“Got My Card In The Mail 3 Days Later”: After Almost Two Months Of Back And Forth With The Company, This Person Gets What They Want After Spamming Their Fax Machine
Interview
There are many reasons why people change their names these days: either to shed the skin of their previous self — a practice largely popular in the LGBTQ+ community; to reinvent it (just like Astro Teller, the CEO of Google’s top-secret moonshot company X, did), or simply to honor the age-old tradition of taking your partner’s name in marriage. And what should normally be a simple and straightforward process, is often turned into an onerous and expensive affair thanks to the nightmarish bureaucracies that follow.
For u/Caro_Snoopy37, everything seemed a-okay until the moment they had to deal with their credit card company. What should have been a considerably easy transition — knowing that they successfully dealt with what’s now known as the ‘Nine Circles of Hell’ (DMV, social security, insurance, et. al.) — instead turned into a long and arduous fight against the incompetency of their credit card company.
Fed up with the incompetency of the credit card company after changing their legal name, this person showed them how ridiculous their outdated bureaucracies are
Image credits: Pxhere (not the actual photo)
A record 85,000 people in the UK changed their name in 2016 — more than twice as many as a decade ago. Let that sink in. Although no one keeps a tally of how many people change their names each year (at least globally), it’s not difficult to assume the number is much higher today. Not because 1-in-3 transgenders, statistically, change their legal name; but because we, humans, have developed a much healthier and more sophisticated understanding of self-expression in recent years.
To better understand why more and more folks tend to change their name, Bored Panda reached out to San Francisco-based journalist and writer Anneli Rufus, who decided to change her legal name several years ago. “I remember thinking one day, at age five, that if it were ever possible for grownups to change their names, I would change mine from Sharon to Candy. Or possibly Cookie,” Rufus said. This desire never faded but, of course, there were those who didn’t find this as appealing as Anneli, previously Sharon, did.
“My parents were furious and hurt,” Rufus told us. “‘Sharon was the name that we gave you, so you’re throwing away our precious gift,'” she was told. Most people, including her boyfriend, tried to talk Anneli out of it, but, eventually, she persisted. “I still wish I’d been true to my five-year-old self, instead of letting my boyfriend talk me out of ‘Candy’ and “Cookie.’ He said those names were too silly and that no one would take a writer seriously who had such a name.”
Here’s the OP’s full story
Image credits: Caro_Snoopy37
Although Anneli is not particularly happy with her chosen name (“it was literally the stupidest thing I’ve ever done”), she says not enough people entertain this idea. “I would definitely recommend a name change for anyone who truly hates their birth-name, and/or feels that their birth name does not fit or suit or describe them, for whatever reason,” Rufus said. “It’s a wonderful, magical thing to do — because names are so crucial, so powerful. A name is like a password, a mantra, an amulet and/or outfit that we wear every single day.”
How easy it is to change one’s legal name, then? According to Anneli, it’s not as complicated as one might think. “Seven years ago, I added two middle names via a legal procedure, which was actually surprisingly easy.” Still, before shedding the skin of her previous self, there were some who didn’t take Anneli’s decision seriously.
“During the year I spent trying to choose a name, some friends mocked my plans and made fun of me. A coworker who later became a well-known reporter thought it was hilarious to call me all kinds of random goofy names such as ‘Wah-Wah Pedal,'” Rufus said.
People applauded the author for their power play and shared their own horror stories of bureaucratic incompetency
What company in 2022 a) uses fax machines and b) expects the public to use fax machines? I started working in a bank 20 years ago and we used to laugh that there was still a fax machine in the office despite the fact it hadn't been used in years
Interesting, after reading the replies and looking into it further, it seems attitudes about fax differ dependent on where you are. I'm from the UK originally, and fax was very much treated as out dated in businesses I worked in years ago, and even the NHS was stopped from using fax as it was considered archaic to still be using them. I assumed this was a general attitude, but clearly differs in other countries. You learn every day 🙂
Load More Replies...
Isn’t it amazing that the manager who “wasn’t currently available” to help the OP is—-Abracadabra!—-suddenly very much available to call and ask the OP to stop faxing them?
I did similar with the Social Security Administration when filing for disability. They kept telling me they never got my paperwork. I sent it certified mail that required a signature. I called the day after I got the signed receipt. Again they try to tell me they didn't get it. I responded "check with "X" they signed for the certified envelope I sent." OH what do ya know, we did receive it! I'll get right on it...
I remember when my grandpa passed away, the credit card company wanted his death certificate and a bunch of info identifying my aunt who tried to close his account. He had like under $150 bucks on the card, but for months they kept wanting to verify that he was actually dead, and not going to suddenly raise from the grave and go shopping. For a while after we would joke whenever the fliers from the various hardware stores would come in “OOH power tool sale! Quick go grab the ouija board, see if Papa wants to go shopping!”
