Bank of America ATM ate my cash

As many folks already know and companies — Coca-Cola? — have learned new hardly equates with better. Hopefully, Bank of Ameica is finding that out.

The company is replacing thousands of ATMs nationwide, touting these new machines which require no envelopes or deposit slips as some sort of space-aged miracle. But after my experience with one of these new machines today I realized this new technology was more like a nightmare. To put it bluntly, the ATM ate my cash.

I stopped at the ATM at lunch to deposit $160 in cash. Now I have deposited a check in this new machine once before. At that time I had no problem. One can get a scanned copy of the check from the machine after it is deposited, and I think I did just to see if it worked. But today was my first time to feed the machine cash without benefit of an envelope. So I slipped my money in but it wouldn’t all go down into the bowels of the ATM. Most of the money finally came out at the bottom of the machine. At least, $100 did. However, $60 did not. I also didn’t get a receipt.

Next, I sat in my truck for the next 30 minutes either on hold between talking to Bank of America “customer service” — an oxymoron if there ever was one — people and those who take claims for misplaced money. I learned that the deposit had not gone through. Then someone else told me it had. All $160. But that couldn’t be because I still had $100 of it. Who’s on first?

The bank has a drive-through around the corner, so I drove into a lane and pushed a button to ask the teller a question before I deposited the $100 that came back to me. No one answered. I pushed again. The teller began speaking to a guy who pulled up in the lane next to me.

So I drove across the street to the walk-in bank. This time I was able to successfully deposit my remaining $100 although by then I thought about just keeping the money in my pocket.

The idea of the “improved” ATMs, according to the bank, is to make banking easier and quicker. I figure that transaction took me almost an hour. Oh well at least I can take comfort in knowing I am not the only problem who has had problems with the new BOA ATMs.

One new machine in Connecticut at a large banking center chewed up nearly a dozen ATM cards belonging to Bank of America employees. That same machine reportedly broke down at least six times during the month.

When the new machine was first installed I noticed immediately something I disliked: The machine no longer serves up “fast cash” in the amount of $10, the lowest amount is now $20. That day, Bank of America stationed an employee at the ATM to answer questions. Perhaps they should place a maintenance person next to the machine as well.