The bank lost my wire

[elcolombiano]

I wired money from my bank in the states to my Novias Medical Doctor's Bank in Cali for surgery last Thursday. The Bank is Davivienda. The Doctor's office claims they have not recieved the money.

Do any of you have any experience how long this is supposed to take?

The first day the teller told me it would arrive the same day. Latter she told me 1-2 days. Now my bank says it takes 5-7 business days. That if after that the money is not there they will place a tracer on it.

I have wired money three other times in my life and every time the bank has "lost" the money for a week. Only after I filled a complaint with the Federal Reserve Bank did my money surface.

Is it possible that Davivienda or the Doctor has stolen my money?

[elcolombiano]

... in response to The bank lost my wire, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 11, 2003

I have now learned that bank wires can take up to 6 weeks and that after that if it is lost a trace can take a month.

School of hard knocks.

[zack]

... in response to The bank lost my wire, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 11, 2003

I have always used Western Union to wire money to Colombia and I never had a problem. The money always got there within one day.

[cancunhound]

... in response to The bank lost my wire, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 11, 2003

My 1st wire to Davivienda floated around in never-never land for several weeks.  Not lost just a hastle - it's not "lost" as other posters have pointed out, there is a trail.  The problem was the international account # given to me by the manager at the branch in Cali - they just weren't that knowledgeable of wire transfers.  I contacted the main location in Bogota, got the correct accurate Wachovia # (that's who Davi uses), no problem (still takes a couple of days for each wire).  I've probably still got their account # around somewhere if you continue to have problems.  {To receive the money, no individual account numbers are needed - just name & address of the account holder}

[elcolombiano]

... in response to Happened to me..., posted by cancunhound on Nov 12, 2003

I have the correct Wachovia number it is PNBPUS3

[Michael B]

... in response to The bank lost my wire, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 11, 2003

No muss, no fuss, never had a problem. All banks do in this kind of transaction is charge a big fee and give lousy service. For the same (or even lesser) fee, any of the giro companies would have counted out cash money on the counter the same day (or at worst the next morning if you sent it late in the day) to your choice of either the doctor or your girl, and at a better exchange rate too. Now you're going to spend a week watching your bank, the doctor's bank and the doctor pointing fingers and yelling at each other.

[Miguel]

... in response to The bank lost my wire, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 11, 2003

[This message has been edited by Miguel]

If you're not in a hurry, follow your bank's advice and wait 5-7 days.  Otherwise, suggest you get a written confirmation from your bank documenting the transfer.  Also, if following information is not on the confirmation, or if you think a spanish speaker would have trouble understanding the confirmation, put together a statement listing the following,

MIR number (number used to trace international transfers)
Date of Transfer
Amount of Transfer, and whether in Colombian pesos or USD.
Name of Receiving Bank (Davivienda)
Swift Code used by your bank to send to Davivienda
If your bank sent to an address for a particular branch of Davivienda, list the address and city.
Name of beneficiary (the doctor)
Account Number of beneficiary

Fax the confirmation and information above to the doctor, and ask him to pass it on to his bank.

Assuming you're using a large bank that's used to sending international wires, and assuming your bank used the correct information in sending the wire, then the odds are that Davivienda has received the transfer but not yet credited the Doctor's account.  In my experience, money usually gets to the bank on the same or next business day, but it could be a couple of days longer before the beneficiary knows it's in his account.

[elcolombiano]

... in response to Re: The bank lost my wire, posted by Miguel on Nov 11, 2003

Thanks for the advice. I sent all this information to the Doctor's office by email the day I sent the money. Today in the states was a holiday. I'll see if the money is there tommorow.

[Pete E]

... in response to The bank lost my wire, posted by elcolombiano on Nov 11, 2003

If it went to the bank they will have to find it.They can't just lose an international wire.If the doctor got the money the bank  should have some record of it.I think if you are persistent they will locate the money.
But if not,let us know to warn people.
I think some time the left hand diesn't know what the right hands doing,particularly in latin America.
One time I had cashiers checks fed exed to an auto auction in New Jersey.Fed Ex delivers every time in my experience.I went to the office where they would recieve the checks.We don't have no (stinking)checks.So I call fed ex.They give me the name of the person who signed for them.I go back to the office.OK,who is this person.A lady sitting over in the corner.She had my checks,but the first person I talked to didn't even try to find them.
Ruddest people I ever met, in New Jersey.

Pete

[elcolombiano]

... in response to Re: The bank lost my wire, posted by Pete E on Nov 11, 2003

If the money is not there tommorow I will file a complaint with the federal reserve bank of San Francisco.

[DavidMN]

... in response to If the money is not there I file a compl..., posted by elcolombiano on Nov 11, 2003

...Actually, Alan is probably busy getting on Andrea Mitchell, the NBC correspondent.  His marriage is proof that you CAN get a much-younger babe even if you don't have movie star good looks. But you better have money and power.

[Red Clay]

... in response to Re: Alan Greenspan will get right on tha..., posted by DavidMN on Nov 12, 2003

He can have her.

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Alan Greenspan will get right on tha..., posted by DavidMN on Nov 12, 2003

Power is the ultimate affrodesiac !

Pete