I've been using Amscot to cash checks since I had my first job at Dairy Queen at age 16, because I trust banks about as much as an undocumented immigrant who lived through the Great Depression does. It is fast, the staff is helpful and normally polite, and their services are reasonably priced. I will no longer being doing so, thanks to the staff at this location.
I received a bonus from my job at the end of 2014 for several thousand dollars. As a result, I didn't cash my normal paycheck for the end of December right away. In fact, I waited exactly 4 months to attempt to cash it. I entered this location at about 11:30 PM about a week ago and stood by as the person working the window made some phone calls to verify that the check was still valid and had no holds or anything like that. The employee that assisted me explained that since my payroll department wasn't open, she couldn't verify the check and was unable to cash it as a result, and invited me to come back during business hours. It made a lot of sense to me and wasn't really a big deal, it's not like I needed it immediately.
Fast forward to 1 PM the following day. I enter this location again, to attempt to cash the check. I hand it to a young girl behind the thick, bulletproof glass, and explained why it took so long to cash the check. I was told they needed to verify that the check was real/good, and that they had to make a call or two. Okay, fine. Amscot doesn't want to get scammed. Nobody does.
As the girl began making the call to the ADP number listed on my check, she pointed to the middle number on the bottom of my check and asked an elderly staff member if that was the account number. He said yes. Right then and there I knew there was going to be an issue. Presumably, someone who works at a check cashing shop knows the anatomy of a check. Well, here are two that don't. I told them that the number on the right was the account number and that it's also listed more clearly in the top right corner of the check. I was met with a blank stare, and the girl continued her attempt to verify my check through ADP's automated line.
Approximately 10 minutes later, she tells me she couldn't verify the check. I asked whether it was because the automated line said it was not valid, or if she simply couldn't figure out the automated line.
"I don't know." was her reply.
From the parking lot, I called ADP and tried to get through to a live person to help me figure out what the problem with my check might be. I eventually succeeded in getting through to their line that is meant to help clients (such as the company I work for. I am not the client, I am merely the employee of a client.) Although the line wasn't meant for people like myself, I was able to convince the rep to help me. I provided all my information to him, and he said the check was valid and there's absolutely no problem with it.
Strange. So I call the automated line myself, and was able to get it to confirm that the check was issued and valid. I walk back into Amscot and the girl who "helped" me was no longer there, replaced by a guy who was dressed differently, named "Ian." I surmised that he was likely the manager on duty and figured that'd be conducive to helping me get the hell out of there faster. In reality, he was conducive only to helping me realize there must not be any sort of written test required for career advancement at Amscot.
I handed him my check and described my previous two attempts to get it cashed, and told him that I confirmed that the check was indeed good, and told him to call the number on the check as I was able to verify it with that method. So he picks up the phone. I watch his fingers as he is using the system and see that he's neglecting to hit the pound button after entering the account number. I explain that he needs to hit pound, just as the automated line makes VERY clear several times. I get no response. Eventually he hangs up and tells me he can't verify the check. I explain to him to hit pound, and ask him to try again. He does so. As he is entering the account number, he's also chatting with the old guy behind the window and again neglects to hit pound. So I reminded him to do so. Hitting pound is required after every single piece of information the line requires you to enter for verification.
Now that he understands these extremely easy instructions, I can see he's finally having success in getting through the process, as I watch his fingers. He gets to the final part wherein he has to enter the first three letters of my last name, and doesn't hit pound, distracted by his side conversation. I again remind him to hit pound, and he gives me an acknowledging nod, but still doesn't hit it. He hangs up the phone and told me he couldn't verify the check.
I tell him he didn't hit pound for the last part, and ask him to call yet again. Finally he gets through and verifies the check is valid and issued. It was frustrating and time consuming, but Amscot would finally be able to wrap this one up! Right?
I noticed there are plenty of reports on Amscott. Mine is primarily with a Pay Day Loan.
