Banks can definitely be a bit... temperamental when it comes to fraud cases. Had a similar experience myself—initially got nowhere with the first rep, but after taking a deep breath and trying again at another branch, things magically started moving. Seems like your approach of patience plus persistence is spot-on. Hang in there; these things usually sort themselves out eventually, even if it feels like forever in the moment.
Totally agree with the patience and persistence angle. When something similar happened to me, I found it helpful to document every step—dates, times, who I spoke to, and what they said. It might seem tedious, but banks often ask for specifics later on. Plus, having detailed notes made me feel more in control of the situation. Hang tight, keep your records straight, and eventually you'll see progress... even if it's slower than you'd like.
Good points about documenting everything—definitely helps keep things straight. But honestly, from my experience, banks can sometimes drag their feet even if you have all the details lined up neatly. When I went through a similar fraud issue, I found that escalating things earlier rather than later was key. If you're not seeing timely responses or clear progress after your initial calls, don't hesitate to politely but firmly request speaking to a supervisor or the fraud department directly. Sometimes bypassing the initial customer service reps and getting someone higher up involved can speed things along.
Also, if you haven't yet, consider filing an official complaint or dispute in writing through their secure online messaging system (if they have one). It creates an official record that's harder for them to ignore. Patience is important, sure... but knowing when and how to escalate effectively can save you from weeks of unnecessary frustration. Hang in there—it'll get sorted eventually.
Good advice on escalating early—I learned that the hard way myself. Couple other things I'd add from experience:
- Keep notes on who you spoke with and when.
- Check your credit reports regularly afterward.
- Consider freezing your credit temporarily.
Did your bank offer any credit monitoring after this happened?
Good points, especially about freezing credit. Had a similar issue last year after someone tried opening a credit card in my name. Couple things I learned from that mess:
- Definitely second the advice on keeping detailed notes—saved me a ton of hassle when I had to dispute stuff later.
- Don't just rely on your bank's monitoring. Mine offered it free for a year, but honestly, it wasn't that great. Ended up subscribing to a third-party service that gave me quicker alerts.
- Also, watch out for smaller transactions on your existing cards. Fraudsters sometimes test the waters with tiny charges first.
The whole thing was annoying as hell, but staying proactive helped me catch things early. Hope you get it sorted quickly...
