Is SCB Trying to Run Off All Their Customers?

[BenStark]

2 minutes ago, jippytum said:

Do Thai customers have to sign the same declaration for transfers above 50k.... No... They do not

 

No they have to do face scan, a requirement which foreigners on this forum are decrying for almost a year already, yet their transfers are still at their own risk.

 

Or do you think that if they transfer money to a scammer, they get it back from the bank because they took a picture of their mug before being able to do the transfer?

[BenStark]

4 minutes ago, CDG931 said:

 

 

? What  ??

 

 

 

You don't know what is big brother?

 

Why you not elaborate on your negative experiences?

[Peterphuket]

21 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

I got rid of them years ago, I asked for a credit card, I had a work permit which they asked for as well as a substantial amount on my account, they told me fine it will be through in about 2 weeks, after 3 weeks I went to ask for it then they told me it had not been approved. I then told them to cancel my account there and then, and where to stick their bank.

I also had that experience a few years ago, they refused me a credit card, but here's the thing: my former girl friend had an acquaintance working at that bank....and then it suddenly worked.

Unbelievable but true, in this country, you just need special contacts to get something done.

[Doctor Tom]

21 hours ago, timendres said:

SCB is the worst bank I have ever dealt with in Thailand. Would never open another account with them.

I have had nothing but excellent service from my local SCB branch.  They are busy, but helpful, much better than my UK Bank.  I would recommend them to anyone.  However, I would say that, like all Thai banks, it is very Branch dependent. 

[James105]

21 hours ago, John Drake said:

2) I haven't seen an SCB ATM in my area in over a year.

 

This is probably my biggest gripe with them, especially as the ATMs over here operate differently to literally anywhere else on the planet.  Here it is:

 

Request Cash -> Take Cash -> Retrieve Card

Everywhere else in the world:

Request Cash -> Retrieve Card -> Take Cash

 

I'm now in my 5th card in a couple of years and I'd prefer to use the cashless withdrawals but since this is only possible with SCB ATMs it means going to the branch every time to get a new card I do this.   If they operated like everywhere else and you take the card but forget the cash then as long as no-one is quick enough to grab it, then it is swallowed back into the machine and the account is re-credited.   Once the card is swallowed then it means an annoying trip to the bank.  

 

I did originally use Bangkok Bank but their app (at the time) was terrible so switched over to SCB which had a (still messy) but usable phone app.  

[John Drake]

3 hours ago, DrJoy said:

You have agreed that in case of any fraud and you loose money from your account, the bank will not be held responsible.

 

Yes, because they said they could not put facial recognition in the app for foreigners. Funny, Bangkok Bank said they could. So somebody must be lying. And since I did get the facial recognition adjustment to my Bangkok Bank account and have even used it once, that means the liar must be SCB.

[retarius]

I tried to open an account with them years back....but they wanted me to have work permit instead of a Non O based on retirement, and refused to open one. I did tell them that it was mandatory for me to have a bank account and to be able to show 800K in the bank for 3 months (at the time). It cut no ice, they told me that any bank opening an account for me would be breaking the law. I asked why the regulations for immigration would ask for an illegal bank account, but they basically threw me out....ion the nicest possible way 🙂 I bank with Kasikorn. They are ok and gave me a 'Wisdom' credit card which is useful (you can sometimes get seen sooner quicker and can get a parking space), but they never had an English speaker in the branch which makes things awkward sometimes. 

[BenStark]

9 minutes ago, John Drake said:

And since I did get the facial recognition adjustment to my Bangkok Bank account and have even used it once, that means the liar must be SCB.

 

Ever since the facial scan requirement has been announced, foreigners on this forum have been decrying it as an unnecessary annoyance, and welcomed the waiver.

 

Since you have never used it with BB, how you know it works?  Sorry misread that you used it

 

UOB also let me sign a waiver. TMB and Kasikorn told me no need for foreigners. The only ones where I got the facial scan is. LHB and Krungsri

Edited February 14 by BenStark

[John Drake]

1 minute ago, BenStark said:

Since you have never used it with BB, how you know it works?

 

Did you read what I wrote? I said I did use it once. You seem to be Liverpool Lou without the charm.

[BenStark]

Just now, John Drake said:

 

Did you read what I wrote? I said I did use it once. You seem to be Liverpool Lou without the charm.

Did you see I edited my mistake even before you posted?

 

You say you are a teacher, I feel for the kids you teach

[John Drake]

11 minutes ago, BenStark said:

Did you see I edited my mistake even before you posted?

