I opened this account in May with the notion that it would be for cashing my pay check only. The day I opened my account I was rushed through - which was the start of my trouble. I did not receive all brochures and my member card was only half ways laminated because they were closing. I deposited $90 and was due back $50 because I needed $40 to open the account.
I was given a deposit slip and $40. I made the mistake of not counting the money because I was being rushed with signing papers, taking my picture for the Mastercard debit card and so forth. I left short $10 and realized it as I got into my car. I turned around to go inside and get the other $10 owed to me. They refused me and told me to come back during business hours. I had to return the next day with the hopes that they'd not defarud me and give me the $10 owed. I was lucky and did receive it.
I then used my card to do a balance inquiry. Again, not having brochures to know that a balance inquiry costs $2 to do - I was under the impression I had just enough to put into my gas tank. I used the amount I was told was "available" and a week later I got a notice saying I owed $42.50 in my account.
How? I had only used my card ONCE and it was for $7.00 which I had in my account. Apparently I NSF'ed by $2. So they had to "cover" the $7 I used and then charged my the $33 NSF fee plus since I had transferred the $20 in savings to checking to use for a bill, and since my over draft protection was trying to kick in - it charged another $2.50 to my savings and then a $2.50 charge to my checking. It's a endless cycle of fees on how this is set up.
So I go to the bank to correct this. I get arguements until I demand to look at her monitor. I show her the dates and times according to her monitor and my receipts and then ask simply this: "How can I owe $42.50 for using $7.00 that this reciept says I had available in my account? How do you justify having to cover $7.00 when in all actuality, at best it was $2.00 that would have been covered, but even then should not have been charged for a balance inquiry at the BANK'S location as stated on my receipt?" She could not answer my questions, and instead ended up having to refund ALL of the monies taken from my account.
Next incident, I find out my savings is deducting from my checking account $2.50 at a ridiculous pace. Why? Because those brochures that tell you about how having a savings account with this company requires a minimum of $100 balance to avoid this $2.50 fee from checking is occuring. When my checking started to get low, my savings account would try to pull out money from my savings to throw into my checking (a more golden form of over draft protection) which in turn slaps my savings with a $2.50 fee for having nothing to draw out of it, and then my checking gets drafted $2.50 because my savings had nothing to cover the $2.50 fee that was being draw from it for trying to cover my checking.
Another cycle of fees feeding off each other. So what do I do? I demand this account to be shut down to avoid this ridiculous circle. I am told "I can simply refund all the fees to you Ma'am and there will be no more fees on this, because we do know you received no brochures and this will not happen again." Sounds a little far fetched to me. It was - the fees still kept coming. Can you close an account in the negative? NO!
So I get the final phone call that killed my account yesterday. "Ma'am? You're checking account is overdrawn by $25.05. How will you be taking care of this and when can we expect you to do this?" Me: "What??? I just deposited $30 in the account! How in the world am I down $25.05? I haven't even USED my account in 45 days!" Representative: "Well I have some news that is even worse.
As of October 1st negative accounts as assessed a $2 fee daily." Me: "I never got a notice of rate change on this. What is going on? How did I get into the negative anyway?" Apparently when my monthly service feee of $9.95 come through and then the $1.50 debit card fee and then the constant $2.50 fee for my savings having $0 in it was also charged to my checking, then my savings said, "uh-oh. The checking account is getting low. I need to export money from myself to bring the checking back up to level." Now my savings is trying to take money from itself that isn't there and it's causing another $2.50 fee to itself in turn causing my checking go into another $2.50 fee. Another cycle!
So I grab my $25.05 and run down to the nearest bank and CLOSE the account out. My savings account has been reported to the bank president and all fees were refunded to that account, and since it takes 24 hours to appear - TODAY I go back and close out the savings. Tomorrow I will have $17.95 refunded to my checking - which will delay the close out and I will have to re-close it again.
Then they "claim" they are going to look at my account even more so to see what else they can recover in fees for me. I am so irritated about this. The point is, why is a computer making choices about my account FOR ME? Why am I being fined for THE BANKS DECISIONS? I did not decide to pull money from a savings account to cover my checking. I put money in to cover the basic fees I was told would be expected and instead come back to find more fees and less money!
My advice? If you opened an account - CLOSE IT IMMEDIATELY! If you have an account, REVIEW ALL ACTIVITY/HISTORY CLOSELY! If you have an account, COMPLAIN AND GET A REFUND OF THE FEES!
If you don't have an account, DO NOT GET ONE!
Also the rates fee change? That whole $2 a day fee with negative accounts? I got my notice yesterday: it says, "Effective NOVEMBER 1st 2005" Umm... This is October 11th. Let's do our basics here. January February March April May June July August September OCTOBER and THEN November.
I call to ask what is going on, and they say "No this is effective October 1st 2005. I said I have a flyer that says otherwise. I am basically called a liar. I call higher up and explain this further and offer to fax the flier or take it to a branch for an employee to document for proof and I am told it's meant to go to Ft Hood bankers not Ft Worth bankers. Who's fault is that? NOT MINE! I'm not the one who goofed and so the fees do NOT stick!
Beware consumers. Be very aware! This bank is all about money and less about customers. The employees argue with you and the bank hides as much of the truth from you as they can get away with. If you're not willing to fight - then they will suck the very lining of your pockets right out of your pants. When I closed my account and was asked why, I simply replied, "I can't afford to support my family and a BANK!"
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