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Johnny_Utah
Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 35
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 Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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| jibbs wrote: |
| Ah, I did not realize that, though two people I know waited a week (believe one even said ten days). And asking Chinese, been told it's the rule to wait a week. Guess I really should have insisted though as they knew I was broke and understood I would need to borrow cash from somewhere for the week. I think they were concerned it was probably stolen as I mentioned and maybe somehow the thief figured out the PIN so they decided to freeze the account and suggested I changed the PIN. No big deal really though I was not pleased at the time, but in a good way it forced me to live a really cheap week. Good to spend less than usual I guess. |
If they hassle you much, you pretty much have to throw a fit in the bank. Many Chinese people I have talked to don't know you can get a card the same day. I believe what they do is open a new account, transfer your money in there, then give you a new card & close the old account. |
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tianfuoe
Joined: 25 May 2011
Posts: 36
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| Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Aiya! I can't understand having these problems. Why don't you take a Chinese person with you to the bank to help out? Why do it the hard way? I've never spent more than 15 minutes opening an account and I have accounts at five different banks. Got the account open and the bank card at the same time. Waiting for my number to be called..well, thats a different story.... |
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askiptochina
Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 488
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Why don't you take a Chinese person with you to the bank to help out? Why do it the hard way? |
My school is the Chinese person. There wasn't confusion in communication. It was procedure. The bank tellers didn't know what to do, and their superiors didn't want to take responsibility for opening my account. So, they called around to get a consensus on what should happen. |
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TexasHighway
Joined: 03 Dec 2005
Posts: 779
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| Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 3:41 am Post subject: |
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mike w wrote:
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| Last year I broke my bank card - went to the bank with my passport (you quickly learn to take this with you every time you go to the bank) and walked out 15 minutes later, new card in hand. |
In 2001, an ATM machine ate my debit card in the Bank of China in Shenzhen. In order to get my card back, I had to take a two hour round trip bus ride to my room to get my passport. I should have taken your advice 10 years ago!
Johnny_Utah wrote:
| Quote: |
| If they hassle you much, you pretty much have to throw a fit in the bank. |
Well, at least it makes good street theater for the Chinese customers. It also confirms the worst impressions they have of foreigners. With the financial crisis in recent years in the West, we should be the last ones to tell the Chinese how to run their banking system. I am very happy with the service I have received at the Bank of Shanghai over the past several years. I also use my debit card at ATMs in the US without any problem. |
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choudoufu
Joined: 25 May 2010
Posts: 3325
Location: Mao-berry, PRC
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| Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 6:56 am Post subject: |
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just closed out my account at CCB, as i know i won't have easy access
to my many money in another province.
even with the bank undergoing renovation, and down to three windows
in 1/3 of the original space, only had to wait 20 minutes for my number,
and completed account closure in just 5.
when i turned in my ATM card, the cute clerk gave me an extra 18.90 RMB.
she said it was interest due, or perhaps because she was interested in me,
that part was unclearly. |
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Johnny_Utah
Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 35
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 1:34 am Post subject: |
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Well, at least it makes good street theater for the Chinese customers. It also confirms the worst impressions they have of foreigners. With the financial crisis in recent years in the West, we should be the last ones to tell the Chinese how to run their banking system. |
I would not say it confirms the worst impressions of foreigners here, more like confirms we are adapting to the local culture.  |
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samhouston
Joined: 17 Jan 2007
Posts: 418
Location: LA
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 8:37 am Post subject: |
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| With the financial crisis in recent years in the West, we should be the last ones to tell the Chinese how to run their banking system. |
No one is telling them how to run their banking system. More like trying to punch a path through the buck-passing and face-saving and never-ending excuses to get them to do their jobs. |
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xjgirl
Joined: 02 Feb 2010
Posts: 242
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| Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 10:52 am Post subject: |
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i just spent 4 hours in ICBC
They decided to freeze my bank account because
the number on my new passport is different to the number
on my old! Great! When I pointed out the name was the same, and person in the photo was the same, no, not good enough for ICBC
Apparently what's good enough for the International Civil Aviation authorities is not good enough for ICBC
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jibbs
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Posts: 452
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| Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2011 8:24 am Post subject: |
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| ^They can be real sticklers for every little detail; maybe afraid to lose their jobs? All the photocopying and stuff they do seems excessive. I didn't know about the 47 cents when trying to receive money once and was told "the number is false" like it was a big deal. |
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choudoufu
Joined: 25 May 2010
Posts: 3325
Location: Mao-berry, PRC
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| Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 10:13 am Post subject: |
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opened a new account a few days ago. the school requested that
i use the agriculture bank, as they have the system all set up for
direct deposit of salaries. (last school gave us a wad of bills each
month)
no english spoken, but forms were chinese/english. bank manager
helped me fill out and open the standard account. took about 25
minutes, mainly as the processors had trouble getting my very long
english name to fit.
received two automated text messages while sitting in the bank,
confirming my new account and my massive deposit.
unfortunately, ag bank (at this branch at least) is unable to process
SWIFT transactions. if i need a large sum sent from my us bank,
then i'll need to open a second account at BofC or CCCB. |
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