Category Archives: Economics

February 7, 2019 · 7:00 am

Online Banking Woes

I’ve been using Capital One 360 for over a year now and have had little complaint. Then it all sort of snowballed and it took me way too much time to get everything back on track. All’s well that ends well, I suppose.

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First, I foolishly tried to log on to check my balance using the satellite internet rather than the one I had previously used. The site said that something was “different” about this log-in and I would need to get a code sent to my phone number to log in.

Well, the phone number I set up the online banking account with was no longer in service. My phone had given up the ghost a few months before and I had purchased a new phone. So I tried to update that information only to be informed that there was something wrong with the information and that I should call Capital One.

So I did. I explained my situation. Customer service was very understanding however they needed to verify that I was me. Could I please send them a picture of some official identification? A passport would do. Well, I had to search out my passport and that took some time. Then I followed the instructions and took a picture and uploaded it to the site. It was rejected. I did it again. Another rejection. A third time locked me out of the system and I had to call Capital One again.

This time the customer service representative could see my photos as I uploaded them. The system rejected them again. I think what the system wanted was a scanned version rather than a photo of my passport. Only I didn’t have a scanner on hand.

Anyway, I got transferred around to supervisor then manager then whoever was over them. Finally, this person opted to verify my identity by having me input my PIN number. So now, they could confirm that I was me.  

I wanted to change my phone number to my new cell phone number in order to receive the text messages and codes and whatnot. However, the company did not allow phones that were registered outside of the US. How long would it take me to get a phone registered in the US? I told them I would call back.

I then set about looking at options. I finally decided on Skype online phone number setup which rents me a phone number registered to any place in the US for $6.50 USD per month. I choose Tennessee. I paid the first month, got my new number, and called Capital One again.

After being verified as me, I was able to update the phone number contact information. Whew! So I signed on to my account online again. When I received the prompt for the secret, secret code to be entered, I choose the option to have the automated system call the number rather than sending a text. The call rang through via Skype on my computer and I got the code.

I thought I was in the clear until I went to HBSC to withdraw my pay from their ATM machine. Unaccountably, the machine didn’t give me any money but deducted it from my account. I totally freaked out! I marched my fanny into the bank and stood in line to see a teller who told me to see someone there in the desk section. So I waited there. The internet was down, which is probably what caused the glitch at the ATM machine, so I waited again.

Finally, the clerk asked for my identification which she entered into the computer. Of course, I’m not an HBSC client, I was just using the ATM machine, so she said she could do nothing for me. What!!!! She implied I had a hold on my account which is why the money wasn’t dispersed because of course, the ATM machine was just fine.

I came back home and called Capital One again to ask about this “hold” on my account. I explained that I had attempted to withdraw money but hadn’t received it. Again, customer service was very helpful. There was no hold on my account. The system showed the ATM transaction. I would be credited these funds temporarily while they investigated the matter. I should have access to these funds in 24 hours.

I did. I went to Santander to withdraw the funds, vowing never to return to HBSC. About 6 weeks later, I received a notification that the temporarily deposited funds were now released permanently since the investigation had been concluded satisfactorily. Thank goodness!

So despite the hassle of the US phone number requirement that I had to creatively work around, I still am pleased with my Capital One 360 account.

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January 28, 2019 · 7:04 am

The Internet Saga Part 3

That comment the satellite installation guy made about an antenna for the BlueComm modem put a bee in my bonnet. I checked the modem we had and most models came with those rabbit ear antennas–ours didn’t. They weren’t expensive, less than $20, so I thought I’d order some from Amazon.

Well, the company that sold them didn’t ship to Mexico. Ok, I’d have them shipped to my friend in the US and she could send them to us. It would be a small package, no big deal. Boy was I wrong!

She tried Fedex. She had added a few things to my care package, including makeup and a cloth quiver for my son’s arrows. She was told that anything manufactured in China cannot be sent to Mexico. Both the quiver and the antenna were manufactured in China. Then that personal items like makeup also could not be sent. She said she felt like I was in jail and unable to receive items. Sure enough, cosmetics are prohibited items along with Garbage Pail Kids Cards, you know those awful cards from the 80s with ugly drawings of children like Pikey Nose Marge. I was unable to find anything specific about imports from China being restricted although technically the antennas would fall under the electronic equipment category I expect.

