Back to the Stone Age with ING Direct

ING Direct offers high-interest savings accounts with no transaction fees. Who could resist something like that! A year ago Meg and I opened the joint savings account with ING, where we grow interest on our savings before it's all gone toward the mortgage. We easily transfer the money to our regular banking accounts via the web site.

But, a few months ago, I dared to do unspeakable--I changed my bank account. That's when the troubles began. See, ING requires pre-printed personal cheques in order to link my savings account with the new banking account. But, I don't use cheques any longer, in the day and age of Internet and digital transactions. Over the phone, the ING representative told me that I can send them a direct deposit form from my bank so they can link the accounts. In the meantime, ING still does the automatic withdrawal from Meg's bank every month, but because of the broken link with my bank, our account is practically frozen.

So, this week I finally found some time to go to the bank, get the requested form and send it to ING. Alas, that's not enough! They failed to inform me that the form needs to be stamped and signed by the bank representative.

By now, of course, I have enough. The form I sent them has my signature and authorization to my bank to disclose the account information to ING. But, that's not enough for ING! Over the phone they tell me that they can only accept stamped document. I ask why. Because, they say, anyone can forge the document with my signature. As if a stamp can't be forged! I'm thinking it would take me probably 2 minutes to scan a stamp from a document from the bank and print it on the form. But, I don't do forgery!

By now I'm already fuming. I tell the ING guy on the phone that I don't want to go back to the bank, that I don't need to have access to that savings account and that I would like to close it and leave Meg as a sole owner of the account.

Sure, they can do it, as soon as I send them the form with the bank's stamp and a signature. Now I'm completely livid! Is there anyone who can help me close the account? He will gladly transfer me to the supervisor, but he's afraid the company's policy is to obtain the stamped document and no one can authorize the closing of the account without it. I tell him in 21st century there are so many ways to check the validity of the information I gave him--the obvious one would be to call the bank and obtain the confirmation for which I already authorized them. But, no--ING does not recognize any other means of confirmation. No digital files, no copy of my drivers licence, only the DAMNED STAMPED direct deposit FORM from the bank!!!

I'm defeated. On Monday I'll go back to the 20th century, walk to my bank and get the stupid stamp so I can close my own freakin' account. ING Direct, my ass! They should be called ING INdirect!