I used to cash my checks from work at the Amscott in Bellair Plaza, Daytona Beach, and this is where my loan originated. My work is seasonal, and I got behind, and then work slowed for the season, in September. So I notified them I would not be able to pay as previously agreed to , but that I would try and give them what I could.
Unfortunately, months went by, but I kept in touch, and never ignored my debt. My pay checks stopped altogether, and was in a car accident. I again informed them of this.
Recently I got a $138.00 pay check, and went to Port Orange office to cash it, as the office at Bellair was still doing business with me at this point.
I unfortunately did not get this girls name, who decided she would call before she cashed this for me, after I said I wouldn't be able to give her any out of the $138.00 toward my debt of $150.00. She was extremely rude at this point, and I told her this amount on my check wasn't even enough for me to eat on for the week, and tried to explain that I was getting a settlement from an Insurance company from my accident, and planned on paying them the full amount within 2 months. But she kept pressing me, and then told me she could no longer do business with me, if I couldn't pay atleast $40.00 at that time. At this point I'm pretty upset because of how rude she was, and not efficient in her job at all , and that was the only check I had gotten in months. The Amscott at the other location already knew my situation, and obviously never put anything in the computer, after numerous times, talking to them when a payment was due. I signed more papers everytime I went into the original office at Bellair, and constantly explained my situation , every month.
After dealing with this girl in Pt Orange, it wasn't 3 weeks, and I had a notice to appear in court. I know that they just don't do what they say their doing, even when you explain your life story to these people, they never update their records, even when they tell you, it's fine, etc etc. So I feel violated as hell. Now, I could not show up to this court date, which was labled as a bad check. But they weren't suppose to deposit the check at all. So this girl screwed me big time. I was always told, that when I wrote them that check on my account, that it would never be deposited. So that's how they make you feel safe I guess. So now I have to explain this to a judge, and it's a criminal charge, on my record!!
It's pretty screwed up, and I'm researching about my rights now, but people really need to be aware of their rights, even when a big company like Amscott tells you your all set, don't worry. We won't cash this or send it to the bank. That's bull. Yes they will.
I'm not sure if this is considered a ripoff, but I sure feel like it is, now I am in a court system, when I didn't even know I was doing something wrong. Criminal charges and bad check writting, is something I certainly don't deserve, from a pay day loan.
This is to report what amscot and there "customer Service" did to me and my wife. We went to Amscot to get a so called Free Money Order. we asked for it Blank as it was to give to our lawer for goverment issue paperwork. there were 3 money order one for $1000 one for $420 and one for $70. as it is normal they asked for ID and everything. getting out of the amscot like 15 mins later my wifes purse Get Stolen with the money orders inside plus the stubs. as it is natural we went back to amscot to try to cancel the Money orders. the lady asked for our stubs, we explaines what just hapened and that we want to do it as quickly as possible as to not lose that money. they tell us that without the stubs there is nothing they can do due to confidenciality. we point out that they had my wife's id in there system but they refused to do anything with out the stubs. we waited a couple of days and called the money order line and explained the issue and said we needed to find out if the money was cashed. they refused to give us any info and the lady told us that we should just forget about the money as it was almost for sure cashed if it was blank. i let her know it is alot of money that we have been saving up and we are trying to do our best to get it back. i ask her what happens if no one cashes it after a certain amount of time and she tells me the money will go to the state of Florida. i ask if there is any proof that this money will go to the staet of florida and she repeats the same line over and over that they are obliged by state confidentiality law. I find it very irritating that in a situation like a mugging that we cannont control we have lost so much money just because AMSCOT refuses to cancel the money order or put a stop on it just because we do not have the stubs that were stolen. I am going to keep fighting as hard as possible for this injustice and if anyone has any ideas or previous experience with something like this i would gladly like to hear from you guys. my next step is to file a report with the right departmet for consumer protection and if not a law suit. all of this going by that they have my wife's id and everything else they need to look for the money order they just refuse to do it which i find weird.
