Here’s the abridged version (the highlights of my letter, if you will):

• Traveled all summer with SunTrust Visa debit/credit card—no problems.
• Received new SunTrust MasterCard debit/credit card in September 2010.
• Traveled to Vegas November 2010.
• Hold placed on card—called number on back of card, verified identity and purchases, hold was lifted.
• Midnight on the East Coast, 9pm in Vegas, a new hold is placed on card.
• Customer service closes at midnight EST, card rendered useless till next morning.
• Call number on back of card again, reach “Dani” in fraud department, am told I can’t differentiate between automated system and conversation with human being (the equivalent of being told I’m crazy).
• Hold lifted—apparently—waiting now for new hold in further travels to Phoenix, Sacrament, Charlottesville, VA, and DC (and all the places in between—oh, the places we’ll go!)
• Disappointed that attractiveness of a Delta SkyMiles card (because we like to travel) is rendered useless when actually traveling!

Follow-up questions:

• Is it SunTrust or MasterCard that is being so difficult?
• Do I keep SunTrust as primary bank now, when my CFE Visa (and my husband’s BofA) debit/credit card works fine?
• How will this impact my husband’s business account when he travels to visit clients?
• Why does customer service close at midnight?
• Can SunTrust not afford 24-hour customer service? Is the bank in trouble financially?
• Can SunTrust not find someone like the first person who could only temporarily lift the hold or someone equally insulting as “Dani” was to the customer to work past midnight? Someone on the West Coast, perhaps?
• Is SunTrust not a very global company that is not fit to serve the needs of traveling customers? Especially when offering a debit/credit card that earns miles used for TRAVELING?
• Will I receive any sort of response to these questions?