 

I see that you changed it after I posted.

[GarryP]

46 minutes ago, jippytum said:

Do Thai customers have to sign the same declaration for transfers above 50k.... No... They do not

Yes, I had to with UOB. Drove nearly two hours to their nearest branch to do this.  

[atpeace]

21 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

Yes, there are no SCB ATMs that I can find inside the Lotus now. I live on Phutthamonthon Sai 3. Used to have two SCB ATMs within 200 meters. They went some time ago. The Mahidol branch where I originally opened my account has been closed since Covid and never reopened.

I'm sure your experience is honest but I have had  many bad experiences with Bangkok bank.  Probably just an x-pat issue in many cases.  Don't think we were really ever that important but less so now and international regs (FACTA, etc) make dealing with us a pain in the buttt.  I had to drive 30 minutes to find a Bangkok Bank branch but that now has closed and the next nearest is 90 minutes away.  Bad luck because I  see Bangkok Bank branches on every corner when I don't need them. Also VPN's need to be turned off with all my banking apps for a couple years now.

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, crazykopite said:

Not allowed to criticise otherwise will get sued so all I will say is I switched to Kasikorn from SCB

HAPPY DAYS

I don't care let them sue me SCB are not customer friendly, and out of 9 staff not one could speak English, Bar girls and young girls in 7/11 also Macro, have better English. English is the business language of the whole world, and IMO a manager of a Bank should speak basic English based around banking at least. Their Training needs to be assessed, on who they Employ.  

[atpeace]

16 minutes ago, GarryP said:

Yes, I had to with UOB. Drove nearly two hours to their nearest branch to do this.  

You do if when setting up your account you or the bank set the limit at 50k.  I just found this out with Bangkok Bank.  You can use the app as customer service tells you to do to  up the limit but that will just add another 15 minutes to the ordeal with the same result which is  an online message at the end of the process telling you to go to a bank branch.

[John Drake]

17 minutes ago, atpeace said:

I'm sure your experience is honest but I have had  many bad experiences with Bangkok bank.  Probably just an x-pat issue in many cases.  Don't think we were really ever that important but less so now and international regs (FACTA, etc) make dealing with us a pain in the buttt.  I had to drive 30 minutes to find a Bangkok Bank branch but that now has closed and the next nearest is 90 minutes away.  Bad luck because I  see Bangkok Bank branches on every corner when I don't need them. Also VPN's need to be turned off with all my banking apps for a couple years now.

 

I've only had two major problems with Bangkok Bank. They are both ongoing. The wait times in the banks are usually, although not always, thirty minutes plus (except for the Mahidol branch which usually hasn't got but one or zero other customers when I go in). I must use the counter because my Social Security account with Bangkok Bank is locked and I can only withdraw money from it in person. I don't mind that, because I like the "locked feature" and keep my 800,000 for the retirement extension in that account. I also have a separate BBK ATM account. The second issue is the receipt of my SSA deposit which is usually a day late. I wouldn't mind the day late, except that it sometimes hits the weekends and subsequent holiday, so I may not get the SSA deposit until the 5th or 6th, instead of the 3rd. 

 

SCB has been largely indifferent. I went three times to ask about facial recognition. Why? Because they kept telling me to come back and they would have it available for foreigners in a month/6 weeks/2 months time, until eventually telling me it wasn't available for foreigners (although like I said in a post above, I have it and have used it with BBK). The woman who last told me that they wouldn't have it for foreigners also told me not to ask again. This was at the Phutthamonthon Sai 5 Lotus, at the branch that closed. So maybe she's looking for another job right now.

 

Several other posters have pointed out that they've seen no decline in the number of SCB branches or ATMs where they live. So perhaps it's regions they are shutting down. 

 

Edited February 14 by John Drake

[doctormann]

21 hours ago, Jingthing said:

 

One time I had a problem with them because my signature changed when getting a new bank book. 

Interestingly a recent experience where my signature changed again, not a word from them.

Maybe after a certain age they just give up, ha ha. 

As I don't write checks and haven't signed a contract for years, my signature varies wildly pretty much every time I do it. 

 

I can relate to the signature problem.  I had some difficulty with TTB, a while ago, when getting a new pass book, because my signature had changed.  In my case I have quite serious arthritis and I find it tricky to even hold a pen, let alone make reproducible signatures.  Hilariously, they let me continue trying until I managed to get a match with the signature that they had on file that they were satisfied with.

Somewhere on your pass book there will be an image of your signature that is only visible under UV light.  A 'black light' pen will reveal it - and you can then practice until you can reproduce it satisfactorily.

