OKAY ALRIGHT OKAY CALLING ALL (OR AS MANY AS POSSIBLE) COLLEGE STUDENTS/ INCOMING COLLEGE FRESHMEN,
There’s this bank called Bank Mobile Vibe (formerly known as HigherOne). It’s basically a bank account where your school can deposit your refund (the left over money you borrow that doesn’t go toward housing or classes, usually borrowed for living expenses, books, gas, or food). Bank Mobile Vibe is used by a LOT of schools for this, and there is no brick and mortar building you can go to, it is strictly a digital banking system.
On May 31st, an email was sent out saying that Vibe was going to be updating their systems. That’s the top screenshot. They thoroughly expressed, through their email, facebook, and website/app that transactions would not be affected.
The “today” in the second screenshot is referring to Monday, June 5th.
Spoiler alert: Transactions were very affected.
From Friday(?) night/very early Saturday morning to now 3am Tuesday, it’s been down. People are reporting everything from their cards being declined despite there being enough money in their accounts (myself included), balances reading at negatives where it shouldn’t, only half of transactions going through (how does that even happen?), ATMs doing fucky things with accounts and money being displaced, the list goes on.
Because people were promised that transactions would not be affected, people are now incurring late fees to bills like rent, not able to buy groceries/gas/medicine/etc. It’d be one thing if Vibe said it MIGHT affect transactions, that’s fair and people could plan ahead of time-- but people are now literally paying for it.
Some people in the comments on Bank Mobile Vibe’s Facebook page are reporting that after talking with support (the few that actually can help), it’s been pushed to Wednesday. Which means that if you deposit a check, you probably won’t see or be able to use it until Friday. And like I said earlier, there is no building you can go to in order to deposit your check instead to do so faster.
THAT’S LITERALLY AN ENTIRE WEEK THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING ZERO ACCESS TO ANY OF THEIR INCOME.
During a time that many college students are making transitions in their life like graduating, going home and having to pay for gas, finding places to live, etc etc.
If you’re expecting to go to school in the fall, or you are a part of Vibe already, or your college decides to use this bank, PLEASE be aware of this because quite frankly who knows what the hell they’re doing, or if they’ll pull this shit again.
