“We apologize for cancelling your cards. The cards were ‘flagged’ due to a ‘breach.’ No, we can’t tell you Who – When – or How.  Have a nice day and thank you for banking with us.”

This is an update to a two part piece about banks who cancel your cards, send replacements and won’t tell you why.

The story is familiar, bring it up just about anywhere and someone has a similar tale to tell.  With us it started when I needed gas and my debit card didn’t work. I contacted the bank who told me my accounts/cards had been “breached” – but wouldn’t tell me who or how and they’d get me new cards overnight: That story is here.

The next part is about what I did, who I spoke with and how I eventually filed complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau(CFPB.)  That part is here.

I have now received a message from the CFPB that the bank will need 60 days to research this issue.

SIXTY DAYS? My cards were cancelled. They had to be replaced. Yet no one seems to know WHY?

If this has happened to you, do you simply thank the bank and take your new cards? Do you every wonder why it happens? What was the breach? Was someone using your bank account?

Please, not enough people are reporting these incidents and for all we know major retailers have been breached, or even the bank itself.

If it’s happened to you and they won’t explain FILE A COMPLAINT – follow this is the link, the complaint process is quick and easy:http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

After you file, the complaint is forwarded to the bank who then has to respond. All of this is kept in the CFPB records.  We need to have these complaints on file so patterns are established.

This happened to us more than once in the past year, we had other debit cards and credit cards replaced and each bank wouldn’t tell us why.

We need to understand why this is happening.

If it’s happened to you once, chances are it will happen again.

FILE A COMPLAINT. IT’S YOUR MONEY, IT’S YOUR RIGHT!