What's the worst bank you've ever been with?

[Free4Life11]

I remember when I went out to school, I had a $1000 money order with me. I was going to use it for books and whatnot. Well I opened an account at Fleet, only to find out they had terrible hours. Closed at 4 p.m. on Fridays and weren't open on Saturdays. Anyways I made a deposit via the ATM, knowing I could only get $100 and expecting the rest to show up next week. Well suffice it so say, they told me the money wouldn't be available for a week. I explained that it wasn't a personal check, but a money order. Apparently that didn't matter. Then I asked for them to cancel the deposit and find the money order and I will go to a currency exchange or some place that will give me my money right away, but they said it was too late. Then I found out they charge a fee just for seeing the teller!! I was so mad and freaking out...here I am 1000 miles from home with no money, just a little cash! I had to call home and have my parents fax their credit card number to the bookstore so I could get my books. When it finally cleared I went in and got my money, closed the account, and stormed out. Then they had to the nerve to send me a bill one month later for $25 for CHECKS! I went in again and said he77 no I closed this account and refused to pay. 6 months later, I got a statement in the mail. Turns out no one ever actually closed my account.

Next day I went to Citizen's Bank and never had a single problem there!

What are you bank horror stories??

 

[Planogirl]

Chase. No horror stories really but their fees are enormous and they are extremely slow about clearing checks.

 

[kbkids]

I hated the local credit union we used that was affiliated with my DH's job. No ATM - seriously. We only used them for savings (which not having an ATM was a good thing) and our car loan. Tellers were rude - with the exception of one that I knew from working with her at another bank. But the kicker was when my DH was out for a brief period on medical leave. He was out for 10 weeks. The car loan was debited each month from his savings account automatically. We had a set amount going into his savings as well each month, debited from his payroll - in the amount of the car loan plus extra just for savings. Well, he didn't get paid those 10 weeks. The first month the car loan was due, I doublechecked the savings account to make sure it came out like normal - it did, so I didn't worry about it anymore. Six weeks later, I get a letter from the credit union that his car loan is two weeks past due. I look up the savings account and see that they didn't take it out. So, I go down to the credit union. "Well, he didn't have a paycheck that week." Huh?? He didn't have a paycheck the last month either, but you took it out of his savings like normal. "Well, you just got lucky." Um, pretty inconsistent of you guys, don't you think? "Well, his payroll was inconsistent." I lost it at that point. You could clearly see through the paper trail that the car loan amount was debited from his check, put into savings, and then debited from savings. The money was in savings to cover the loan, so I pulled it all out, payed off the loan, closed the account, closed my kids' savings, and never looked back.

Hated that place!!

 

[motherhen17404]

The worst bank we ever dealt with was Baltimore Federal Savings Bank. We got a cashiers check from them for our rent, and they bounced it! Yes, I know there is no way to bounce a cashiers check, but they did. No one at the local branch would believe me that this happened. I even had a copy of the letter our landlord got. I ended up having to go to the president of bank and have him work it out. We never even got an apology from them, or a letter to our landlord to explain what happened. We moved our money the next day. They went out of business a year later.

 

[Kimickey]

The worst bank I've been with is Andrews Federal Credit Union.

 

[N.Bailey]

Mellon Bank was the worst we've ever dealt with.

One time, we deposited hubby's check (worked for the State) and headed to Toys R Us on a Friday (we were young at the time and had little $$) to buy something (I can't remember what, but was about $200). On Monday or Tuesday, the bank called and told us that the check at Toys R Us bounced because we deposited a check that hadn't cleared yet. They were charging us a fee for bouncing a check, but they were actually going to go ahead and resubmit the payment so it doesn't bounce with Toys R Us too. I was madder than heck!

So, from then on, my husband would go thru the drive thru to cash his check. He'd wait on the clerk to hand him back the cash, then he'd make a cash deposit into our checking account. They'd get so mad at him, but there was nothing they could do about it. We know it wasn't the cashiers too. They were only following the bank's instructions.

I can't remember what they did that actually forced us to leave and go elsewhere (it wasn't this episode), but this episode and some other things were enough to do us in.

Before anyone starts defending the bank, I've dealt with many thru the years and none have ever withheld making a deposit until the checked cleared. Especially when you work for the state. Like that's not going to clear?

 

[olena]

Suntrust. They kept sending us Fake-Visa Check cards in the mail against repeated protests from us. They told us that really want all their customers to have and use them. We changed to Wachovia a few years ago over this and they have yet to send us one. They may not be on the top of the list with a lot of folks, but at least they comply with our simple requests.

