MTGox customer support == Huge Steaming Pile of FAIL!

[CyberPhunk]

OMG, I thought that customer support from my cable company was horrible! Well, it is, actually, but in, comparison to MTGox customer support it is the best thing since sliced bread!

The situation:

(Just so you know, and to forestall comments about using Dwolla instead, I wasn't aware at the time that the fees were so low, and have since made an account at Dwolla, and have used them a few times)

On Feb 20th I submitted a support case about a wire transfer. I had a problem, as I couldn't find the information their automated withdrawal form required. I sent them all the information my bank supplied, and asked how to fill out the form. The problem was that my bank, a credit union, didn't have a swift#, only an ABA routing number. They had an Intermediate bank, that DID have a swift#, though.

After the second attempt at sending them the information, the support agent listed off the specific information I would need to enter in the form for it to work. I plugged in the information, and sent off a trial wire transfer of the minimum of $50. Surprise, surprise, it never showed up.

Anyway, to make a really long story a bit shorter, the information they provided was WRONG! The money got stalled at the intermediary bank, and the transfer was rejected due to incorrect account information, upon which they charged me ANOTHER $50 in fees!

When I noticed this additional debit to my account, I immediately contacted support once again, to ask why they had charged me another $50, and that's when I found out that it had been refused and that they (MTGox) had withdrawn the $50, from my (MTGox)account, to cover the fees the banks had charged them for the failed transfer.

I asked why they were charging me for this, since I had followed EXACTLY the directions given by their own support agent, and they kept trying to blame ME for the mistake. Finally, they said that they would refund me a total of $25.18, the amount that would have been deposited in my account if the transfer had worked. I was quite upset about this, and demanded a refund. I wanted my money back, as they were basically charging me for a mistake on their part! Eventually, after repeatedly saying they had no way to refund my money, they said that they would "Contact their management group" to inquire about a refund. This all happened on March 10th.

On March 14th they asked for my bank's swift#, again, even though they were told MANY times that it doesn't have one?!?!?

The last response I received was on March 19th, "We are currently waiting for our upper management to have these funds reversed back into your Mt.Gox account balance. We apologize for the delay."

Nothing since, even though I have asked three times what is going on. NOTHING has been returned, not even the $25.18!

At this point they are either actively ignoring me, or figure I'll just go away eventually.



WTF, MTGox, is this how you treat your customers?!?!?

Blame them for your employees incompetence, and then CHARGE them for it?!?!?

Is this the norm for MTGox CS? Or did I just happen to get the worlds dumbest, most inconsiderate "support agent"?

Is there anyone else I can contact to get this worked out?


Thoughts?


BTW, I'll gladly share the logs of these chats upon request.

[Yankee (BitInstant)]

Im not defending them, just want to clarify something.

From MtGox.com: You agree to this before you send a wire

Any fee charged by your bank or an intermediate bank will be deducted.  Our SMBC bank charges a 1,000 Yen receiving fee.

Since they gave you the wrong info (I'd like to see that specific chat log) then they are liable to pay for the fees to your intermediate bank.

However, it sounds like they did in fact credit your account for the amount that you would have gotten if they received it the first time.

Once the credited your account for the $25.00, Im not sure that they MUST give you a refund, since Wire fees are irreversible.

[jwzguy]

However, it sounds like they did in fact credit your account for the amount that you would have gotten if they received it the first time.

NOTHING has been returned, not even the $25.18!

[Yankee (BitInstant)]

However, it sounds like they did in fact credit your account for the amount that you would have gotten if they received it the first time.

NOTHING has been returned, not even the $25.18!

Yes, I read your post.

Finally, they said that they would refund me a total of $25.18, the amount that would have been deposited in my account if the transfer had worked.

So, they originally did credit you.

The issue seems like it started around March 10th when you asked for a full refund of the wire.

I was quite upset about this, and demanded a refund. I wanted my money back, as they were basically charging me for a mistake on their part! Eventually, after repeatedly saying they had no way to refund my money, they said that they would "Contact their management group" to inquire about a refund. This all happened on March 10th.

Yes, but you need to clarify. They fixed their mistake of sending you the wrong details. At this point, your transaction with them was completed. They credited you for the correct amount.

So lets bullet point this:
1- You request wire details from MtGox
2- They send you incorrect info
3- You send wire, its not received and stalled (Was this $50.00 returned to your bank account? I believe it was)
4- MtGox confirms their mistake and decides to eat the loss and credit you for the amount you would have gotten
5- You request a refund for the full amount back to your bank account, they debit your account the $25.00
...At this point on March 19th, "We are currently waiting for our upper management to have these funds reversed back into your Mt.Gox account balance. We apologize for the delay."

Did I miss anything?

Again, not defending, just clarifying.

[jwzguy]

Not my post, but I certainly didn't get your version of events from what the OP said.

