have been declined, and that it had never been attempted to pass through the bank. I wrote a check for cash and finished my shopping that day. It was a Saturday and the banks were about to close for the day, so I let it drop. On Monday I proceeded back to my bank to have them contact Certegy to try to figure out where the problem might lie.

The manager of the bank called, and the Certegy rep refused to talk to him. I had to go through everything I had been through on Saturday, and still she was unable to give me an explanation, even with a rep from my bank there to verify the funds were available. I too was offered the opportunity to join their Gold status. I requested the information be sent out, but decided not to give this company any more information about me. Fast forward 2 weeks...I was shopping in Target and had a bill total of 106 again, I wrote a check, and again, this same company declined my check. I am FURIOUS! How does a company have the right to deny me the ability to access my own money? Something needs to be done to stop this practice. It is embarrassing and a HUGE inconvenience!

Memory of Henderson, NE May 1, 2009

I have been writing checks at Albertons for over twenty years. Today, my check was declined through Cetegy sevices. When I called, I was told it was my bank reported NSF activity and this is why my check was declined. I went to my bank and they said they have never done such a thing, but tomorrow morning they will dig deeper and try to help me out. The bank branch supervisor was able to get the Cetegy rep to disclose that "Early Warning Systems" has something to do with this. I write checks because I chose not to carry an ATM card with me. This is my choice. I read over ten complaints regarding this check cashing service and it seems they do this on a regular basis and then try to sell you their "Gold" services.

Charles of Port Charlotte, FL May 1, 2009

On 4 seperate occasions I have attempted to cash my retirement check at a walmart store. I have been declined by Certegy/ Fidelity for reason-2. Ive called on numerous occasions immediately from the store and spoke to numerous persons at Certegy, who advise that reason 2 is that I fit some kind of "profile" and they declined my check. On the third occasion they advised that no transaction had taken place yet I had a receipt showing that it had.

I contacted Certegy corporate Headquarters and spoke with a manager who checked my file and advised that all was fine and he would clear up the matter. Well evidentally he was hot air because on 05-01-09 I attempted to once again cash my Police Dept retirement check at walmart and again was declined due to reason -2.

Reading other complaints on this website it seems that Certegy is "selling" some kind of gold pass that will clear the matter up. Isnt this some kind of rip off and illegal? I mean they can hold you "hostage" forever until you buy one of these "passes".

Joy of Norwalk, CA April 14, 2009

On 3/27/09 I attempted to purchase a pair of shoes for 65.00 from Department Shoe Warehouse (DSW), only to get my check denied at check out. First off I had more than enough funds to cover the check. I have been writing checks for 13 years and never had this problem. At any rate the cashier had no problem calling in for a phone approval, but after getting on the phone with the Certegy rep and giving her all info she requesting and verify everything necessary she still instructed the cashier to deny my check. I asked to speak to the Certegy rep and the Certegy rep refuses and instructs the cashier to give me a phone number I can call for more information. I wad livid!

I leave the store, call the number immediately and of course I get an automated system but because lucky for me the system couldn't identify my zip code and rolled my call over to a live rep. I had to give the rep all my info to verify yet again, then he goes on to tell me that no negative information is on my file, but for security reasons Certegy could not approve my transaction! Of course I said what reason is that, and of course he couldn't tell me anything specific. He gave me a list of things it could have been but assured me I did nothing wrong and nothing is wrong with my check or account.

Then the kicker was that he offered me the opportunity to become a Certery Gold Member which gurantees a better check writing experience...my checks will be accepted in more retailers. Although I already knew I wasn't filling it out (they have more than enough info on me already), I still asked them to send me a copy so I can see it...ridiculous. They ask for a voided check, DL#, household income, average daily account balance, and much more...no way!

So here it is weeks later and I still haven't a clue as to why my check was not accepted. Oddly enough, I wrote my next check on 4/11/09 at Walmart and very same thing but was with Telecheck! Same process. The rep told me to write them a letter requesting a specific explanation but I refused to write them anything, but still demanded a written explanation. They agreed and told me I should receive the letter by 4/17/09. I am scared to write checks anymore. what's going on? Are the retailers having the check services do this to make us swipe our cards or something so they can get funds immediately? Somethings fishy about this and it needs to be investigated big time!

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