 

[kbkids]

My bank is now placing holds on large cashier's check. HUH??? Not to get into my personal business, but we sold a house, sold a truck, and had proceeds from a legal settlement go through our account in the past three years. These are not typical deposits for us - but each check was a cashier's check from a LOCAL bank - they held it for 10 days.

One of them, I just ended up cashing at the local bank it was drawn off of and taking it to my bank. Never been so nervous in my life getting from point A to point B.

 

[disneymom3]

Wells Fargo hands down. Their policy of A clearing checks before deposits--even cash deposits is stupid. And their other policy that ticks me off is that they clear the biggest item first, thereby ensuring that they will get the most in overdraft fees possible.

ETA__and Kbkids, guess what I just got in my email? This is why your bank is holding cashier's checks

Dearest Friend.


I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting the fund transferred under the cooperation of a new partner from South Korea. Presently i'm in Seoul for an investment projects with my own share of the total sum.
meanwhile,i didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in transferring those funds despite that it failed us some how.
Now contact my secretary,his name is Vincent Mikel and his email
address is mivincentprivate1@yahoo.com ask him to send you the total
$800.000.00 in a Certificate Bank Draft which i kept for your compensation for all the past efforts and attempts to assist me in this matter. I appreciated your efforts atthat time very much. so feel free and get in touched with my secretary Vincent Mikel and instruct him where to send the amount to you.
Please do let me know immediately you receive it so that we can share the joy after all the sufferness at that time. in the moment, i am very busy here because of the investment projects which me and the new partner are having at hand, finally, remember that I had forwarded instruction to the secretary on your behalf to receive that money, so feel free to get in touch with Mr.Vincent Mikel and he will send the amount to you without any delay.

Mr Paul Moussa

 

[kydisneyfans]

Farmers Bank Georgetown, KY-we opened accounts upon moving here and inquired if we could get a certified check drawn on our accounts in Ohio for a house downpayment-were told that would be no problem-the money could be transferred.

Went in an hour before closing on the home-was told that whoever gave me that information was wrong and there was nothing they could do--well they did--we got our checking and savings money in cash and left.

Luckily the builder accepted a personal check for $8,000 after calling our Credit Union in Ohio to verify funds.

 

[Free4Life11]

Wells Fargo hands down. Their policy of A clearing checks before deposits--even cash deposits is stupid. And their other policy that ticks me off is that they clear the biggest item first, thereby ensuring that they will get the most in overdraft fees possible.

I am with them and had no idea they did this! Their overdraft fees are high too! I have noticed that check deposits take a while to clear.

 

[N.Bailey]

Wells Fargo probably includes cash deposits to get around customers like my husband.

I've never dealt with any other bank than Mellon that doesn't instantly deposit payroll checks.

 

[Free4Life11]

Wells Fargo didn't. I remember I went in on Friday right after I got my check and was told the funds wouldn't be available until Monday (next business day). I asked her that I thought all checks were now eletronic, due to the Check 25 law or something and she said nope...

 

[kbkids]

Wells Fargo hands down. Their policy of A clearing checks before deposits--even cash deposits is stupid. And their other policy that ticks me off is that they clear the biggest item first, thereby ensuring that they will get the most in overdraft fees possible.

ETA__and Kbkids, guess what I just got in my email? This is why your bank is holding cashier's checks

Dearest Friend.


I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting the fund transferred under the cooperation of a new partner from South Korea. Presently i'm in Seoul for an investment projects with my own share of the total sum.
meanwhile,i didn't forget your past efforts and attempts to assist me in transferring those funds despite that it failed us some how.
Now contact my secretary,his name is Vincent Mikel and his email
address is mivincentprivate1@yahoo.com ask him to send you the total
$800.000.00 in a Certificate Bank Draft which i kept for your compensation for all the past efforts and attempts to assist me in this matter. I appreciated your efforts atthat time very much. so feel free and get in touched with my secretary Vincent Mikel and instruct him where to send the amount to you.
Please do let me know immediately you receive it so that we can share the joy after all the sufferness at that time. in the moment, i am very busy here because of the investment projects which me and the new partner are having at hand, finally, remember that I had forwarded instruction to the secretary on your behalf to receive that money, so feel free to get in touch with Mr.Vincent Mikel and he will send the amount to you without any delay.

Mr Paul Moussa

Oh, I understand why - but I'm talking a local bank - not a national bank. A local bank that is two blocks down from my bank - 10 days??? - that's two weeks. I worked in banking for 8 years - a local check has cleared within 2-3 days. A check that was signed by the branch manager who could easily be called to verify it. Our bank (AmSouth) keeps saying that everyone is doing, but the local bank (I bank with both) says that AmSouth is the only one they are having problems with. All of the other national banks around here will call them to verify the check if the customer needs the funds released sooner.

