While I do agree with several policies at 1st CB, I would not recommend doing business with this bank for "business purposes" - maybe just a personal checking would be fine. I owned a total of 4 accounts with this bank and while yes, I did have some overdraft issues and NSF issues, I ALWAYS cleared them up and happily paid all the fees involved. I knew they were my mistakes, so I took responsibility. However, I have had a total of 5 checks that have been attempting to pay, at minimum once per month since March.in March I got in a bit of a bind due to my customers either writing me bad checks or, customers not paying what they owed. It's times like that when you really need your bank on your side and there for you. Let me tell you, 1st CB is NOT that bank. If you deposit a check into your account that is returned NSF, 1st CB holds that against you, their customer. Now how in the heck as a business owner can you predict or stop someone from writing you a bad check? Furthermore, why does the bank not see that you as their customer was put in a tough situation and try to help.instead, there answer is to put 7-10 day holds on all your deposits for 30 days. Again, how can you operate a business not only having to wait for your customers to pay you, but also having to wait another 7-10 days for the bank to give you your money? So what could've been an easy fix, turned into almost $2,000 in fees for just the months of March-April. But again, I didn't complain. I dealt with it and tried to keep my head above water and still to this day I'm feeling the effects of that time period, but it's still getting better with each passing day.
So, now to the 5 checks that attempt to re-deposit very frequently. I have almost $10,000 in checks that have been trying to re-deposit and withdraw funds from my account. These checks were paid via my credit card. What has happend is: My checks were returned to my vendors because of the problems I've stated above. I then paid the checks with my personal credit card. My vendors at about the same time, sold the checks to their collection agencies. So in essence, my vendor has been paid twice for their checks. Well now the collection agencies are re-depositing these checks attempting to get their money. I've told them a million times the checks were paid direct to the vendor. I've even sent them receipts from my credit card company. The collection agents tell me that it doesn't specifically stated on my receipts that this was payment for the checks. So I spoke to the branch manager at the time about doing stop payments. He stated that a stop payment was good for only one time, that after it's used up, I'll have to submit another one. He also stated a stop payment was $36 and NSF was $33. So, instead of paying as much as $36 every couple of weeks for stop payments, I'll just keep the balance low enough until I get this cleared up that the checks won't clear. The branch manager agreed that was the best solution. So for several months now, it appears I have $10,000 in hot checks out that I still have not been able to get resolved. I checked into opening new accounts but the young lady who was doing the paperwork stated that I would be right back to situation #1 with the holds on deposits and more red tape. Well I'm sorry, but I couldn't operate a business that way. So I decided to stick it out a little longer attempting to correct this situation.
Well low and behold, things are rolling alot better, until I get another customers check returned NSF. It's ok though, I'm finally in a situation where I have a little money in the bank again and it doesn't leave me broke. So I don't think too much of it, it's a good customer whom I know will take care of it like they told me they would. I don't pay much attention to the situation until I get a letter in the mail stating my accounts are being closed on the 29th of Sept.in total shock I get on the phone with my new branch manger to find out what the heck is going on. He tells me the accounts are being closed due to deposited items being returned and the fact that I have almost $10,000 in hot checks floating around. Keep in mind this manager is new and doesn't know the details of my situation. So I take the time to explain everything and he tells me that he was not aware of the severity of my situation and that he would make some calls to the proper people to get this resolved. This is on Monday. Well today is Thursday, account is set to be closed tomorrow. He's now telling me that the bank is not interested in my situation, the fact I have $10,000 in hot checks out concerns the bank and the accounts need to be closed. He had also told me on Monday that he would handle it and that anything I needed to pay for to just go ahead and pay for it and he'd take care of it. Now, none of the checks I had to write have cleared yet and if they don't clear tonight, they're going to be returned "Account Closed". He's also telling me now that I should have stopped payment on the checks and that could've made a difference. He says stop payments are good for up to 6 months no matter how many times the item is re-deposited.
Now I'm right back to situation #1. Vendors checks are not going to clear, I'm going to have to pay the checks by an alternate means and probably more collection issues. They will not even extend the time period a week and change my account to credits only to allow my outstanding checks to clear. All this after I've deposited well over $300,000 through this bank since I first opened my accounts 2 years ago.in addition, I've paid them almost $6,400 in fees since the inception of my accounts 2 years ago. What a way to treat a customer who was always willing to pay when he needed to, all he ever wanted was a bank to help him when he needed it! First class let me tell you!
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