The trouble started when I moved away from National City Bank in Indianapolis, Indiana to a location that did not have a branch. It was taking a while to close out my bank account due to several companies taking their time to change my bank account for automatic debits. So my account had to stay open for a while after I moved away from a National City branch.
While I was attempting to close my checking account, several charges, mostly AOL, were either accidently or fraudently charged to my checking account causing my account to overdraft. I never every authorized these automatic debit charges. I called to report the fraud and was told to visit a branch. I did not live anywhere near a branch. I was told that I would be sent paperwork. I received nothing. I called again, more empty promises. After many attempts at protesting these charges, I was told that I had gone beyond the 60 days time limit and that I was responsible for these charges that I had never ever authorized. T
To complicate matters, this bank was not sending anything to my current address. I had made eight attempts, including in writing, stating my new address. I sent the bank a written copy of my new address as soon as I knew.
Every time I spoke to someone from this bank, I was told something different. I then received a letter stating that I had 10 days to setttle my account or I would be closed. I immediately tried to settle this account, but National City did not honor the date stated in this letter. They had already closed this account into a liquidated credit type of account.
As much as I hated to, I borrowed money from mother and took every last cent I had to pay off the balance in full so that I would never ever have to deal with this bank.By this time, my account had been transferred to Ohio. I asked twice to be on the safe side what I needed to do to close out my account in full.
I followed the instructions precisely. I sent a cashier's check by certified overnight mail. National City officially credited my account with the amount over a week later than when they would received this by mail. This apparently allowed National City to charge me more fees. I had been promised that the amount that I sent in would pay off my account in full and would close my account. I called many times to National City to speak to someone who actually handled my account. I found out that I was speaking to customer service reps in Michigan. They were reading what they saw on the screen. I told them that what was on their screen was incorrect and not what I had been promised or told to do by the person who had instructed me in Ohio
They would not listen to me. I admit that I was crying and screaming by this time (which is completely unlike me), but they never ever offered real help.
Finally, I relented again and paid off the fees. I truly hope that my saga is over now. However, the customer service truly sucks and I found the customer service representatives to be lacking in training, rude, inconsistent, and totally not helpful.
I blame lack of customer service for me not only losing several hundred dollars, but for losing every cent that I had at the time.
I noticed that there have been rebuttals to previous National City complaints. Where was this help when I needed help? This makes me wonder if National City values it's image more than it does the customers it was supposed to serve.
I repeat that I never authorized several automatic debits that caused a huge amount of extra fees that resulted in being greater than the debits that I never authorized. Customer service, after many attempts, completely failed to send the paperwork that I needed to meet their policy deadline. They failed to provide me with the help that they are supposed to provide to any customer. They made money by being incompetent. They took every cent I had and more.
I will never ever do business with National City Bank. National City is an extremely bad bank and I will discourage everyone I know from this bank. If I had the means, I would file a lawsuit to get back the money that I lost.
Gayl
Evansville, Indiana
U.S.A.
0 comments