To top it off, we had two large checks deposited within 4 days of each during the legal settlement. The first one (which was the smaller one) was held for ten days. The second one (deposited 4 days later - which was much larger) - no hold on whatsoever. The branch manager told me that it was totally random, and since my balance was higher right now, due to the other check that was actually still on hold, that the system probably just overroad the hold on the second - HUH??

I told her, "You know, if I deposited checks like this often, I'd be changing banks today." You won't believe what she said. "If you deposited checks like this often, the system probably wouldn't place a hold on them." She wasn't being rude - actually kinda thought it was silly herself but said her hands were tied. The system won't even let them override the "check ID" when you cash a check. One of the tellers is my best friend from high school - she has to ask me for my ID every time.

 

[disneymom3]

Wells Fargo didn't. I remember I went in on Friday right after I got my check and was told the funds wouldn't be available until Monday (next business day). I asked her that I thought all checks were now eletronic, due to the Check 25 law or something and she said nope...

Yep, we were dealing with direct deposit when we had the overdraft problem. Same thing had happened to my sister and I didn't know about it until I was griping to her about what happened with us. It was DHs payday, we had direct deposit so I assumed the money was there and used my check card for a pretty hefty purchase. We also had checks clear that day that would have been fine if we had not had the check card purchase. All of them bounced (or incurred a fee, rather) and then the cleared the automatic deposit. What I couldn't figure out was why the approved the check card purchase in the first place since if the deposit hadn't cleared there really wasn't enough money in there for it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

All of my banks. (Barnett, First Union, Space Coast Credit Union, Riverside Bank (charges for EVERYTHING--under the smokescreen that they are FREE), and I think that is about it).

That is why we are with USAA. We LOVE them! Our deposits clear just as fast as they receive their little envelopes and they can note them in the computer. They even rebate us for the first 10 (I think) ATM transactions per month. For not having branches and dealing with them completely by mail and internet--better than any bank I've ever been a member of.

I do have an account locally with Washington Mutual. Don't love 'em or hate 'em. It is simply a Bricks and mortar location to deposit cash. Had a slight issue with overdraft (something about you dont' have it until after you are a member with them for so long). But other than that...just deposit pennies there!

 

[golfgal]

Personally I have had bank accounts with what is now Wells Fargo (Was Norwest bank here) for over 20 years and have never had an issue with them. I have to say, though, that people are really blaming their bank for things that are their own problems. If you are writing checks with the hopes that they don't clear the bank before your deposit goes in is NOT the fault of the bank. Of course they are going to clear withdrawals before deposits, they are a bank, not a charity and they are in the business to make money, not offer free loans to people.

We have no fees associated with any of our accounts, free checks even. The only fee we get is if we use a non-Wells ATM, but pretty much every bank does that.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

My bank is now placing holds on large cashier's check. HUH??? Not to get into my personal business, but we sold a house, sold a truck, and had proceeds from a legal settlement go through our account in the past three years. These are not typical deposits for us - but each check was a cashier's check from a LOCAL bank - they held it for 10 days.

One of them, I just ended up cashing at the local bank it was drawn off of and taking it to my bank. Never been so nervous in my life getting from point A to point B.

The big scam issue right now is fake cashier's checks. I think all of the banks are doing 10 day holds on them. I've worked for 3 banks in the past 13 years, Key, Washington Mutual and now US Bank. They are all pretty much the same.

Standard policy is that cashier's checks and visa convenience checks all have a 10 day hold. Depending on the bank that regular checks are drawn on and where they are clearing out of - it can be a 2 day hold, 5 day hold, or a 10 day hold. Most of this is dictated by the Feds. but branch managers often do have the authority to override holds. I often do this for my large commercial customers.

 

[Mari annie]

Sun Bank & Citibank
both jokes!

2 weeks and counting......

 

[ericamanda01]

Wells Fargo almost got me kicked out of the Navy. I had accounts with WF and everything was going great for the first year or so. Then all of a sudden there were tons of overdrafts and I had no money. I only wrote one check a month for my rent, so I didn't know what it was from. They sent letters to my command, telling them how I was bouncing checks all over town and that this was a form of theft. Needless to say my command was VERY unhappy with me. So much so that I almost had to go to Capt.'s mass. Well after weeks of research I found out through an employee that they had printed up checks for someone else, and by mistake put my account number on them. It took 2 months to get it straight. Once I had all my money back, they never even apologized and offered me 6 months with no fees. I closed my account then and there and I have never stepped foot in a WF since.