Bangkok Bank account emptied

[migrant]

Well it seems all is sorted out well now!
Mrs M's brother, and his attorney friend, went to the bank.
The bank had some pictures of the person using the card and it seems that it is another customer the banker recognized . The account numbers were only a couple numbers different so the bank claimed a mistake.

The other customer had sufficient money so the dollars are to be moved and all should be good.

So, honest mistake???

[dtaai-maai]

Honest mistake? Possibly, but I think I'd be shifting my savings elsewhere sharpish!

[pharvey]

Honest mistake or not, at least the money is heading back to it's rightful owner - all good stuff on that front.

As DM says though, a fairly swift withdrawal may be on the cards.

[migrant]

Honest mistake? Possibly, but I think I'd be shifting my savings elsewhere sharpish!

Yep, she has cancelled the card and her brother is looking at setting up a new account
or the ideas all!!
Thanks for the ideas, and good thoughts all!!

[moja]

Two questions arise from this explanation the first being why did the woman not report her expenditure was not being taken from her account - OK easy one to answer!

The other question is what difference did it make as to whether she has/had sufficient funds or not it was a bank error and up to them to rectify no matter what!

Still everyone's face is saved and that is what is really important!

Glad to hear the money was returned regardless of what really happened!

[hhfarang]

Is that a local Thai bank hhf, and for a regular savings book account? Never realised they had that facility but would help me a lot. Do they email every day irrespective of whether a transaction has occured?

SJ,

The answer to all your questions is "yes". It's Bank of Ayudhya. I get an email every morning showing the balance. I set it up to alert me when the balance gets below a certain level and made the level high enough so that I would get the alert daily so as to immediately (within 24 hours) see any change in the account balance.

Well it seems all is sorted out well now!
Mrs M's brother, and his attorney friend, went to the bank.
The bank had some pictures of the person using the card and it seems that it is another customer the banker recognized . The account numbers were only a couple numbers different so the bank claimed a mistake.

The other customer had sufficient money so the dollars are to be moved and all should be good.

So, honest mistake???

Migrant, it all sounds a bit fishy as the account numbers are handled electronically and computers don't usually get two mixed up like that even if they are similar; but aside from that, I'm happy that you and your missus were able to get it sorted out and get the funds back.

[PeteC]

Great that it turned out OK, you must live right. I agree with HHF though, electronic swipers and cash machines don't make mistakes. Something else fishy was going on IMO, but what's over is over. Perhaps look at a different bank for the new account. Pete

[Super Joe]

Thanks hhf, will give that a try!!


SJ

[T.I.G.R.]

In defense of Bangkok Bank, I've used their Bualuang iBanking system for some time now with no problems at all. I transfer monies between the U.S. and here and also have been using their bill payment system which is easy and dependable. I get electronic statements, not paper, which I can print or just view. Using this system you have your account information available 24/7 (except for update periods in the night). The only caveat to this system is a falang is not allowed to sign up for it; when we signed up we had to put everything in the wife's name, then when we were set up we had to redo everything to add my name......welcome to Thailand, but it all worked out fine in the end and we are very happy with the Bank and its services.

[T.I.G.R.]

After my last post I read the additional replys and am happy to see you've got it all worked out Migrant.

However........that story the bank gave you is more than fishy! Account numbers that are a couple of numbers off?? I can't imagine how that is even possible. Unfortunately, this Is Thailand and things like this are likely to be swept up and never heard about again....for whatever reasons who knows?? I've heard and read about so much crime and corruption here it's enough to make your hair stand up. My advice to anyone having bank accounts or other financial dealings here to make yourself aware of what's going on in your accounts on a daily basis. As a retired Certified Public Accountant I can tell you without any misgivings that Migrant's experience is a red flag that shouldn't be ignored. If you have assets of any kind in a foreign country that you don't account for on a regular basis you should revisit how often you check up on them and make sure this kind of experience doesn't happen to you. Not to forget though that you should also be aware in your home country as well. Money lost is gone forever, and if you are retired or living on a fixed income you cannot aford to be lax in your affairs.

[migrant]

I think after this experience my wife will be checking the balances every 5 minutes!!

[PeteC]

Here's some info about Bank Ayudhya that many may not know. Having a US big brother and an American CEO may not be the best of recommendations these days, but from those I've talked to who have accounts there, their automation and ease of banking is on par with western banks. Pete

http://www.bay.co.th/en/about-us-listing.aspx?cid=44

[sargeant]

I find it extremely dubious what about the PIN Numbers were they the same

i dont think so

[migrant]

I agree that it's too much a coincidence, but back in 1996 I opened an account with a large bank in the northeast USA. The first statement I noticed withdrawals and deposits not mine, it seems they did assign the same account number to someone else

I'd like to think it doesn't happen anymore, but....

[charlesh]

Yeap both sarg and hhf are correct IMO. The numbers have to be the SAME and the p/w the SAME to withdraw unless some one hacked in and can circumvent the checks and balances (firewall and sec codes) - could be that the SAME inf. was provided to the culprit (ie. insider job).
Bualuang has been infamous in LOS for the last several years with allegedly mysterious movements of monies !!