$376 isn’t a lot of money compared to the amounts that flow through banks on a daily basis. But it is a lot of money to reader Craig, who deposited that amount of cash on Monday at a BBVA Compass ATM. The machine gobbled up his money during the deposit, and no one is quite sure where the cash went. It’s not in his account, he knows that much.

On Monday night 11/7/2011 at 7:35pm I put in the cash I got after cashing my weekly paycheck ($376, yes I’m a poor student with a child – I need all I get). The ATM deposit slip sucked up my money and the machine freaked out and said my cash could not be retained! It spit NOTHING back out. I tried to access my account after that – the deposit option was blacked out and my account showed no sign of deposit!

I naturally called the service line. They assured me that this happens and when they count the money tomorrow they will find the extra and I’ll be credited. Did this happen? NO

I went to the actual branch and they assured me the brinks people will search the machine and find it and they would call me the next day as soon as they found it. Here it is 4pm and I have to call them. They say “Oh we found nothing, the manager is at lunch and I guess maybe when a tech comes to look at the machine we might find something.”

At this point I’m overdrawn, the manager is eating lunch while I have no money and she hasn’t bothered to call and catch me up. They are acting like it is no big deal yet I mention over and over I need the money to buy groceries. They don’t even pretend to care!

BBVA Compass has signs everywhere preaching about the greatness of ATM deposit and when I take their advice their machine screws me. Look, I know machines break, that’s not their fault, but when a distraught customer needing their cash for their family comes in with this problem do you simply say oh well, maybe we find it in a week maybe not!!!! They have me on camera with a wad of cash! I’m sorry for the formating of this letter, I’m usually an intellegent person but I’m beyond angry and shaking! Banks continue to treat customers like captive animals and like your money isn’t all that important to their operation!

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