Onrine Banking...Japaneeeeze Style

[matsuki]

Fuck...2 hours of my life wasted at the bank. Left my Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Can't make this bank name any longer online banking card at the Narita branch window. It's not an ATM card, no magnetic strip with info on it, and you can't log on to my accounts without both my pin and password...so I wasn't worried and even less when they said they found it. I already had the only useful info on it (my login #) registered in the online app and my PC and the security function on the back was phased out earlier this year so basically it's become pointless to even issue a card for online banking, all you need is the number.

Well the Narita branch refuses to mail my card to me and demands I come pick it up in person...I'm thinking they can get fucked as I don't need it...until they realize I don't plan on going out there to pick it up and decide to freeze the login info, despite having it in their possession.

Grrrreat, my only other option is to go to my local branch and get a new log in number issued. I go there and wait for a couple hours before basically being told I have to buy a new, useless, plastic online banking security card. (1080Yen) I remind the teller, the card is totally useless, all I need is a new login # issued....but the current chutahanpa protocal still calls for them to issue you an outdated, useless, physical card. She even goes as far as to say new accounts also get this useless card. So when all is done and paid, she smiles with a "that's it" tone...only I have no new card or login credentials? "Oh....we're going to send you the new plastic card in the mail...then you have to re register all your accounts to it."

[matsuki]

If anyone cares, this is the card I speak of:



...from their "PR campaign" letting you know the security features on it no longer work and have been replaced with an online "one-time password" system. So happy I've been forced to buy a new useless card

[wagyl]

In my experience, Tokyo Mitsubishi United Financial Japan Bank, a member of the Mitsubishi United Financial Japan Financial Group, is very interested in generating fees, not only a 4000 yen charge to change a yen denominated deposit from a foreign bank into a yen denominated deposit (exchange rate, 1.0000000 so they are missing a trick there), but also in reissuing lost cards (that 1000 yen + tax fee is common to most banks, but I understand your complaint that it is an unnecessary card).

I ended up closing my account last time I was in Tokyo, when I was unable to link a My Number with it in advance. Since my nearest branch is a 200 Km one way journey, it just didn't seem worth keeping it, even as a third backup account. They no longer have my 33 yen balance!

[matsuki]

Only one single branch in Niigata...so how is your farmer mafia bank working for you?

[wagyl]

Only one single branch in Niigata...so how is your farmer mafia bank working for you?

And no branches at all in Nagano or Yamanashi, and only an ATM corner with video conference booth in Gunma. So much for "biggest bank in the world."

I do not have an account at JA Bank, my landlord does and that is what I pay into at JA Bank. I have my main accounts with Yucho. Branches in every little village. Not so hot for paying into from outside Japan though, unless you have a Post Office Bank account in Europe.

[matsuki]

Ahhh, forgot that's what you said you were doing. Shinsei is sounding more attractive day by day...

[yanpa]

Yeah, the only WTF is that they're super paranoid about signatures, if it doesn't match down to the molecular level, NG! Or you can go the hanko route (and woe betide you if you ever think you can do any banking business with something as pathetic as your passport and/or ZRC).

Other than that, no real charges, pretty much everything can be done by phone or post, free 24/7 withdrawals at the PO and 7-11.

[matsuki]

Not to mention their overseas remittance service has been awesome, fast, and hassle free.

[wagyl]

Hehe, I also closed an old signature ID Mitsui Sumitomo account. In addition to the signature, they ask that you write a four digit number, not being your PIN. When I opened the account 22 years ago, I did this. This is probably to give them some leeway if your signature is not nanoconsistent. Thereafter, all transactions were through the ATM, and I never needed to use my signature, or the number. Until I came to close the account.

I have previously outed myself as having a Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch name, and the signature space is tight. The teller said to me: could you sign your name again on this new form, having a new line between first and last names, ..... and you might like to think about whether those four digits should be in that particular order. That was enough of a hint for me to get it right second time around. She had already seen photo ID so it was no risk to them, but I was thankful for the flexibility.

Worst comes to worst, I could have withdrawn the 35 yen in that account from an ATM and then left them to maintain an empty account forever. In my view, they get a couple of points for a pragmatic attitude, both in adding a number to signature ID accounts, and for flexibility in giving a hint.

