I have been with 53rd bank for 5 months, and I have a personal checking account. I should have researched all the complaints before I opened my account!
This all started a few months ago. I recently moved to Chicago and have been struggling with money ever since. Should I pay the gas bill or the phone bill? Well a few months ago I over drafted my account by about 10 dollars or so and had an outrageous fee of about 66.00 posted to my account for the initial over draft. Then any transaction that was pending after the over draft charged me an additional 37.00. All in all about 3 months ago I lost nearly 300 dollars in over draft charges.
Now more recently is why Im so angry. Money is even more tight now. Last week I over drafted my account by 6.00. When I noticed this I dipped into my 2nd checking account (for bill payments only) I transfered 30.00 to cover the overdraft and add some extra. The same day I was charged an initial overdraft fee of 66.00.
I then dipped back into my 2nd checking account and transfered 50.00 over. But of course another pending transaction of 2.81 had posted and I was charged an additional 37.00 in over draft charges.
So far Im at a loss of about 80.00 that I transfered into my account and immediatly lost.
But it gets better.
The next day I notice ANOTHER 37.00 charge on my account! This time I was very angry and stopped into a branch in downtown Chicago. The manager I talked to was very polite but told me he couldn't reverse the fees himself and that I had to do this at the bank where I opened my account. All the way on the other side of town. So I had to spend most of my day on the cta getting to the other bank. The manager there reversed one of the fees and brought my account up to 0.00 and I made a deposit of 150.00 with my paycheck. Whew I was finally done with this mess! Well after this, I get online when I go home and theres ANOTHER 37.00 overdraft charge. This is INSANE. This "pending" transaction went through before I took care of my account and right after I make a deposit it decides to post, and now I don't have enough in my account for my automatic withdraw for my phone bill.
I also tried speaking with a branch manager about what I can do to prevent this from happening in the future. I was told I could apply for a line of credit that would pick up where my account leaves off if I over spend. (SORRY my credit is non exsistant anymore) Or I could open a 53rd savings account with a minimum of 100.00. Sorry but I don't have 100 dollars anymore because 53rd has squandered away SO much of my money.
I am just very very angry and emotional about what 53rd has done to me. I live in Chicago, I work for minimum wage, I'm a student, and I take care of myself. I can't pay my bills, and especially now since all of my hard earned money has just been frittered away by 53rd. I'm a completely floored by this and now in a complete state of shock. After this most recent run around with 53rd I have 80 dollars to my name. I'm not trying to have a pity party here, But I did use most of my bill payment money to cover these overdraft charges and the truth is... 53rd bank may be the reason I'll be sleeping in a Chicago apartment in the dead of winter with no heat or hot water.
Ill be closing my account on Monday.
Feel free to let me know how 53rd bank has affected your life. It's not just your finances their playing around with, it is your LIFE. With all these charges and the economy being so rough these days I wouldn't be suprised if 53rd Bank is the reason someone gets kicked out onto the street.
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