From past experience, I already knew 5th/3rd would get my money any way they could, but this takes the cake.
On a Friday October 5I only had $2.60 in account. On Friday at 11:00 A.M. (in the morning) cash deposit) I deposited $22.41, leaving me a balance of $25.01. I even call on the phone after every transaction to make sure I have made no mistakes. I called the automatic number and had $25.01 in account.
On Friday night about 5:00 P.M. I made 2 transactions with debit card at gas stations. One was for $4.16. I called after this card was run and had a balance of $20.85.
At another gas station swiped card for $8.00. Called again - balance was $12.85. Please keep in mind this $12.85 plus a little cash was all I had until the next payday in about 5 days.
On Saturday morning, stopped to get $5.00 in gas, knowing I had $12.85 and then would only have $7.85 left. Card was declined. Huh??? How could that be? I called the bank. Was told I was in the negative for $6.15. How was I in the negative? I had not made any other transactions.
Well Friday at midnight they charged me $5.00 maintenance fee as I have Club 53 account and if you don't keep $100 balance they charge you $5.00 per month. And also, a $14.00 charge came through for 7 times that I had used a non-5th/3rd ATM machine.
Ok, I'll admit it is not bank error. I should know that they take $5.00 maintenance fee out every month, because I can never maintain a balance of $100 or more. How could I when you are taking my money every week for your fees. I should know that my cycle is always around the 5th of the month. I'll pay the consequences for this error.
But how would I know you were going to take $14.00 out for ATM usage. I was going to a Publix Grocery Store ATM because I thought those were free. Well the lady at 5th/3rd said that those ATM's are free, but 5th/3rd charges $2.00 for each non-5th/3rd ATM withdrawal. Why then, don't you take the $2.00 out of my account at the time I made the withdrawal. Or, why doesn't your ledger on internet state that $2.00 is pending and will be charged. How would I remember that I used the ATM 7 times and you would be charging me for each time at the end of the month. The lady says this is stated in my disclosure statement when I opened my account 2 years ago. Oh, I forgot, I haven't been reading that lately with my other novels. Another mistake of mine.
To top it off. I say, well I had enough money for the maintenance fee - why didn't you take the maintenance fee out and then charge me one $33 fee for not having the $14 in ATM fees. She said they don't charge $33 for maintenance fees or ATM fees, but I was being charged for the two transactions on my debit card for $4.16 and $8.00 - a total of $66 in fees. But I did those transactions at 5:00 on Friday with all intentions that my account was in good standing. How would I know that at midnight you would be taking another $19 out of my account. She said I should keep better records.
Even if I finally agree to this insane practice out of frustation - why why why did they charge me $66. I logically state that I had $25.01 on Friday morning. (But I really didn't have $25.01 because I'm supposed to know that at midnight you will be deducting $5.00 and $14.00) Why don't you let people know this is pending. Ok, it's really gone, even though you don't tell anyone. So from $25.01 there is $19.00 gone - leaving me with a balance of $6.01. I made a purchase of $4.16. Why did'nt you deduct that amount from my $6.01-leaving me with a balance of $1.85. Then when the $8.00 transaction tried to come through it would be declined. Of you could even charge me $33.00 for going into the negative with the $8.00 transaction. Well, that would be too logical. What we do it take the hightest amount first because that could be someone's mortgate or car payment. So we took the $8.00 from your account, but you only really had $6.01 because out on the horizon there was $19.00 already deducted that was really already gone even though you didn't know it yet because it wasn't going to post until midnight - but you should have known it. So we charged you $33 for that transaction and then when you did the $4.16 you were already in the negative so we charged you another $33.00 for that transaction and that way we get $66.00 of your money.
Because $8.00 was the highest and could be someone's mortgage or car payment - are you people insane - If this could be someone's mortgage or car payment, I don't want to live where they do or ever drive one of these cars!!!
This is not a practice that should be legal. It's worse than loan sharking or payday loans. I only make $7.50 per hour and try to make ends meet week after week, only to have this bank make more money from me.
On Saturday morning, I originally thought, "oh, great, I'm in the negative and need to get at least $6.15 in the bank before noon. But I really needed $6.15 plus $66 a total of $72.15. Don't know where to get it - now I have not even zilch for car gas to get to work.
I will try to do what someone suggested on another post - only use bank for deposits. Don't use ATM's. Don't use debit cards. Go and get cash for money orders. I thought all three of these were conveniences you had because you had a checking account. The use of ATM for 24 hours. The ease of using a debit card or writing a check out for your bills. Why even have a bank then???
With today's technology, internet access, etc. Why doesn't 5th/3rd show these fees as pending on your internet on the day they will be coming through at midnight. I check my account every day and this would have saved me $66 as I would have known that on Friday night they would be deducting $5.00 and $14.00 and I would not have used my card. Would that be too much to ask or would that put your profits lower for the month?
Thoroughly disgusted with the banks preying on the working class and robbing them of their hard earned money. Something should be done - I'm just not rich enough to get it done.
Deb
Kissimmee, Florida
U.S.A.
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