Bank Lost My Money?

[Petch]

What is the name of your state? Maryland

Hello All,

Yesterday morning I deposited $800.00 into the ATM, as it was 8:47am and the bank wasn't open for another 13 minutes and I had to be at work for 9:00am. This ATM is owned and operated by Susquehanna Bank, and this branch is located at 13418 Marsh Pike, Hagerstown, MD 21742.

After waiting till roughly 1:00pm in the afternoon I checked my account online and I saw a post transaction credit of $100.00 then a reversal of $100.00. So I called the bank to find out what the problem was. It seems that only $700.00 of my $800.00 that I deposited was "received". The $100.00 reversal was due to the incorrect amount posted at the ATM.
When speaking with one of the tellers that was involved with retrieving my money from the ATM she insisted, "There were only 7 $100.00 bills in the envelope, not 8.".

Now, I know I don't have to explain where the money came from, but I will. Over the weekend I was visiting a friend that I haven't seen for some time. He lives in New Jersey. Over the weekend we made a day trip to Atlantic City, NJ. During my time there I withdrew $400.00 from an ATM in the Harrah's Casino. With that money I ended up winning an additional $500.00, making the total cash on my persons at this time $900.00. After leaving my friends and returning home to Hagerstown, MD my money was recounted and it was all still there $900.00. I then talked with my girlfriend and she had mentioned that she went for groceries and picked up some items for the apartment. At this time I gave her $100.00 (which I double checked to ensure she only got 1 bill). This leaves me with $800.00 (8 $100.00 bills), that I checked yet AGAIN in the morning when I woke up. At this time, I took the money to the ATM before work and deposited $800.00.

I explained this not only to the teller on the phone, but the branch manager, and the branch managers "boss" (I'm assuming). They all kept telling me about the banks double protection policies, and that there are always two people watching count money. Honestly, I didn't care. I deposited $800.00 and my money went missing.

They are now "reviewing" the ATM camera video at my request to help prove that I did in fact have $800.00 and not $700.00, but it doesn't seem that there is any light at the end of the tunnel.

If I get a negative response from them today, I will be filing a police report, but what else can I do?

Thanks,
Petch

 

[seniorjudge]

If they have the word of a video and the word of the ATM that you deposited $700, then that is what you will get credit for.

 

[Petch]

They are reviewing the video as of last night, and it is not yet definitive on what it will show. Also, what do you mean the word of the ATM? I have a receipt showing the $800.00 (pending verification).

Thanks,
Petch

 

[seniorjudge]

They are reviewing the video as of last night, and it is not yet definitive on what it will show. Also, what do you mean the word of the ATM? I have a receipt showing the $800.00 (pending verification).

Thanks,
Petch

Then tell the bank that their machine shows that you deposited $800....

 

[Petch]

Hahah... I already have, but the "Pending Verification" is where they are telling me that the teller only counted $700.00.

One other thing is that they insisted on me checking my car for the money, which I have three times now. Not only did I do that but I talked with my girlfriend, all my friends that I had contact with me while I had the money, my co-workers that I was around on Monday, and I also called our front desk to see if anyone turned in money. All of this was just to appease them, because I counted the $800.00 when I put it in the envelope at the ATM.

 

[Zigner]

Unless the tape shows 8 individual $100 bills being put in to the envelope (as opposed to just a stack of bills), then you're probably out of luck.
Don't ever deposit cash in to an ATM.

 

[Petch]

At this point, not only will I never put money in an ATM again, but unless this problem is resolved with reasoning to why my money went missing (just giving me $100 wont cut it), I will be banking else where from now on.

So is there nothing I can do? Just lay down for them and let them take my money?

 

[VeronicaLodge]

and the same thing can happen at any other bank as well. i never deposit anything (cash or checks) via atm.

 

[Petch]

Lessons learned, neither will I. That is besides the point and a little off topic...

I have called the bank back two times this morning already, both times saying I will be getting a call from the "supervisor" shortly, but never receiving the call. I asked the branch manager if there was anything found by viewing the ATM video, and I was told there was not. The supervisor would be calling me to explain everything, and she also talked to the teller that took my deposit in.

Anyway, aside of filing a police report and going to small claims, is there anything I can do? It seems that this is my word versus the banks, not a good position for anyone to sit in.

Thanks,
Petch

 

[seniorjudge]

Lessons learned, neither will I. That is besides the point and a little off topic...

I have called the bank back two times this morning already, both times saying I will be getting a call from the "supervisor" shortly, but never receiving the call. I asked the branch manager if there was anything found by viewing the ATM video, and I was told there was not. The supervisor would be calling me to explain everything, and she also talked to the teller that took my deposit in.

Anyway, aside of filing a police report and going to small claims, is there anything I can do? It seems that this is my word versus the banks, not a good position for anyone to sit in.

Thanks,
Petch

Pursuing it in small claims will cost you more than $100.

 

[Zigner]

Pursuing it in small claims will cost you more than $100.

Not to mention that he will lose.

 

[Petch]

After speaking with a mid-level supervisor at the bank, she offered $50 as a good will gesture for this mishap. She said she was not putting the blame on either side, and the $50 was for me being a valued customer.

I mentioned to her that even though I would gladly accept the money, I am still going to contact the police about the issue, but that is all the farther I will take it. I felt that $50 lost was better than $100 or even more by taking that to small claims.

Later,
Petch

 

[VeronicaLodge]

Are they willing to give you the 50 even though you said you were going to the police? Usually when someone offers something like that they do so in settlement and may even want a signed released.

The fact of the matter is, when you deposit cash in an ATM, what is to stop someone from depositing 20 bucks but writing in and typing in 200 and then when the teller gets it later when you aren't there handing it to her, she finds only 20 bucks and you say "hey I deposited 200", are you saying the bank has to take your word for it that you deposited 200? when they have safe guards in place of having two tellers get the deposits from the ATM and count them together to preven employee theft? If this is the case, I'm going down to my bank tonight and depositing 10 bucks and writing down 10,000!!!! woo hoo.

 

[Petch]

I understand where the bank is coming from, but it would have been different if I hadn't counted the money before I put it in the envelope or several times before that. If I hadn't I would have simply caulked it up to me losing one of the bills, but this wasn't the case. The money was counted several times before the deposit as well as in-front of the ATM.

I am not in a position to lie about this, as if I were I would lose my security clearance, followed by my job. Which is worth a lot more to me than $100.00.

Later,
Petch

 

[RBeenscammed]

If you think that is bad, here is what happened to me yesterday. I deposited money through the drive up teller (not the ATM). I had two checks and a 50 dollar bill. I know with 100% certainty that the cash was in that tube when I pushed the send button. The teller then called me on the speaker and told me there was no cash in the tube and sent it back to me to change my deposit slip. We argued about it, I searched my entire car 3 times (and 3 more times when I got home that night) and then went inside to insist that they search their area for my money. Basically I was told that all I could do is call a manager today and ask them to look at the camera. I am not really counting on getting my money back. If I don't, I will definately be banking somewhere else from now on...not like they really care anyways though.