Compass bank has one of the most shameful customer service policies in the history of customer service!
Opened a joint account on 6-20-05 with Mike. I called Mike 6-28-05 to inquire on my checks and my husband's atm card. Mike assured me both were ordered; after all it takes 7-10 business days. (On 7-6-05 Mike agreed that this in indeed what he told me.)
7-06-05 I called Clarke check co. And was told checks had not been ordered for my account now 2 1/2 weeks old.
Went to the Eldridge branch and asked to speak to someone. I did not have time to wait and I left my name and number and said that if anyone cared they could call me.
Called bank manager Susan Sosa at Eldridge-Houston branch. Left voice mail - no checks no husband atm. What's the deal?
Susan panics and puts a freeze on my accout saying via voice mail, this was for my own protection as atm withdrawals had been made and she was concerned.
When I received this message I immediately called and left a voice message telling her NOT to put a freeze on my account. I had made those withdrawals and if she was so "concerned" about my account where were my checks?
Cindy called me shortly thereafter and was all ready to get the checks ordered. Problem - my husband was not listed on the account. Cindy explained this was why he never received his atm card. Tee-hee (Another bank error or my fault? I'm getting confused.) Cindy then found my husbands information and we were all straight. I thought!
Susan left another voice mail later that afternoon 7-06-05 responding to the freeze. Susan said she would take the freeze off my account. She explained why she did it. Now that she had researched my account - after placing the freeze on it - and she was clear on all the facts, she would release the freeze. (These messages are all a cd and have been played twice at the Champion branch.) Susan went on to explain that the bank was in error in regards to my checks. We now needed to get them ordered.in this whole series of messages, Susan could have reached me via my cell phone to inquire the facts - the number was in my file.
Once again I mistakenly thought all was well, checks ordered; the freeze was lifted as per Susan's voice mail.
48 hours later 7-8-05 my atm card was rejected. Back to the bank I went and was just a bit steamed. I flashed my card at Susan's window and raised my arms as if to say "What's the deal?" I asked another employee why my account was still frozen and she could only tell me to have a seat and wait.
I went to the window to withdrawal money under the mistaken impression that this was still my money. Susan came up behind me and I asked her what was going on? Susan shifted the blame back on me. According to Susan it was just very unfortunate that I left the original voice mail causing this whole mix up. (But that was 2 days ago.) She said she could not unfreeze my account and she would have to ok a withdrawal for me. I could not withdraw money without her permission. I repeatedly asked her to fix this. She could not specify when the freeze would be lifted. Susan blamed me and then she blamed her "back office". As she was filling out my permission slip to withdraw money, she kept stopping to lecture me. Finally I asked her to just fill out the form and unfreeze my account as I had to go.
With that she promptly closed my account. Susan said she "just could not make me happy" Susan pointed to the teller overhearing the whole conversation saying she (the teller) was her witness, this account was closed and I was not to write any more checks. (Very professional to put her employees on the spot.)
We went to her office where I further asked about this matter. Why didn't she follow up on my account after making such a drastic and important decision? I had believed her when I received the voice mail two days ago that she had fixed this problem. Why couldn't she unfreeze it now? Again the "back office" was blamed. Susan explained she had to prioritize her work. I guess unfreezing my money and honoring her word didn't make her "to do" list.
Silly me. Once money is in Compass bank the Gestapo takes over. If you dare call and ask for checks so that you can spend your money, they lock up your account. You actually want to withdrawal money without the permission of the Gestapo - your account gets closed. Can't have folks actually spending their money. I did not have access to my funds all weekend.
Cindy, via Bo at Champions branch, told me on Monday 7-11-05 that the freeze was off my account but it would not be in effect until midnight. Again I believed her.
My account was still frozen at noon on Tuesday 7-12-05.
I thought I opened an account with Compass bank but as it turns out this was not the case. I opened an account with the Bank of Susan Sosa and her Gestapo buddies.
Customer service, for lack of a better word, will not help you. Other branches all refer you back to your branch. 7-12-05 Champions branch had to call Susan and get her to ok my withdrawal.
