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The bank made an apology today, saying involved bank officials will be punished. "Though the bank has strict rules on code resetting, bank workers should focus on clients' quests when they have difficulties and spare no efforts to help them," the statement read.
Xu Wanfa, 75, has leukemia and is in poor health. He can speak, but is unable to move and or even lie down flat without help, said his wife, surnamed Li.
Li said since her hands tremble, she gave the wrong password three times when she planned to withdraw money for living expenses from Xu’s bank card.
The bank account was automatically locked. The China Industrial and Commercial Bank told her that Xu had to appear at a bank outlet and reset the code, Shaanxi-based Chinese Business View reported today.
Xu receives monthly retirement pay of 2,000 yuan (US$327), which is the couple’s primary income.
An ambulance took Xu from the hospital to the bank’s outlet at Fangjian Road on Saturday at noon. Though Li asked bank workers to allow Xu’s relatives to complete the procedures, she said the request was refused. No one bothered to check Xu’s condition or help in moving him, she said.
The medical staff on board the ambulance carried the stretcher, grabbed the oxygen bags and held Xu’s head and arms to prevent him from falling, Li said.
They even helped Xu press his finger on the code machine, Li added.
A bank security guard told the newspaper that they had allowed Xu to move to the front of the line.
A manager of the Fangjian Road outlet said she wasn’t on duty that day. But she said they were following the rules to ensure the safety of the account. She suggested Xu’s family get a notarized warrant that would allow transactions without Xu having to appear.