I am here to give testimony on how this powerful spell caster called Dr Ibrahim helped me to fix my relationship. I was heartbroken when my fiance told me he is no longer interested in marrying me because he was having an affair with the other woman where he works. I cried and sobbed every day,until it got so bad that I reached out to the Internet for help, that was when i read a review about the great work of Dr Ibrahim, then i contacted him for help to get my lover back, he helped me cast a powerful (reconciliation love spell) and to my greatest surprise after 48 hours of doing the love spell my Fiance came back on his knees begging me to forgive him We are now living happily and all thanks goes to Dr Ibrahim for helping me save my relationship you can contact Dr Ibrahim through his Email dribrahimspellcaster@gmail.com Call or Whatsapp +2349038450264 Contact him for the following: 1)If you want your ex back. 2)If you want a child. 3) You want to make your husband/wife to be
fax machines still exist? i thought they wouldve all been donated to museums by now
Banks are horrible in the name of "security". They wouldn't remove my dad's name from the joint checking account unless he signed for it. They wouldn't even accept a certified copy of his death certificate instead, insisted he come in and sign. Ended up having to abandon the account and create a new one. My son had his debit card compromised, so the bank cancelled it. He needed to get a new one ASAP so (in the peak of Covid restrictions) we had to make an appointment to meet at the bank. At the same time his DL expired and he had to apply on-line for a new one. Got to the bank and they wouldn't issue a new card because the account had an old phone number that couldn't be changed unless he could provide adequate ID. Since his DL was expired it didn't count - even with the old DL and the official receipt that he had a new one coming. That combination is, according to the state, the same as a current DL, but the bank won't recognize it. It is, however, good enough to buy a gun.
My husband and I live with my mother so we can all have a nicer house and only pay one set of bills. We moved states a few years ago, and when my husband went to get a DL in our current state, they needed proof of residence. The problem was, everything was in my or my mother's name, or we don't get paper statements from the places that do have his name, and when you pull up an online statement, it doesn't usually have your address listed, so it can't be used for POR. The DMV ended up saying my mother could sign a paper saying he lived at her address and she could just provide her proof of residence. Fine. But then during that process the DMV made my mother obtain a copy of her divorce papers from over a decade ago. She never changed back to her maiden name, so I have no idea why they even needed that!
This has me in stitches laughing. It amazes me how far behind in technology some industries are
I remember when we received our first fax machine in 1988 - a wonder of technology. We used a telex machine until then. The last time I have sent a telex was in 1991, I was the last on in the company who still knew how it worked :-)
The last comment. I was reading all those posts with amazement. We are now in the 21st century! Fax machines were the 20th century. They wouldn't get my business either if I couldn't emil them a pdf file.
Mail: wait a few days. Fax: wait a few min. If they haven't received it, then Don't wait any longer. My concern while reading this was that the documents with all that personal information were going to the wrong destination. Glad to see it had a happy ending.
has similar issues when i divorced and took back my name. no problems with any one except my health insurance. finally gave up and kept his name on that. i figures that since we had been married for over 30 yrs i would consider it like a fungus and just let it grow.
I've got a card with a UK company, £60 in credit, I've asked them on multiple occasions to close the account and send me the balance. "Send us your bank details", "you already have them, you debited from my account every month", "no, email them to us", "email isn't secure, provide a secure method and I'll provide them", "post", "post is not secure, try again", "phone us on our premium rate number", "try again", we've been having this dance for 3+ years so far.
I will say this as someone who works a call center, We HATE when you start going through this because we have no access to what you need. We tell you what needs to be done and then submit requests to the proper people. I hate when you tell me you faxed/mailed somethign and the guys that actually get the faxes never update anything. No manager available? really we don't have the option in our system for a transfer to a sup. I can call them, but the transfer call button is disabled when I call them. All I can do is request a callback
That's one of the many reasons I hate call centers. If I'm calling, it's going to be for something you probably can't handle.
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I've never had a card name have to match an ID! Often e.g. for plane tickets, you must present the card that made the payment --- and that has regularly been my partner's. Or to cash a check in bank and deposit it on their account, must present their card.
OP is right about rental cars. The driver name on the rental, the credit card and and your ID have to match. I wasn't allowed to use a company credit card because the name on the card was the businesses name and not mine.
Load More Replies...
What company in 2022 a) uses fax machines and b) expects the public to use fax machines? I started working in a bank 20 years ago and we used to laugh that there was still a fax machine in the office despite the fact it hadn't been used in years
Interesting, after reading the replies and looking into it further, it seems attitudes about fax differ dependent on where you are. I'm from the UK originally, and fax was very much treated as out dated in businesses I worked in years ago, and even the NHS was stopped from using fax as it was considered archaic to still be using them. I assumed this was a general attitude, but clearly differs in other countries. You learn every day 🙂
Load More Replies... Isn’t it amazing that the manager who “wasn’t currently available” to help the OP is—-Abracadabra!—-suddenly very much available to call and ask the OP to stop faxing them?
