My mission to the bank....

Today I had to leave work early and go figure out what is wrong with the bank. My work forced us to get accounts at one of the most ghetto banks in Egypt. Even the bank logo is wrong!! It seriously looks like a man being held up...


So, this bank has very few branches in Egypt. The ATM machines are few and when you find one it is most likely out of order. In the off chance that it is working it never has cash in it. Now.. I thought that was the end of the problems with this bank.. but no.... I tried to withdraw money from my account and it was not working. Somehow the ATM card is not working...

I go into one of the offices and they spend about 10 minutes trying to solve a problem I do not have. Next, they spend about 15 minutes trying to find my account number. They are telling me that there is no account with my name.. eventhough I am showing him my ATM from the bank with my name on it. After they find the account and I try to withdraw my money we have another problem. They spend 45 minutes trying to solve the problem..

THe problem was the fact that I did not sign my full name on the withdrawal slip. I signed my first name only. So, when I ask what is wrong they tell me that it is not my signiture. .. So I resign the paper this time I sign my last name also.

The part that pisses me off is that my signature is actually my first name only... the bank forced me to sign my last name. Well, the guy at my work who made me get this account....

So, 30 minutes pass and I ask what the problem is.. he tells me once again that this is not my signature...

I have shown this man 1 passport, 2 drivers licenses, 1 ID card and 2 bank cards... most have my picture and signature on them... All that is nothing to prove my identity... He doubts that I am Nora because the "R" in my name looks different than the one they have...

Aghhhh!!!

I know that it is good to follow a system, but come on!!! The funny thing is that noone from the bank actually saw me sign the application for the account. There is no way for the bank to be positive that the signature they have is actually my real signature. They guy from wor that made us get the account could very well have been the one to sign the papers...

So, I have learned from this incident that it does not matter how many forms of governmental ID I have with me, all that matters is the "R" in my name...

Because you know I could have created all those fake documents.. but there is no way I could forge that "R"!!!