Customer service will not give you a chain of command. They claim ignorance on knowing where regional and/or district offices are located. You have to go back to your branch manager for everything. Guess what? My branch manager was the problem. It was uncanny at how little everyone at 1-800 knew! Who wants a job where you have to lie all the time?
The account was set up wrong to begin with, it was supposed to be a joint account.
The checks were never ordered although I was told they were.
The freeze was put on my account in error and not taken off for 5 bank days, that equals 7 real days to us slobs that spend money on the weekend. Per Susan's voice mail the freeze should have been taken off the same day it was put on.
The bank manager "just couldn't make me happy" so she closed my account with a teller that witnessed the entire conversation, and I am sure security cameras if they really wanted to get to the bottom of this.
I just wanted to wake up but the nightmare continued. 7-13-05 a text message form the cell phnoe co.informed me my check to them had been returned.
I had written four temporary checks the first week in July totaling aprox $285. Gas co., cell phone co., storage unit etc.
I wrote those checks in good faith and they were not honored by Compass. Money is still in the account to cover the four checks, it has always been in the account. 1-800 told me that the checks were not returned because I had no NSF charges against my account.
The cell phone co. Is doing research for me to find out the reason my check was returned. 1-800 said I should just be happy I did not incur any charges and would not do any investigation.
I have made restitution on two of my checks that have been returned. The other two are still in question. I have incurred more charges associated with these two checks.
I finally talked to Carla at the Weslayan branch 7-14-05. Carla was very nice and sympathetic to the series of bank errors that lead up to this point. Pat Young with 1-800 told me on 7-11-05 she would have someone call me - but on one ever did.
Carla was successful at getting a lady named Jane to call me back. Jane was very defensive. She explained to me that the bank could return checks for ANY reason. Really? They have no contractual agreement with me? Whether or not she was sympathic, all she could do for me was send me a form letter in 7-10 business days stating fraud on the account as the reason my checks were returned. Of course this was not the banks fault, after all this was the Gestapo.
This is unacceptable to me. Fraud is not the reason the checks were returned. If Susan had honored her word and released the freeze as per her phone message, my checks would have cleared the bank when presented. My checks should have NEVER been refused.
How do I know that Jane is sending me the letter? Not one person involved in this whole fiasco has done what they said they were going to do with the exception of Carla. Thanks Carla!
Fraud was never associated with this account. It is remarkable that a bank manager has such powers over my money. Susan put a freeze on my account prior to doing research, left the freeze on the account after she told me it would be removed twice. She then has the ability to close my account and send back the checks already written to the account in good faith.
What logical explaination could there be for this? Was this just a petty vindictive woman? All she had to do was unfreeze my account! What was Susan's responsibility in all of this? As I stated earlier, the Gestapo takes over and you no longer own your own money.
I asked Jane why my account had been closed. It had been noted on my account that there had been a "situation" at the bank on Friday when I was talking to Susan.
Now there was a so-called "situation". Once again Susan has shifted the blame away from her and onto me. Let's forget the series of errors made by the bank in opening this account. Let's forget Susan did not take responsibility and honor her word to release the freeze. Let's forget my checks were presented in good faith and not honored. Now we have a "situation" and that takes precedence. The so-called "situation" was nover mentioned until Susan had to do a little CYA.
In my humble opinion if Susan had true management skills none of this would have happened. If she had honored her word as per her phone message, my account would have been accessible to me 48 hours after all this happened and my checks would have cleared the bank when presented. If Susan had any management skills she would have handled things at the bank on Friday like a professional by realizing the error on my account and promptly fixing the situation resulting in me having access to my money.
If Compass wanted real customers, they would provide customer service. Their lack of concern is real.
I know this letter drips with sarcasm but in the end...
I was blamed - my fault for leaving the message wanting checks
I was embarrassed when my card was rejected for payment.
I was humiliated at having to beg for money.
And finally I was slanderd to excuse all the banks errors.
I took the "Compass Challenge" and what a challenge it has been.
Any one that objects to my use of the word Gestapo, the World Book dictionary explains... An organization the uses ruthlessness in carrying out their objectives to crush all opposition. Sounds about right!
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