Once upon a time, we took a second mortage from Colorado National Bank. It came with a line of credit. All well and good.
A few years later, with interest rates way down, we went back to US Bank (the new corporate owners of CNB) and got a new second to replace the first, closing out the original second. All well and good.
Here we are in 2002. We’re doing a complete re-fi of our first, which will pay off our second.
“Hmmmmm, what’s this?” the underwriters say. “You have two more liens against the property than you listed. What’s with that?”
“Huh?”
The CSB second, which was convered over to US Bank, still shows a balance of $200, which means that it, and the line of credit, still exist. US Bank, of course, never told us that.
Margie, the Queen of Phone-Related Stuff, called US Bank up in late April. After several reroutings, she was told, “Hmmm. We can’t see it on our computer. We’ll figure it out and get back to you in 3-7 days.”
Three weeks later, last Monday, she called again. She was routed to some other Shadow Dept. in the US Bank phone tree. “Hmmm. We can’t see what the status is of the first inquiry. We’ll set another group on that and get back to you in 48 hours.”
This afternoon, still no word back from the gnomes at US Bank, she called again.
After being routed hither and thither, and waiting on hold for quite some time, she discovered (a) she was rerouted to a department that couldn’t help her, (b) that person couldn’t route her to anyone who could help her, and (c) that person’s supervisor was unwilling, even after several long, long minutes of (tearful) browbeating, to get her to a manager to complain about the experience as a whole, or to even talk to her. All she got was the direct number of the group that she needed to talk two about second loans.
(If I live to be 100, I owe Margie for being Phone Point Person of the Family.)
At this point, Katherine was waking up, so I went for a long walk with her.
When I got back, Margie was feeling better. She had actually talked to someone (a) who was willing to help, (b) actually could help, and (c) helped her. It looks like progress actually has been made in getting everything closed and reversed and put to bed. Not that anyone had called to let us know this, but at least it looked like progress had been made.
And someone will call tomorrow. They promise.
[For more in this thread, visit here.]
Oh wow can I sympathize with you!I ,too hate U.S. Bank!The company that I am involved with recieved a check from someone who had an account with US Bank and the check bounced.Well, when we called to find out if the check would clear, we were told that it would.Well, when we got to the bank to cash the check, we were told then that they could cash it for a ten dollar fee or we would have to send it back through regular banking channels.We told them, politely and professionally of course,that we did not think that it was right,and we proceeded to remind them that no other bank did that.We tried to get them to suspend that policy for us(we are a pretty formidable company)and they refused.We then said that we would not do business with them, and they said they didnt care.WE do not accept their checks, period.
I completely agree!! We caught US Bank stealing money from us in the form of overdraft fees! We never bounced a check but found them pulling out almost $600. in “overdraft fees”. When I went to the bank branch to find out what was happening the teller admited the problem to the manager who came over to talk to us. He told us there was nothing he could do and reminded us that they were “a company driven by profit.” Needless to say I lost my temper and Told him where he could shove his fees! Later that night my husband spoke to him again and he said he had reconsidered and would do us a BIG FAVOR and reverse the fees, with one condition. That I come back and apologise. My husband told him I would and he reversed them but I NEVER apologised!!
Kat,
Overdraft fees are charged when the bank pays something for you when you don’t have the funds. You probably didn’t balance your checkbook properly. If the bank would have refused payment on your check you would get an NSF charge, as well as a charge from the merchant. Plus your relationship with the merchant would be affected by the returned check. The bank pays the check for you, and the merchant never knows there wasn’t enough to cover it.
If you didn’t check your statement to see you were overdrawn its your fault. When you keep your balance in the negative the bank charges fees every day. When you get a statement, you need to check it and make sure everything is okay. Its your own damn fault if you ignore it while the negative balance fees add up. You were lucky those were all refunded in the first place, as they don’t sound like it was bank error. It sucks when they all add up, but you agreed to these fees when you signed up for the account. So, don’t say they were “stealing” your money. The banking industry is federally regulated, so if you have a problem take it to the federal reserve. They’ll tell you the same thing.
Also, you being pissed that the branch manager told you that the bank is there to get a profit, thats stupid of you. Are you really so nieve to think all banks are here just for public service? They are there to make a profit. They compete with each other, to get the most profits. Just like any other industry. Banks don’t make money off your checking and savings accounts. The money is in credit products, like credit cards and loans. It doesn’t come from overdraft fees.