AMSCOT Reviews
I've been using Amscot to cash checks since I had my first job at Dairy Queen at age 16, because I trust banks about as much as an undocumented immigrant who lived through the Great Depression does. It is fast, the staff is helpful and normally polite, and their services are reasonably priced. I will no longer being doing so, thanks to the staff at this location.
I received a bonus from my job at the end of 2014 for several thousand dollars. As a result, I didn't cash my normal paycheck for the end of December right away. In fact, I waited exactly 4 months to attempt to cash it. I entered this location at about 11:30 PM about a week ago and stood by as the person working the window made some phone calls to verify that the check was still valid and had no holds or anything like that. The employee that assisted me explained that since my payroll department wasn't open, she couldn't verify the check and was unable to cash it as a result, and invited me to come back during business hours. It made a lot of sense to me and wasn't really a big deal, it's not like I needed it immediately.
Fast forward to 1 PM the following day. I enter this location again, to attempt to cash the check. I hand it to a young girl behind the thick, bulletproof glass, and explained why it took so long to cash the check. I was told they needed to verify that the check was real/good, and that they had to make a call or two. Okay, fine. Amscot doesn't want to get scammed. Nobody does.
As the girl began making the call to the ADP number listed on my check, she pointed to the middle number on the bottom of my check and asked an elderly staff member if that was the account number. He said yes. Right then and there I knew there was going to be an issue. Presumably, someone who works at a check cashing shop knows the anatomy of a check. Well, here are two that don't. I told them that the number on the right was the account number and that it's also listed more clearly in the top right corner of the check. I was met with a blank stare, and the girl continued her attempt to verify my check through ADP's automated line.
Approximately 10 minutes later, she tells me she couldn't verify the check. I asked whether it was because the automated line said it was not valid, or if she simply couldn't figure out the automated line.
"I don't know." was her reply.
From the parking lot, I called ADP and tried to get through to a live person to help me figure out what the problem with my check might be. I eventually succeeded in getting through to their line that is meant to help clients (such as the company I work for. I am not the client, I am merely the employee of a client.) Although the line wasn't meant for people like myself, I was able to convince the rep to help me. I provided all my information to him, and he said the check was valid and there's absolutely no problem with it.
Strange. So I call the automated line myself, and was able to get it to confirm that the check was issued and valid. I walk back into Amscot and the girl who "helped" me was no longer there, replaced by a guy who was dressed differently, named "Ian." I surmised that he was likely the manager on duty and figured that'd be conducive to helping me get the hell out of there faster. In reality, he was conducive only to helping me realize there must not be any sort of written test required for career advancement at Amscot.
I handed him my check and described my previous two attempts to get it cashed, and told him that I confirmed that the check was indeed good, and told him to call the number on the check as I was able to verify it with that method. So he picks up the phone. I watch his fingers as he is using the system and see that he's neglecting to hit the pound button after entering the account number. I explain that he needs to hit pound, just as the automated line makes VERY clear several times. I get no response. Eventually he hangs up and tells me he can't verify the check. I explain to him to hit pound, and ask him to try again. He does so. As he is entering the account number, he's also chatting with the old guy behind the window and again neglects to hit pound. So I reminded him to do so. Hitting pound is required after every single piece of information the line requires you to enter for verification.
Now that he understands these extremely easy instructions, I can see he's finally having success in getting through the process, as I watch his fingers. He gets to the final part wherein he has to enter the first three letters of my last name, and doesn't hit pound, distracted by his side conversation. I again remind him to hit pound, and he gives me an acknowledging nod, but still doesn't hit it. He hangs up the phone and told me he couldn't verify the check.
I tell him he didn't hit pound for the last part, and ask him to call yet again. Finally he gets through and verifies the check is valid and issued. It was frustrating and time consuming, but Amscot would finally be able to wrap this one up! Right?
I noticed there are plenty of reports on Amscott. Mine is primarily with a Pay Day Loan.