My friend then tried the DHL office. This time she tried to send just the quiver and antenna, no other “personal effects.” Sure, they’d send it but it would cost $140 USD. Holy crap! (See DHL import guidelines)

The offical USPS site doesn’t list cosmetics or things made in China as prohibited, so that was her next attempt.  Success! The package with the antennas and quiver would cost $22 USD and be here in 4-6 weeks.  Well, of course, that doesn’t figure the gas shortage in large portions of Mexico. So I expect it will take longer. 

In the meantime, I’ve had to cancel my online classes. The unseasonable rains have affected both internet modems. I’m trying not to dwell on that lost income.

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January 26, 2019 · 7:00 am

The Internet Saga Continues

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Remember how one of the ladies that makes tortillas for my sister-in-law said that Los Amoles, the community WAY up the mountain had internet service. She gave my husband the contact number one day and we called. It took two days for the salesperson to return the call, but he did and I set up an appointment for him to come out and visit us the next day at 11 am.

He arrived at 11 am which was the last time he arrived on time throughout this entire agonizingly long process. We were ready to sign up immediately. It was satellite internet, via Star Go,  not wireless internet. It was designed to be used by banks and other institutions so there was always steady internet. It used the Hughes Network System, which has been around a while.

We had to be approved of course. So we gave him a copy of our property certificado (ownership certificate) and my husband’s IFE. There was some holdup at the main office because there wasn’t a street address but we explained that the certificate does list the block, lot number, and fraccionamiento (neighborhood) so the appropriate address would be domicilio conocido fraccionamiento La Yacata. (Known address Neighborhood La Yacata). Plus the salesperson sent the GPS coordinates of the house. With that, we could proceed.

We waited another week for a copy of the contract. Every day we contacted the salesperson who called the main office where he was told the office lady was busy and hadn’t gotten around to our contract. He called us the following week to tell us we should be receiving the contract, sent via email, that afternoon. We didn’t. Three days later, he came out to the house and called the main office from here. The office lady said that my email didn’t give an address–What on earth did that mean? No email gives our address. We went back and forth with the salesperson about this. So the lady at the office asked if I had an alternate email address. I did. The contract was sent. When I checked the contract, the original email was misspelled. That was the problem.

So, I entered a virtual signature just like I do for my taxes and sent it back. Nope, not good enough. We had to go to a cyber cafe to print the 10-page contract out and sign it, scan it and send it back via email. Nope, not good enough. Each page of the contract needed to be signed. Another scan and sent. Nope. Each page has to be signed on the right side. Another printout, sign, scan and send. Nope. It must be signed in blue ink, not black.  HOLY MOTHER OF GOD! Another printout, signed with blue ink, scan and send. Finally!

The installation would be scheduled in about a week. So we waited. By this time, we’d lost any enthusiasm we had for this internet service. A week later, the installation guy came. He unloaded his equipment and started swearing. He had forgotten the antenna. He asked if we really needed it installed today. He had driven from Leon. Yes, we wanted it installed. So he made some calls. About an hour later, he tracked down an antenna here in Moroleon and went to pick it up.

Installation took about 3 hours. The installation guy said that the service would be bad for about 24-48 hours as it calibrated. Fine. He also mentioned that the internet we already had would work just fine if we had an antenna. Hmm, I’d have to look into that.

Over the next few days, we were further disappointed with the service. Even though I was very clear that I needed enough Mbps to teach online, the package only came with 3 Mbps. So we called the salesperson again and asked if we could increase the service to at least 5 Mbps. He said we would need to call the main office. So we did. My son asked about the high ping–more than 300. The service technician said that since it was a satellite service, it would always have that ping, making it usable for online gaming and Skype calls. We decided to up our service to 5 Mbps anyway.

The service technician sent me a list of requisites via email. Among them was a picture of the modem and router numbers. No problem. I even typed the numbers below the photos. The pictures were not clear enough. So we took another set and sent them. Nope, still not good enough. Ok, a third time. After those too were rejected I decided to cancel the request. We’d manage with the 3 Mbps.

And we are. The satellite internet works for everything but classes and gaming. It’s stable, reliable if a bit slow and extremely expensive! The amount of internet we use for other activities means that we don’t have enough for the full month, about 3 weeks really. Then it becomes even slower, rendering it useless for most things. 

We’ve discussed trying to get out of the 2-year contract, but for right now, we’ll let it stand. Something is better than nothing right?

 

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