I did similar with the Social Security Administration when filing for disability. They kept telling me they never got my paperwork. I sent it certified mail that required a signature. I called the day after I got the signed receipt. Again they try to tell me they didn't get it. I responded "check with "X" they signed for the certified envelope I sent." OH what do ya know, we did receive it! I'll get right on it...
I remember when my grandpa passed away, the credit card company wanted his death certificate and a bunch of info identifying my aunt who tried to close his account. He had like under $150 bucks on the card, but for months they kept wanting to verify that he was actually dead, and not going to suddenly raise from the grave and go shopping. For a while after we would joke whenever the fliers from the various hardware stores would come in “OOH power tool sale! Quick go grab the ouija board, see if Papa wants to go shopping!”
I am here to give testimony on how this powerful spell caster called Dr Ibrahim helped me to fix my relationship. I was heartbroken when my fiance told me he is no longer interested in marrying me because he was having an affair with the other woman where he works. I cried and sobbed every day,until it got so bad that I reached out to the Internet for help, that was when i read a review about the great work of Dr Ibrahim, then i contacted him for help to get my lover back, he helped me cast a powerful (reconciliation love spell) and to my greatest surprise after 48 hours of doing the love spell my Fiance came back on his knees begging me to forgive him We are now living happily and all thanks goes to Dr Ibrahim for helping me save my relationship you can contact Dr Ibrahim through his Email dribrahimspellcaster@gmail.com Call or Whatsapp +2349038450264 Contact him for the following: 1)If you want your ex back. 2)If you want a child. 3) You want to make your husband/wife to be
fax machines still exist? i thought they wouldve all been donated to museums by now
Banks are horrible in the name of "security". They wouldn't remove my dad's name from the joint checking account unless he signed for it. They wouldn't even accept a certified copy of his death certificate instead, insisted he come in and sign. Ended up having to abandon the account and create a new one. My son had his debit card compromised, so the bank cancelled it. He needed to get a new one ASAP so (in the peak of Covid restrictions) we had to make an appointment to meet at the bank. At the same time his DL expired and he had to apply on-line for a new one. Got to the bank and they wouldn't issue a new card because the account had an old phone number that couldn't be changed unless he could provide adequate ID. Since his DL was expired it didn't count - even with the old DL and the official receipt that he had a new one coming. That combination is, according to the state, the same as a current DL, but the bank won't recognize it. It is, however, good enough to buy a gun.
My husband and I live with my mother so we can all have a nicer house and only pay one set of bills. We moved states a few years ago, and when my husband went to get a DL in our current state, they needed proof of residence. The problem was, everything was in my or my mother's name, or we don't get paper statements from the places that do have his name, and when you pull up an online statement, it doesn't usually have your address listed, so it can't be used for POR. The DMV ended up saying my mother could sign a paper saying he lived at her address and she could just provide her proof of residence. Fine. But then during that process the DMV made my mother obtain a copy of her divorce papers from over a decade ago. She never changed back to her maiden name, so I have no idea why they even needed that!
This has me in stitches laughing. It amazes me how far behind in technology some industries are
I remember when we received our first fax machine in 1988 - a wonder of technology. We used a telex machine until then. The last time I have sent a telex was in 1991, I was the last on in the company who still knew how it worked :-)
The last comment. I was reading all those posts with amazement. We are now in the 21st century! Fax machines were the 20th century. They wouldn't get my business either if I couldn't emil them a pdf file.
Mail: wait a few days. Fax: wait a few min. If they haven't received it, then Don't wait any longer. My concern while reading this was that the documents with all that personal information were going to the wrong destination. Glad to see it had a happy ending.
has similar issues when i divorced and took back my name. no problems with any one except my health insurance. finally gave up and kept his name on that. i figures that since we had been married for over 30 yrs i would consider it like a fungus and just let it grow.
I've got a card with a UK company, £60 in credit, I've asked them on multiple occasions to close the account and send me the balance. "Send us your bank details", "you already have them, you debited from my account every month", "no, email them to us", "email isn't secure, provide a secure method and I'll provide them", "post", "post is not secure, try again", "phone us on our premium rate number", "try again", we've been having this dance for 3+ years so far.
I will say this as someone who works a call center, We HATE when you start going through this because we have no access to what you need. We tell you what needs to be done and then submit requests to the proper people. I hate when you tell me you faxed/mailed somethign and the guys that actually get the faxes never update anything. No manager available? really we don't have the option in our system for a transfer to a sup. I can call them, but the transfer call button is disabled when I call them. All I can do is request a callback
That's one of the many reasons I hate call centers. If I'm calling, it's going to be for something you probably can't handle.
Load More Replies... I've never had a card name have to match an ID! Often e.g. for plane tickets, you must present the card that made the payment --- and that has regularly been my partner's. Or to cash a check in bank and deposit it on their account, must present their card.
OP is right about rental cars. The driver name on the rental, the credit card and and your ID have to match. I wasn't allowed to use a company credit card because the name on the card was the businesses name and not mine.
Load More Replies...
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