Certegy Holding my money hostage, won't let me write a check on my own good account St. Petersburg Florida

Nathan -- the same thing happened to me at Target late last year. I was extremely angry too. I would've used my debit card if I had not left it on the desk at home near my computer...in fact, I always use my debit card which is why this happened to me. I finally got them to admit to me that 1) my check number was too low (since I rarely write checks), the account was new to their system (no experience history), and the amouont was suspect ($150). My credit and check writing (when I write them) history are fine too...I sent an e-mail to their general counsel, which got someone to call me at my office, and I was put into their "VIP" database...but I'm still leery. And regarding the post about debit cards: Mine has a daily limit of $750. What if I wanted to buy a plasma TV at Best Buy? I'd have to write a check, and Besat Buy subscribes to Certegy...and why should I use a credit card if I have the cash? It's frsutrating.

By the way, I was contacted by the Boston Globe in January 2006. A writer there had caught wind of Certegy and wrote an article about the company. Do a Lexis search to find the article.

I use my debit card several times per day, every day, and NEVER had a problem.

I NEVER carry my checkbook with me.

AND, I never incur NSF fees. NEVER.

Why is that?......

Because I am responsible with my account.

My only point was that a debit card will authorize much quicker and easier than a check, and there is a higher level of purchase protection.

A debit card transaction is fraud protected and can be disputed, a check cannot be disputed and offers no purchase protection

And there was obviously some problem with the OP checking account status that was not disclosed. That is, if it really was a 10 year established account in the 2000 ck#'s.

Things just don't happen for no reason.

Not a DEBIT card. A CREDIT card. Haven't you seen enough complaints against banks on this forum due to the majority of posters think just because they have a debit card, they have unlimited amounts of money? After overdrawing their accounts, they expect the bank to refund the fees they're charged when they don't have the funds to back up their withdrawals. Every day brings a new batch of complaints.

Not a DEBIT card. A CREDIT card. Haven't you seen enough complaints against banks on this forum due to the majority of posters think just because they have a debit card, they have unlimited amounts of money? After overdrawing their accounts, they expect the bank to refund the fees they're charged when they don't have the funds to back up their withdrawals. Every day brings a new batch of complaints.

Not a DEBIT card. A CREDIT card. Haven't you seen enough complaints against banks on this forum due to the majority of posters think just because they have a debit card, they have unlimited amounts of money? After overdrawing their accounts, they expect the bank to refund the fees they're charged when they don't have the funds to back up their withdrawals. Every day brings a new batch of complaints.

Not a DEBIT card. A CREDIT card. Haven't you seen enough complaints against banks on this forum due to the majority of posters think just because they have a debit card, they have unlimited amounts of money? After overdrawing their accounts, they expect the bank to refund the fees they're charged when they don't have the funds to back up their withdrawals. Every day brings a new batch of complaints.

The check was written on an account that is more than 10 years old. I have written more than 2,000 checks on it. In fact, the first moron I talked to told me my high check number was one of the reasons it was being rejected because they hadn't seen the account before and the amount was "high" ($107.30), AND the check number itself was high, their computer told them it was likely the check was stolen. I told him high check numbers like mine (in the 2000s) are supposed to be a GOOD thing, but apparently not to his stupid computer. I'm so angry I couldn't sleep last night. I will have satisfaction over this if it's the last thing I ever do, that I promise.

They are NOT a credit reporting agency.

They are simply a payment processor that provides the Merchant Accout that Office Depot uses to process checks and credit cards.

The system attempted to process your check as electronic funds, but some characteristic of your check simply did not meet the criteria.

I know this is stupid, but it could have been something as to the age of the account, or even a low check#.

One question, why didnt you just use a debit card for that account, instead of writing a check? Writing checks for purchases is almost obsolete.

Repeat after me...DEBIT CARD...Debit Card...

I have never heard of Certegy, but if it's anything like Telecheck, your check number may have been too low. Is this a new account?

My friend was turned down for a purchase at Best Buy (before debit/check cards were popular) because her check number was below 1000. However, the b***h cashier made sure that half the store heard her when she told my friend that 'If you didn't write bad checks, this wouldn't happen'. She was in tears. That cashier was fired on the spot, I, along with 3 other people in the check out line, made sure of that.