[4MyEgo]

22 hours ago, John Drake said:

But today, I got the VPN message and the app automatically closing itself. Just give me the option of online internet banking and I would be okay with things. But they are frogmarching everyone into the phone app and then making the phone app difficult to use.

 

I will admit that I am not the brightest spark when it comes to technology, but I do somehow manage to get by.

 

I am with you about them stopping internet banking, but I would say that there would be a reason for that, e.g. maybe they or their customers have been hacked too many times and have been exposed to having to cough up to cover the losses ?

 

Me personally, was never an app person, mobile was for making calls, but then came along all the usual apps, like Facebook, Line, WhatsApp, Wise etc etc so I slowly made progress in using them and have been up to speed for a while now, that said, when I had to change over to the SCB app, it was daunting, still is in a way, that said, I manage, but when I do need to do something new to me, I call Mummy dearest because she is all over this type of stuff, wallets, codes etc etc which I won't even venture into as change getting harder when aging, well for me it is.

 

Just out of interest:

 

  VPN stands for "Virtual Private Network" and describes the opportunity to establish a protected network connection when using public networks. VPNs encrypt your internet traffic and disguise your online identity. This makes it more difficult for third parties to track your activities online and steal data.

 

Edited February 14 by 4MyEgo

[digbeth]

20 hours ago, Mutt Daeng said:

I'm would like to see the banks and phone companies eventually embracing something like the YubiKey to provide strong 2FA for their apps and other services. Probably not in my lifetime.

 2 factor token generator are available and used already on commercial accounts for most Thai Banks, I'd happily pay extra 5-800 baht a year to use it with my personal accounts 

[John Drake]

3 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

I am with you about them stopping internet banking, but I would say that there would be a reason for that, e.g. maybe they or their customers have been hacked too many times and have been exposed to having to cough up to cover the losses ?

 

Perhaps. It's SCB's decision, however, and I suppose we either adapt or go to another bank. When I first got to Thailand, 98 percent of my banking was with SCB. After getting a BBK account, my business has steadily shifted toward 90+ percent with Bangkok Bank. I just have fewer problems with BBK. Other people apparently feel better served by SCB. Right now, however, the only time I use the SCB phone app is when I receive a large amount of money into SCB account and need to transfer it out immediately to one of my BBK accounts. Probably should have also got a Kasikornbank account years ago when it was easier. Too late now.

[topt]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

I don't care let them sue me SCB are not customer friendly, and out of 9 staff not one could speak English, Bar girls and young girls in 7/11 also Macro, have better English. English is the business language of the whole world, and IMO a manager of a Bank should speak basic English based around banking at least. Their Training needs to be assessed, on who they Employ.  

Your sense of entitlement is astounding..........

 

Not sure where you are based but again this will be branch dependant as I know from personal experience.. Also, on the odd occasion where I have had to call the call centre, I have had no issues with getting an English speaker.

[Peterphuket]

2 hours ago, James105 said:

 

This is probably my biggest gripe with them, especially as the ATMs over here operate differently to literally anywhere else on the planet.  Here it is:

 

Request Cash -> Take Cash -> Retrieve Card

Everywhere else in the world:

Request Cash -> Retrieve Card -> Take Cash

 

I'm now in my 5th card in a couple of years and I'd prefer to use the cashless withdrawals but since this is only possible with SCB ATMs it means going to the branch every time to get a new card I do this.   If they operated like everywhere else and you take the card but forget the cash then as long as no-one is quick enough to grab it, then it is swallowed back into the machine and the account is re-credited.   Once the card is swallowed then it means an annoying trip to the bank.  

 

I did originally use Bangkok Bank but their app (at the time) was terrible so switched over to SCB which had a (still messy) but usable phone app.  

Yeh, unbelievable stupid but TIT.

[atpeace]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

 

I've only had two major problems with Bangkok Bank. They are both ongoing. The wait times in the banks are usually, although not always, thirty minutes plus (except for the Mahidol branch which usually hasn't got but one or zero other customers when I go in). I must use the counter because my Social Security account with Bangkok Bank is locked and I can only withdraw money from it in person. I don't mind that, because I like the "locked feature" and keep my 800,000 for the retirement extension in that account. I also have a separate BBK ATM account. The second issue is the receipt of my SSA deposit which is usually a day late. I wouldn't mind the day late, except that it sometimes hits the weekends and subsequent holiday, so I may not get the SSA deposit until the 5th or 6th, instead of the 3rd. 

