I am a 51-year-old woman and have used several banks within my lifetime, but none that would even come close to the abuse I have been forced to take from 5/3 due to their excessive OD fees. It would be excusable to a degree if I had actually ever BEEN OD, but it has been acknowledged by the local branch to me at least on two occasions, that I was NOT. However, I have had to epeatedly go down to the local branch, and have made 2 deposits to cover the alleged OD fees (which by theirs and my posting never even showed my account as overdrawn to begin with), and was reassured repeatedly that "yes, your account is fine now - it is all okay, no more OD fees, its all balanced out" only to log on the next day to find yet ANOTHER excessive fee between $111.00 all the way down to $37.00 sometimes twice taken out AGAIN. So, I tried to be patient, went to the local branch once again that very day and talked with the same customer service rep AGAIN, who not only promised me AGAIN that all the fees will be reversed, "don't worry about it" but actually encouraged me to "go ahead, use your card" b/c "'they' (whoever they are) will have to refund you, any additonal OD fees, this is clearly not your fault" Only to be told the following day when I called to find out the progress on all the OD fees, which by this time were totaling over $500.00 - that "well I guess 'they have reversed all the fees they are going to - really, ma'am its out of my hands at this point, I think I have gone above and beyond to help you - I'm sorry there is nothing more I can do for you" and she really believed that was a REAL explanation? Duh??? So the very next day, I arrived at 5/3 to speak with the manager armed with my printout showing that I was never OD to begin with, that 5/3 actually owed me around $500, only to be told that "you just don't understand how banks operate" WHAT??? He further went on to explain in what could only be described as "very creative accounting" how "they" arrived at their very accurate calculations, at least in his very educated estimation, giving me a look of such arrogance, I actually wanted to hit the jerk, and I don't get upset very often. So, I again protested going over the actual figures using the dates the bank itself had posted the charges, and he still lhad the nerve to look me square in the face, stating that "my math" was inaccurate, at least by the "banks standards" And what standards were those - lying, stealing, and cheating standards??? Iaway with it, so sorry you didn't understand this when you signed up with us" I then demanded to close my account for good - which he said "well, you see, ts just not that simple" and get this, "We are allowed to take 21 more days of OD fees from you (WHAT???) at which time you will be allowed to close your account - Its ONLY an additional $96.00" (at this point, it was ONLY $8 per day). Not believing the absurdity of what I was hearing, I translated back to him what he actually said to me, which was "number one do you have an extra 96 bucks lyingn around that you can toss out the window, and number two, you are telling me that you are refusing to close my account in order that 5/3 may steal more money from me?" Of couse not, he would never say that and that is NOT what he meant - excuse me??? Do I need to clean out my ears or do YOU sir not understand your own bullshit?"Ma'am, you don't understand, you were overdrawn" At this point, I was thinking one of us was surely mentally slow, and believe me, I wasn't thinking it was me!"NO, I WAS NEVER OVERDRAWN! Not only does this sheet of paper prove it, your very own customer service rep verified this not only once but twice to my face, to which he responded (and I think this is the best one yet) "You will need to show me a written statement where she actually said this to you" Like its common practice for people to go around writting out their conversations... UNBELIEVABLE!!!
Needless to say, outraged is not even close to how I felt when I left that bank, and I was truly trying to hold it together. However, I did ask him on the way out if they were actually going to give to the poor needy children this year for Christmas, and that they would need to be visiting MY CHILDREN, b/c 5/3 had stolen all the christmas money I had to spend on them and my own children would now qualify as some of the poor needy children they would be so graciously giving to out of the goodness of their hearts... Gag!
Surely someone out there has a solution to this bank's lame explanations and/or creative accounting to put a stop to this banks outright stealing from honest hardworking people? Anyone?
BTW, I have checked out 5/3's "OD Protection" which is nothing but a cruel joke and another creative way to take more money from their customers - the interest rate they are charging for this protection is more than any payday loan out there, which if anyone has checked out these rates, is nothing short of highway robbery as well - no thank you... I have worked too hard all my life and been through too much to stand by and do nothing while this bank gets away with common theft... Unfortunately, I think the new young adults just think this is the "way it is" b/c they don't know any better - is that an excuse to take, b/c they are too naive to know any better? Talk about stealing milk from a baby's mouth... Horrible.
0 comments