[CyberPhunk]

So lets bullet point this:
1- You request wire details from MtGox
2- They send you incorrect info
3- You send wire, its not received and stalled (Was this $50.00 returned to your bank account? I believe it was)
4- MtGox confirms their mistake and decides to eat the loss and credit you for the amount you would have gotten
5- You request a refund for the full amount back to your bank account, they debit your account the $25.00
...At this point on March 19th, "We are currently waiting for our upper management to have these funds reversed back into your Mt.Gox account balance. We apologize for the delay."

Did I miss anything?

Again, not defending, just clarifying.

They have not credited me anything, nothing has been returned, not even the $25.18.

[jwzguy]

Apparently "nothing" does indeed mean "nothing."

Sorry to hear you're having trouble. Mtgox does need a serious wake-up call when it comes to their customer support. My impression is that they believe they are too big to fail, so the only thing likely to give them that wake-up call is serious competition. 

[Yankee (BitInstant)]

Not my post, but I certainly didn't get your version of events from what the OP said.

Thats because OP was not clear when he was explaining the situation, hence the reason for bulletpoints.

So lets bullet point this:
1- You request wire details from MtGox
2- They send you incorrect info
3- You send wire, its not received and stalled (Was this $50.00 returned to your bank account? I believe it was)
4- MtGox confirms their mistake and decides to eat the loss and credit you for the amount you would have gotten
5- You request a refund for the full amount back to your bank account, they debit your account the $25.00
...At this point on March 19th, "We are currently waiting for our upper management to have these funds reversed back into your Mt.Gox account balance. We apologize for the delay."

Did I miss anything?

Again, not defending, just clarifying.

They have not credited me anything, nothing has been returned, not even the $25.18.

What happend to the funds that you wired to them and got held by the Intermediary bank?

[CyberPhunk]

(I'd like to see that specific chat log)

Chat log sent via PM

[CyberPhunk]

What happend to the funds that you wired to them and got held by the Intermediary bank?

No clue, as they have not returned ANY funds. For all I know,they have pocketed the $25.18, along with the $50 in fees charged for their mistake.

[jwzguy]

Not my post, but I certainly didn't get your version of events from what the OP said.

Thats because OP was not clear when he was explaining the situation, hence the reason for bulletpoints.

I respectfully disagree. But since I can do nothing more than lend my moral support I will not clutter this thread with arguments about reading comprehension. Best of luck to the OP.

[CyberPhunk]

Ah, I can see an issue with my first post.

The wire transfer was for a withdrawal FROM MTGox TO my bank.

I was trying to withdraw funds to use for a couple bills I needed to pay.

That help clarify things?

[Helpcoin]

I'd like to see the chat log as well.

I hope they fix your problem soon!

[CyberPhunk]

http://pastebin.com/JZAEzY7w

[bitdragon]

I don't get where the Information MTGOX provided was wrong is evident in the log?

Good luck though.

I gave up last year on requesting wire transfers.
I was told to cancel the Paxum withdraw as there was no sign when it would go through and still got charged the withdraw fee...
The patience required is just too large for a normal human being and the responses open ended.
MTGOX codes work well and I stick with that now.

[CyberPhunk]

I don't get where the Information MTGOX provided was wrong is evident in the log?

Hello J***,
 
    We see that your banks swift code will be WFBIUS6S. IBAN number will be your account number that you want your funds to reflect into.
 
    Address will be your mailing address.

This is the incorrect information that I used. MY bank doesn't HAVE a swift#, yet they said to use the intermediary bank's swift# for it. I tried to input it into the intermediary bank field, but the withdrawal form would not let me use the same # in both fields. I tried it in ONLY the intermediary bank field, but I couldn't leave MY bank's swift# field blank, so I followed their directions.

I gave up last year on requesting wire transfers.
I was told to cancel the Paxum withdraw as there was no sign when it would go through and still got charged the withdraw fee...
The patience required is just too large for a normal human being and the responses open ended.
MTGOX codes work well and I stick with that now.

Use Dwolla, the fees are $.25 to direct deposit into your bank account. Quite reasonable.

[Mt.Gox Support]

Dear CyberPhunk.

Please check your account, I believe that the $25.18 USD are now back. We are sorry that it took so much time to fix this error, but, unlike Bitcoins transactions, Banks love to take their time send money back. And while we did not get them yet, we had a conformation yesterday that they are on their way, so we could finally credit your account of $25.18 USD.

Once again sorry that it took so long

Regards

[bitdragon]

"At this time Dwolla is only available for use within the United States.  We do not have plans to expand internationally at this time, but please stay tuned for future updates."

[CyberPhunk]

Dear CyberPhunk.

Please check your account, I believe that the $25.18 USD are now back. We are sorry that it took so much time to fix this error, but, unlike Bitcoins transactions, Banks love to take their time send money back. And while we did not get them yet, we had a conformation yesterday that they are on their way, so we could finally credit your account of $25.18 USD.

Once again sorry that it took so long

Regards

So. you'll still keep the $50 that was caused by the failure of your employee, basically charging me for it? Nice!

[CyberPhunk]

"At this time Dwolla is only available for use within the United States.  We do not have plans to expand internationally at this time, but please stay tuned for future updates."

Oh, forgot about that, sorry. :-(

Damn global economy! heh