[yanpa]

Something freaky happened the other day... I needed to transfer money from Bank A via Bank B to Financial Institution C. Due to predictable WTFery FI C can only withdraw the funds from Bank B (one of those with rambling names congealed from smaller banks), which I usually place there in advance from Bank A, but forgot to do it this time, and deadline was looming, and - you guessed it - the process took about 5 minutes, most of which was taken up by the need to locate the "2nd Pin Number" for account B which was helpfully printed on a card, and the need to enter 4 of its six digits in a certain order, which is a bit of a pointless security "feature" if you have the number anyway, but maybe it's there to give the elderly pause for thought before they transfer their life savings to that nice co-worker of their son who needed a lot of money in a hurry.

[matsuki]

2nd Pin Number?

[wagyl]

2nd Pin Number?

Using my superior powers of deduction, probably this.

In which case, Yanpa, your new skill will be obsolete in seven weeks.

[matsuki]

Exactly what I was bitching about above with MTUFGGDGYWTF except it's already obsolete...

[yanpa]

2nd Pin Number?

Using my superior powers of deduction, probably this.

In which case, Yanpa, your new skill will be obsolete in seven weeks.

Nope, not that one.

[wagyl]

Exactly what I was bitching about above with MTUFGGDGYWTF except it's already obsolete...

If the system is the same as the putative B-class Yanpa Bank (which I now see it is not. A new challenge!!!), then you can use the number to check balances, even after other functions require the more robust two factor authorisation.

And Matsuki, I fear that your bitching may be incorrect. The card is still necessary http://direct.bk.mufg.jp/btm/saihakkou/index.html and is reissued without charge if you apply online.

[legion]

Fuck...2 hours of my life wasted at the bank. Left my Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Can't make this bank name any longer online banking card at the Narita branch window.

Why would you take an online banking card to a bank? Isn't the whole point of them that you don't need to go to the bank.

[yanpa]

Exactly what I was bitching about above with MTUFGGDGYWTF except it's already obsolete...

If the system is the same as the putative B-class Yanpa Bank (which I now see it is not. A new challenge!!!)

Oh, confused banks - the one in question is indeed made of smaller banks but they went for an entirely new name, one for which the co.jp domain is already occupied by an eponymous but unrelated business. And the "2nd Pin Number" will remain valid, fancy 2-factor authentication stuff available as an optional alternative.

[wagyl]

How (medically) innovative.

[matsuki]

Exactly what I was bitching about above with MTUFGGDGYWTF except it's already obsolete...

And Matsuki, I fear that your bitching may be incorrect. The card is still necessary http://direct.bk.mufg.jp/btm/saihakkou/index.html and is reissued without charge if you apply online.

Tried online, didn't work. Tried in person, so far I've gotten nothing but a notice saying they mailed out the card...but no card....

Fuck...2 hours of my life wasted at the bank. Left my Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Can't make this bank name any longer online banking card at the Narita branch window.

Why would you take an online banking card to a bank? Isn't the whole point of them that you don't need to go to the bank.

Was making a cash deposit....from the bank my employer forced me to open account at. Online card fell out of my wallet at the ATM somehow. (brick of cards) Plan was to deposit and then use the online app to wire funds....which I did because the card # was already registered in the app...but later the card was found and the bank froze my online access.

[dimwit]

I have previously outed myself as having a Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch name, and the signature space is tight. The teller said to me: could you sign your name again on this new form, having a new line between first and last names, ..... and you might like to think about whether those four digits should be in that particular order. That was enough of a hint for me to get it right second time around. She had already seen photo ID so it was no risk to them, but I was thankful for the flexibility.

I have a double barrel middle name too, and recently all of the various banks I have accounts with have been making my life fun by insisting that the account names exactly match my gaijin card name. In the past they randomly chose some combination of given names in no particular order so that none of my card have matching names.

[legion]

Was making a cash deposit....from the bank my employer forced me to open account at. Online card fell out of my wallet at the ATM somehow. (brick of cards) Plan was to deposit and then use the online app to wire funds....which I did because the card # was already registered in the app...but later the card was found and the bank froze my online access.

Never carry anymore cards than you are going to use that day.

Remember the olden days before 24 hr "convenience"?