Don't worry, this won't be a permanent feature, but the hot iron struck.
At a relatively new place for me to buy coffee, the woman greets me with bongornio. The hot Italian barista with an Italian accent is friendly and in an Italian male way, whatever he says sounds flirtatious. He's a smooth operator. My last sentence spoken to him was so twee. You're living the good life. He politely laughed at the silly old man's remark.
On to Woolworths, where I bought six items, all purchased bar one because they were on special. Some flavoured milk, yoghurt, Schweppes soda water, small packets of spreadable cheese and dry biscuits and I can't remember what else.
I received an absurd email from ANZ bank bereavement department. We are sorry for your loss....lalala. We can find no trace of Ray's bank account details. Can you please respond to this email address with his account numbers and any other information you can provide. No, I cannot. His accounts were closed last year and I rid myself of unnecessary paperwork. There is $500 sitting in one of Ray's bank accounts, and it is mine.
My reply will be along the lines of:
'I no longer have Ray's bank accounts but in his wallet I have his two credit cards and savings account card. Here are the numbers. This is strange, as at my and Ray's bank next door in St Kilda Road. the terrifically helpful R and N can bring up all Ray's bank account details on their screens. That is how I know there is $500 in his account. This is one year after Raymond died and I am becoming rather frustrated with the bereavement department of ANZ. Ray's and my bank details should be accessible to you, along with the account I had to set up for the $500 to be transferred to, whereby I can then transfer to my account.
Does this need to be elevated to a higher level where someone can actually see what the situation is on their screen and realise all the information is there?
Nevertheless, here are Ray's three three card numbers:
3pm I hopped a tram to St Kilda Junction and met up with my hairdresser friend. We journeyed on to Glen Huntley Station on a 67 tram and walked to my Indian friend's apartment, who had a falling out with Ray, and so I didn't see him for a years. I made contact a few months ago and we caught up a couple of times for a pub dinner and a lunch. He now has an Asian Australian partner, who is a perfectly pleasant and nice guy.
We drank wine, talked, drank wine, admired his garden, drank wine and ate the delicious food he cooked. After three hours, I called a Didi ride vehicle to take me home, via my hairdresser friend's seaside abode to drop her off.
It was all quite lovely, and I returned home with gifts for Phyllis and Kosov from my friend's small but very productive garden, kaffir limes and their leaves, curry leaves and a little bit of mint.
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I hope your firm response gets their attention. It sounds as if they can't be bothered to do the search so they want you to do their job
ReplyDeleteI love and grow curry leaves, great flavor. I was introduced to them by indian friends.
Boud, I think it is because of disconnected departments, and yes, a lack of effort. I don't blame the people who I deal with on the phone, or email. It is a management issue of not having good processes in place. I suppose I've had curry leaves in food, but I don't really know.
DeleteSigh at the bereavement section compounding and expanding the pain. I hope your letter does the trick.
ReplyDeleteThat garden looks very productive and I am sure that those gifts will be put to good use.
EC, yes. Phyllis was rather pleased. The money is a bonus to me. I have no need of it, but I want it, so I will continue.
DeleteA-hole banks anyhow. They want your $500 and hope you'll give up. Probably have lots of practise playing stupid in order to achieve their end goal.
ReplyDeleteHi, I looked at your blog and am impressed with the cat work you do...they have the same here in Canberra. "Canberra Street Cat Alliance", they have a Facebook page they do fantastic work for cats/kittens... maybe you are interested to look....I wasn't able to post on your blog...
DeleteStrayer, if the money sits there, eventually it will go to the government unclaimed monies department. It will remain there and while I am sure it would not be an easy process, it can be claimed by the correct person in perpetuity. That is, the beneficiaries in my will.
DeleteBank woo is the most miserable thing to deal with
ReplyDeleteRoentare, it has become worse as less is handled by the local bank and it is centralised.
DeleteSounds like you have been living the high life Andrew. Banks are nearly all pretty incompetent when it comes to sorting out financial tangles caused by death. When you're grieving, the last thing you need is protracted communications with a bank.
ReplyDeleteYP, me living the high life, haha. Banks are a bit strange. It is not like people dying is a new thing.
DeleteHere we are advised by our banks never to send information like that via email. Is it possible it is a scam, or are you sure of the origin of the email you received? If indeed they are who they say they are, they are doing a poor job of customer service. Dealing with my mother's bank has been similarly frustrating. They have to have their "legal branch" approve everything. All the power to make decisions has been centralized and it slows down every process. I hope you get your $500 without further complication.
