Simpli Financial review - Nightmare to activate an account

Dec 1st, 2020 9:18 pm

#1

luking [OP]: Sr. Member; Mar 6, 2010; 519 posts; 171 upvotes; Brampton

Dec 1st, 2020 9:18 pm

Simpli Financial review - Nightmare to activate an account

I opened a new account and received the debit card. It has been a week since I have been trying to activate the card on the phone. each time the wait exceeds one hour.
So much for customer service! This shows me what I can expect if there is a problem with my account tomorrow.
is there any other no fee bank account I can open?

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Dec 1st, 2020 9:40 pm

#2

cocotheparrot: Sr. Member; Feb 13, 2008; 574 posts; 251 upvotes; Edmonton, AB

Dec 1st, 2020 9:40 pm

Have you tried calling late night?

Dec 2nd, 2020 7:44 am

#3

luking [OP]: Sr. Member; Mar 6, 2010; 519 posts; 171 upvotes; Brampton

Dec 2nd, 2020 7:44 am

cocotheparrot wrote: ↑ Have you tried calling late night?

Not late but had to wait for an hour and 10 mins when I called at 9 pm on a week day

Dec 2nd, 2020 11:24 am

#4

Kiraly: Deal Guru; Jan 9, 2011; 10586 posts; 12764 upvotes; Vancouver

Dec 2nd, 2020 11:24 am

It is indeed a joke. What other bank makes you wait on hold for an hour to speak to a person, to activate a debit card? There should be an automated system that takes two minutes tops. Like every other bank has.

List of RFD credit card lists
Did you get hit with customs/duties/import charges on an Amazon.ca purchase? Fight back!

+1

Dec 2nd, 2020 11:34 am

#5

rhw123: Deal Addict; Feb 4, 2019; 1639 posts; 2448 upvotes; BC

Dec 2nd, 2020 11:34 am

I though Simpli was an online bank? Don't they have online card activation like Tangerine? Or in the mobile app?

Dec 2nd, 2020 3:57 pm

#6

Chrispy: Deal Addict; May 31, 2003; 3047 posts; 273 upvotes; Toronto, ON

Dec 2nd, 2020 3:57 pm

Do you have your PIN? A quick search says that to activate the debit card you just have to make a Chip/PIN transaction or do something like use an ATM to check balance, etc...

"The crows seemed to be calling his name, thought Caw." - Jack Handey
References
HeatWare

Dec 2nd, 2020 4:25 pm

#7

someweirdo: Deal Addict; Jul 16, 2019; 1062 posts; 1170 upvotes

Dec 2nd, 2020 4:25 pm

luking wrote: ↑ is there any other no fee bank account I can open?

Yep. The thread summary has a bunch of options.

+1

Dec 3rd, 2020 7:17 am

#8

luking [OP]: Sr. Member; Mar 6, 2010; 519 posts; 171 upvotes; Brampton

Dec 3rd, 2020 7:17 am

Chrispy wrote: ↑ Do you have your PIN? A quick search says that to activate the debit card you just have to make a Chip/PIN transaction or do something like use an ATM to check balance, etc...

The card needs to be activated first by a simplii rep before one can use it at an ATM.
Took me about 1 hour 32 minutes to finally have it done. This is just to activate the card. God help someone who has a problem with cash at ATM or some other urgent serious issue.

Dec 3rd, 2020 9:11 am

#9

Chrispy: Deal Addict; May 31, 2003; 3047 posts; 273 upvotes; Toronto, ON

Dec 3rd, 2020 9:11 am

luking wrote: ↑ The card needs to be activated first by a simplii rep before one can use it at an ATM.
Took me about 1 hour 32 minutes to finally have it done. This is just to activate the card. God help someone who has a problem with cash at ATM or some other urgent serious issue.

Ah yikes, yea that's a pretty shitty process.

"The crows seemed to be calling his name, thought Caw." - Jack Handey
References
HeatWare

Dec 3rd, 2020 9:48 am

#10

shawn01: Deal Addict; Sep 21, 2011; 1792 posts; 505 upvotes

Dec 3rd, 2020 9:48 am

Yup it’s a shitty bank next try to get the to send you a external link to add a external account , some don’t even know what your talking about lol

Dec 3rd, 2020 10:39 am

#11

563786243045216: Member; Feb 14, 2018; 342 posts; 248 upvotes

Dec 3rd, 2020 10:39 am

I just opened an account. Took me forever to figure out how to create the online login. Apparently you need a telephone banking pin before you can register for the online account. And the first time through customer service activating the card it hung up while I was thinking of a pin.
Very strange for what I thought was an "online" bank.