OK, so me and my co-worker's CAMS study materials never showed up, so I emailed my rep on Monday asking where our materials are and if he could check in to it.

No reply.

So today I called ACAMS directly.

First call, someone put me on hold. After five minutes, I realized they hung up on me instead of putting me on hold. Nice one.

Second call, someone transfers my call...to an empty voicemail box! So I hung up.

Third call, I tell the person who answers about my first two calls. She transfers me and it rings and I get a voicemail box again. At least this time it had a person's name, so I left a message.

Isn't there another company that offers an AML certification? What was its name??? Because the customer service at ACAMS is ::thumbs down emoticon::

Ditto your comments. I signed up earlier this year and my exam stuff never came. I called and they said, you never paid the invoice we sent for the exam fees. I had never received an invoice. They mailed it to me and it had "fifth request" marked across it. I finally got my log in for the online training, but have not yet seen any exam prep book or materials.

Two thumbs down from me as well.

I just received a flyer from the ICBA for a three day conference in San Antonio in November they will be giving certification exams there as well - Certified BSA/AML Professional (CBAP). Their website is [url=www.icba.org]http://www.icba.org[/url] you can e-mail them at Education@icba.org. If I didn't have so much money wrapped up in ACAMS, I would consider this.

This is really good to know. The state examiner who did my BSA review was really pushing ACAMS. I don't have time to deal with people like that though.

Our BSA officer is also an attorney. She never gets any flack from the examiners.

Ever.

Is that because she's an attorney?

idk.

i was just suggesting law school as an alternative to a certification since everyone is having all these problems with the company

BSA is bad enough, I certainly don't want to go through law school.

When regulators ask about me getting ACAMS or similar certification, I always tell them I'm a bar certified attorney at law. This trumps any other specific certification out there, imho...

My boss is making us get certified. We paid our invoice up front because it included our membership, exam fee, online prep, and sutdy materials. I got my new member packet and the log-in for the online study prep, but no study book!

I hope someone from ACAMS reads this...

You mean he didn't check your state records first to see that you already are?

Wow Jay, you are on a ROLL today! Keep up the wit!

Anything for you boney bum cheeks!

Before your employer invested this money in you, did you share with them that you were considering leaving them to become a shampoo girl?

Just wonderin'

♪ Missed your midterms and flunked shampoo... ♪

I just called to see where my study materials are: "um, yea the books were on back order and then we switched fulfillment companies and there has been a real problem getting that stuff out. It will probably be another week or so..."

Absolutely horrendous customer service. At one time this was a very respected organization and certification, I hope that their customer service will not spoil the reputation and compromise the legitimacy of the certification.

Interesting Thomas....how did you get someone on the line to answer you?! Psh, I still haven't received a return call from my voicemail this morning.

Well, I guess I will check in again when I'm back from vacation if my stuff hasn't shown up.

Vacation?!?!? I'm starting to feel cheated. I've taken 3 days so far this year.

Maybe you're all having problems because ACAMS also spells A SCAM.

Let's see, that would make you a BCAAL. Right? Sounds kinda like what a chicken would say.

We prefer ESQ....

Same here...a day to move, a day to go to Disneyland, and my bday. Next week counts as my mandatory 5 conseq days off.

I guess I have trouble seeing the connection between being an attorney and a BSA/AML expert. Judging by some of the advice that my bank has received in regards to BSA/AML from attorneys I can't see it. Senior management sought advice from outside council regarding a situation and were advised that a SAR filing was not necessary when it was quite obvious that it was. Their argument for not filing was so flawed and from left field that it was obvious that they did not have a clue.

I think there is an obvious connection between being an attorney and anything compliance related. The Regulations from from statutes and acts, hence law.

I agree, thomasj, we have received many wrong answers from attorneys regarding banking law. I would imagine many BOLers could cite stories of attorneys asking or telling bankers things that are against banking rules. I have found that just because someone is an attorney does not mean that they know banking (and to be fair - vice versa)

I got my ACAMS certification in early December. The week after I passed the exam, I got a lovely email congratulating me and telling me I'd receive my certificate in about 5 days. It took multiple phone calls, emails & about 4 months to finally get my certificate.

Although I must say that up until then, the customer service had been fine.