ReplyDeleteJenny, that is the case here too, but apparently the bereavement department is different. This was the second email I received from the same department. I was suspicious of the the first, firstly because there wasn't the au at the end of the email address. That's .com.au I went to the bank and nice Nathan looked and told me it was legitimate. They are all closed bank accounts, so there is no real danger there. Yes, the same here. Everything has been centralised and there is little power held by your local branch.
DeleteSounds like you've been on the go.
ReplyDeleteThat email wasn't someone phishing, was it?
Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com
No Sandra. See my reply to Jenny, above.
DeleteI think one of the pre-requisites of working in a bereavement department is a total lack of empathy and common sense. I think I posted a while back about Bupa sending a letter addressed to the ESTATE OF THE LATE Merlot's mother ... Dear estate etc, you health is important to us ...
ReplyDeleteYou trip to Glen Huntly sounds lovely - and gifts for the boys to boot. How wonderful that you were able to reconnect with this friend.
Merlot, yes I remember that. The communication from the bevreament department always begins with, 'We are sorry for your loss and we offer our condolences'. Yes, it was a great catch up and the lads were pleased with garden gifts.
DeleteIt sounds like a pleasant day, except for the bank stuff. That would well and truly provoke me, and as you may have been able to glean from my babbling, I am a bit of a bull dog about nonsense like this. I wouldn't be asking about escalation. I would demand it.
ReplyDeleteDebby, I should I suppose but think of it as an experiment to see what happens.
DeleteLovely going about with you. Perhaps the "bank email" is fishing scheme? I would contact them via their normal webpage and not click on a link sent me. Yes our partners can further or hamper our socialization, just a fact of life... Aloha
ReplyDeleteCloudia, it isn't. I had received an email before and I was suspicious and showed it to bank staff who assured me it was fine.
DeleteA year later and someone wants Ray's bank details? I don't think so! thye may be wanting to set up false identities. Go to the actual bank and make sure it isn't a scam before you do anything else. I have heard good things about Aldi's frozen samosas, but have yet to try them. I love triple smoked ham, what brand did you buy? I get the Bertocchi from Woolies at Christmas, just a small one.
ReplyDeleteRiver, they are closed accounts, so they won't get far. His accounts are nothing to do with me. The Aldi already slice ham, under the Berg brand I think.
DeleteWell from where I am sitting, you lead a pretty good life. Financially secure and the ability to take coffee or go to a restaurant nearby shows a good life. Bonus point your two lodgers to provide comfort and entertainment!
ReplyDeleteThelma, I do. Although I say we worked hard to get to such a position, so do others who don't succeed as well. But there is luck too. I was lucky to be born in this country, lucky to have the parents and family I had and have.
DeleteDo Italians make better espresso coffees than other people? Since I depend on my two espresso coffees each day to stay alert, I will ask for the name and address of the new place you found. Buy only if it is great .
ReplyDeleteHels, it is a little above average. Clement at South Melbourne Market has excellent coffee, but at $6 for a small cup, it should be good.
Delete'A Day in the Life of Andrew' could be a regular event. Why not?
ReplyDeleteJB, there would become quite a similarity to my days, I think.
DeleteWhy would I "worry" about reading about your days? This is exactly the kind of blog post I like. Everyday minutiae -- it's the stuff life is made of!
ReplyDeleteSorry about the bank faff. That's frustrating. I'm confused about how Ray's accounts were closed, and yet there's still $500 in one of them? Seems like when you closed it they would have said, "Where do you want this money sent?"
Those kaffir limes are very peculiar looking, but I bet Phyllis and Kosov appreciated them.
Steve, I believe it was a late payment from his government pension to help with funeral costs. No one told me it was there and I found out by chance. The limes are strange. They are mainly used for their grated rind.
DeleteYou own a ski mask? You might have to rob that bank.
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't, and aside from machines, the bank no longer deals with cash.
DeleteThat's so blood frustrating with Ray's account. My mum and I had a joint account, for me to pay her bills out of, so it was easy for me to empty and close it after she died.
ReplyDeletePixie, I used to think we should have a joint account, but in the end I am glad we didn't. No one could say, you can't buy that.
DeleteThe banks seem to have really gone overboard with emails here. I seem to get something from them every day about something.
ReplyDeletePat, generally the normal banking departments here here never send emails as they aren't secure. They leave a message for you to contact them, or a message on their website after you log on to your bank.
DeleteI like to keep my banking business simple.
ReplyDeleteSo do I Dora, but it is not always possible.
DeleteI'm sorry for your travails. Losing a loved one is bad enough without dealing with crap like this. Best wishes, my dear.
ReplyDeleteDarla, what I wrote of above, it was by far not the worst thing I had to deal with.
Delete