Quit bashing banks cause you can’t figure em out. If you got charged fees it’s probably because you deserved it. Read your paperwork you got when you recieved your account (you still have that, right?). Should clearly state how overdraft fees are assessed.
ONE YEAR AGO I USED MY VISA DEBIT CARD AND WAS REFUSED DUE TO INSUFF FUNDS. STUFF HAPPENS.LAST MONTH I MADE A PURCHASE AND DID NOT HAVE SUFF FUNDS WHICH SET OFF A CASCADE OF 33 DOLLAR OVERDRAFT FEES TOTALLING APP 600 DOLLARS. I WAS TOLD THAT WHEN A NEW CUSTOMER JOINS US BANK THEY NOTIFY THE POS POINT OF SALE THAT THE CARD BE DECLINED. AFTER YOU ARE A CUSTOMER FOR A WHILE YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY GIVEN THE ”BUFFER” AS THEY CALL IT. WELL I NEVER AKED FOR A BUFFER OR A LOAN THAT CAN ADD UP TO 330%FOR A 1.00 PURCHASE. I WAS TOLD BY THE BANK MANAGER THAT THIS POLICY IS IN PLACE(GET READY FOR THIS) TO SAVE ME EMBARRASSEMENT. WELL I CERTAINLY DONT LIKE GIVING FREE MONEY TO THE BANK. SO I DECIDED TO TEST THE DEPTH OF THEIR CARING. I CAN ALWAYS DEPEND ON THE CASH MACHINE FIRMLY ATTACHED TO THE SIDE OF THE BANK WHERE MY ACCOUNT IS ORIGINATED TOLET ME HAVE MY MONEY WHEN IWANT IT . OF COURSE I CAN ALSO DEPEND ON THE BANK TO KNOW MY BALANCE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. WHEN MY ACOUNT WAS AT ITS LOWEST 3.00 I ASKED FOR 20.00 DOLLARS OF MY OWN MONEY WHICH DIDNT EXIST.NATURALLY ONE WOULD EXPECT AN INSSUFFICIENT FUNDS NOTIFICATION. NOT ANY MORE. EVEN THOGH THE LEFT HAND OF THE MACHINE KNOWS WHAT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE MACHINE IS DOING IT STILL WANTED TO LOAN ME SOME MONEY TO SAVE ME THE AGONY AND SHAME OF BEING SHORT OF CASH IN THE PRIVACY OF MY OWN CAR.NATURALLY I COULD NOT KEEP THIS MONEY SINCE IT WASNT MINE.I WALKED INTO THE BANK AND GAVE THE MONEY BACK TO THE BANK MANAGER WHO INFORMED ME THAT I HAD ALREADY BEEN CHARGED A 33.OO FEE BUT SHE COULD WAIVE IT JUST THIS TIME.IN THIS WORLD OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION THE BANKS AREFINDING EVERY ANGLE TO SQUEEZE EVERY DOLLAR OUT OF EVERY UNSUSPECTING OR SUSPECTING CUSTOMER BECAUSE AFTER ALL WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GO NEXT? TO THE OTHER BANK?…….. WHOS GOT THE TIME OR ENERGY TO FIGHT THIS KIND OF THING TO THE END. WITH SOME HELP I WOULD BUT WHERE DO YOU START. CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS THE MEDIA OR DO YOU JUST LIE DOWN LIKE A LAMB AND BLEAT INTO YOUR PILLOW. ANYONE WHO WANTS TO EMAIL ME AT ESEER@EARTHLINK.NET IS MORE THAN WELCOME. BY THE WAY. ILL BET KAT HAS A NICE FAT MINIMUM BALANCE AND NO KIDS NO MORTGAGE NO LIFE AND 2 CATS.
BY THE WAY DAVE, YOUR PICTURES ARE JUST BEUTIFULL.I LOVE MY KIDS TOO.33.00WOULD BUY A MOST CHARMING YELLOW HAT FOR A CHILD.PS YOU LOOK A LITTLE LIKE JERRY GARCIA.
Sam,
ATMs will often allow you to withdraw money you don’t have in case it’s an emgergency. As an account holder YOU are responsible for knowing your balance at all times.
You’d be pissed if you had $19.00 in your account and were stranded and needed to get gas for you car, and the ATM would not give $20, cause you were a buck short.