 

SCB has been largely indifferent. I went three times to ask about facial recognition. Why? Because they kept telling me to come back and they would have it available for foreigners in a month/6 weeks/2 months time, until eventually telling me it wasn't available for foreigners (although like I said in a post above, I have it and have used it with BBK). The woman who last told me that they wouldn't have it for foreigners also told me not to ask again. This was at the Phutthamonthon Sai 5 Lotus, at the branch that closed. So maybe she's looking for another job right now.

 

Several other posters have pointed out that they've seen no decline in the number of SCB branches or ATMs where they live. So perhaps it's regions they are shutting down. 

 

I get it. It is hard at times being a foreigner here when it comes to banking.  Can't speak of other  countries x-pat banking because I've never had an account in them.   A simple process for us becomes complicated more times than not.  My Thai friends don't have the same experience with the exception of long wait times. 

 

My latest gripe is that Bangkok Bank and Krungthai keep rejecting monthly payments to Google.  No idea why but my solution is to pay annually and do it manually.  In the end, banking here today vs banking in America prior to 2008( when I retired here)  is wonderful.  Probably even better back home than here but wouldn't know.

[brianthainess]

1 minute ago, topt said:

Your sense of entitlement is astounding..........

 

Not sure where you are based but again this will be branch dependant as I know from personal experience.. Also, on the odd occasion where I have had to call the call centre, I have had no issues with getting an English speaker.

It was their Staff that rang the call center, as they could not speak any English, As I said I'm on Koh Chang and the only branch is in Trat now, so that is a ferry ride+

[topt]

2 hours ago, John Drake said:

that means the liar must be SCB.

To be fair the bank branch employees were probably expecting it to happen as it has with some of the other banks.

For whatever reason SCB management seem to have made a conscious decision to not roll it out to foreigners. We can only speculate why that may be but it does seem to run counter to current regulations and "best" security practices here.

[atpeace]

55 minutes ago, digbeth said:

 2 factor token generator are available and used already on commercial accounts for most Thai Banks, I'd happily pay extra 5-800 baht a year to use it with my personal accounts 

How would that work?  At checkout or only for online transactions?  I like the email authentication that most banks use here and feel it is the appropriate security under 50-100k baht daily limit that you can place on an the account.  Is a pain though when you hit the daily limit.  I had to pay a friend some money over three days so I wouldn't go over the limit.

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, doctormann said:

I can relate to the signature problem.  I had some difficulty with TTB, a while ago, when getting a new pass book, because my signature had changed.  In my case I have quite serious arthritis and I find it tricky to even hold a pen, let alone make reproducible signatures.  Hilariously, they let me continue trying until I managed to get a match with the signature that they had on file that they were satisfied with.

Somewhere on your pass book there will be an image of your signature that is only visible under UV light.  A 'black light' pen will reveal it - and you can then practice until you can reproduce it satisfactorily.

Yeah I know about the black light.

I tried that but at the moment of truth, it made no difference.

The time they did hassle me (they made me file a changed signature card at the time) I had asked them to look at the signature that they had and understandably they had a cow.

[LosLobo]

Thinking outside of the box maybe run an app emulator on your PC....

'If you are interested in installing SCB EASY on your PC, there are 3 ways to do so using BlueStacks, LDPLayer, Nox app player like emulators.

Alternatively, you can use any of the following BlueStacks alternatives. Read the rest of the article to learn more about how to install SCB EASY on your PC'.

 

SCB EASY app in PC - Download for Windows 11, 10, 7, 8 and Mac (softstribe.com)
 

Edited February 14 by LosLobo

[Peterphuket]

1 hour ago, LosLobo said:

Thinking outside of the box maybe run an app emulator on your PC....

'If you are interested in installing SCB EASY on your PC, there are 3 ways to do so using BlueStacks, LDPLayer, Nox app player like emulators.

Alternatively, you can use any of the following BlueStacks alternatives. Read the rest of the article to learn more about how to install SCB EASY on your PC'.

 

SCB EASY app in PC - Download for Windows 11, 10, 7, 8 and Mac (softstribe.com)
 

That will be nice but, they say for Mac, but I don't see a file for Mac, only for pc.

Oh, I see now, also for Mac.

Edited February 14 by Peterphuket

[Liverpool Lou]

On 2/13/2024 at 3:54 PM, Polar Bear said:

 

I can't use Krungthai with Surfshark. I wonder what the difference is? 

Krungthai doesn't like Bitdefender, either, have to turn it off to use their app.