I used to cash my checks from work at the Amscott in Bellair Plaza, Daytona Beach, and this is where my loan originated. My work is seasonal, and I got behind, and then work slowed for the season, in September. So I notified them I would not be able to pay as previously agreed to , but that I would try and give them what I could.
Unfortunately, months went by, but I kept in touch, and never ignored my debt. My pay checks stopped altogether, and was in a car accident. I again informed them of this.
Recently I got a $138.00 pay check, and went to Port Orange office to cash it, as the office at Bellair was still doing business with me at this point.
I unfortunately did not get this girls name, who decided she would call before she cashed this for me, after I said I wouldn't be able to give her any out of the $138.00 toward my debt of $150.00. She was extremely rude at this point, and I told her this amount on my check wasn't even enough for me to eat on for the week, and tried to explain that I was getting a settlement from an Insurance company from my accident, and planned on paying them the full amount within 2 months. But she kept pressing me, and then told me she could no longer do business with me, if I couldn't pay atleast $40.00 at that time. At this point I'm pretty upset because of how rude she was, and not efficient in her job at all , and that was the only check I had gotten in months. The Amscott at the other location already knew my situation, and obviously never put anything in the computer, after numerous times, talking to them when a payment was due. I signed more papers everytime I went into the original office at Bellair, and constantly explained my situation , every month.
After dealing with this girl in Pt Orange, it wasn't 3 weeks, and I had a notice to appear in court. I know that they just don't do what they say their doing, even when you explain your life story to these people, they never update their records, even when they tell you, it's fine, etc etc. So I feel violated as hell. Now, I could not show up to this court date, which was labled as a bad check. But they weren't suppose to deposit the check at all. So this girl screwed me big time. I was always told, that when I wrote them that check on my account, that it would never be deposited. So that's how they make you feel safe I guess. So now I have to explain this to a judge, and it's a criminal charge, on my record!!
It's pretty screwed up, and I'm researching about my rights now, but people really need to be aware of their rights, even when a big company like Amscott tells you your all set, don't worry. We won't cash this or send it to the bank. That's bull. Yes they will.
I'm not sure if this is considered a ripoff, but I sure feel like it is, now I am in a court system, when I didn't even know I was doing something wrong. Criminal charges and bad check writting, is something I certainly don't deserve, from a pay day loan.
Taryn
This is to report what amscot and there "customer Service" did to me and my wife. We went to Amscot to get a so called Free Money Order. we asked for it Blank as it was to give to our lawer for goverment issue paperwork. there were 3 money order one for $1000 one for $420 and one for $70. as it is normal they asked for ID and everything. getting out of the amscot like 15 mins later my wifes purse Get Stolen with the money orders inside plus the stubs. as it is natural we went back to amscot to try to cancel the Money orders. the lady asked for our stubs, we explaines what just hapened and that we want to do it as quickly as possible as to not lose that money. they tell us that without the stubs there is nothing they can do due to confidenciality. we point out that they had my wife's id in there system but they refused to do anything with out the stubs. we waited a couple of days and called the money order line and explained the issue and said we needed to find out if the money was cashed. they refused to give us any info and the lady told us that we should just forget about the money as it was almost for sure cashed if it was blank. i let her know it is alot of money that we have been saving up and we are trying to do our best to get it back. i ask her what happens if no one cashes it after a certain amount of time and she tells me the money will go to the state of Florida. i ask if there is any proof that this money will go to the staet of florida and she repeats the same line over and over that they are obliged by state confidentiality law. I find it very irritating that in a situation like a mugging that we cannont control we have lost so much money just because AMSCOT refuses to cancel the money order or put a stop on it just because we do not have the stubs that were stolen. I am going to keep fighting as hard as possible for this injustice and if anyone has any ideas or previous experience with something like this i would gladly like to hear from you guys. my next step is to file a report with the right departmet for consumer protection and if not a law suit. all of this going by that they have my wife's id and everything else they need to look for the money order they just refuse to do it which i find weird.