As far as a lawsuit, you signed an agreement when you opened a checking account agreeing to all the fees and charges. Have a fun time in court with that.
I have a US Bank story that I wanted to voice and noticed your website. I have been fighting with US Bank over a house title for months now. It all started with a claim I had filed with the insurance company for hail damage to the roof of my home. When I received the check, both my name and US Bank’s name were on the check. I went to cash the check to pay for the repairs and was told that I had to submit receipts for all work performed prior to receiving a signature for the money. One – you can’t have costly repairs performed before they give you the money that is rightfully yours and two – they wouldn’t sign the check even after I provided proof of repairs!
I became frustrated with the process and proceeded to refinance my home and have their name taken off of the title so I would no longer have to deal with them.
Another thing I forgot to mention – they never sent a payment book for the payments. I had to go to the bank and pay each month – I was given a phone number of who to call each and every time I went in, but no one ever bothered to call me back.
After having the paperwork go thru for the refinance – I went to the bank and paid for my home. I was told it would take approximately 10 days for the check to clear and for the paperwork to be done for the title – this was back in April, 2003! It is now the middle of July and I have yet to see anything. After numerous phone calls I was finally told that the title had been mailed in early June. When I inquired as to where it was sent I was told that if I didn’t have an address as to where they sent it I couldn’t be told – I had no idea where these people mailed this title so there is no way I can guess as which address it went to – all I know is it wasn’t mine!
Another tactic US Bank is good at is not giving any information as to who to contact or any kind of phone number to contact anyone. I tried and tried to get someone’s name or number so I could complain and I always just got customer service.
After many more phone calls, I called the better business bureau to file a complaint. I actually received a letter from US Bank, but still no title. They (US Bank) claimed they did nothing wrong and gave me all the information they had. I was also told that the postal service did not leave mail at an address that was not the recipient – what county are they living in – I get other people’s mail all the time!! Anyway, after the BBB sent them the complaint – they came up with a name and address as to where my title was sent which happened to be the original owner of my home – approximately 3 people back on the ownership list. With my frustrations, I called the insurance company who agreed to send me a new reimbursement check taking US Bank off as co-owner after I proved they were no longer on the title. I also called the company I bought my home from and they agreed not to do business with US Bank any longer due to the fact that they could never get their phone calls returned and could not get an answer on when the title would be sent out.
I have had the worst experience with this bank and hope that no one else has to deal with the incompentance that I have had to deal with over the past months.
I was glad to hear of your website so people have a place to voice their frustrations.
Thank you,
M. Kelly
I want to speak to Sam, the idiot above about his statements in favor of the U.S. banking institution.
U.S. Bank is the most fraudulant, lying, uninformative, and deceptive of any banking institution that I have ever had the nightmare 0f banking with.
32.00 overdraft fees are absolutely rediculous. There is no reasoning to charge such a high fee for such a small task.
I bank with two other banking institutions and never have a problem with overdraft charges or miscommunication.
U.S. Bank actually hires people to take the most advantage of their patrons if there is a mistake made in regards to their account. Almost every problem I have had is in the way that they have managed my account.
The asshole above says that it is my complete responsibility to make sure that I never have an overdraft charge. Well asshole, what kind of responsibility do you think my banking institution have? balancing an account takes two idiot. The banking institution should have the same balance and records as you keep in your own journal.
I could guess that I had to go to my bank for (banking) errors over 25 times in the last year and had to prove that I made certain deposits.
These idiots will actually wait until they can see that they can hit you with a number of overdraft charges in one day before they will process checks, atm, etc. They will save debits up, hit you with the largest one in order to bring your account negative, and then run all the small ones so that they can hit you with 32.00 fees for all of it, then they will run whatever they can find the next day to run against the negative balance to accrue more penalties.
You don’t know with U.S. Bank about any overdraft charges until the day that they appear and then it is too late.
They lie and say that they pay things as they come in When in reality they batch all of your debits until they can make some money off of you. I have seen my account inactive for over two weeks when I was creating debits every day but everything mystically came in on one day for the last two weeks, get real.
I closed my account with U.S. Bank and I tell everyone that I meet never to use them. I work in an industry that brings me in front of hundreds of people every week and if they feel that my departure from them doesn’t hurt there bottom line they will never know the amount of clients that they will never have because of the way that they have conducted business with me. That asshole Sam sounds like one of the robots that I have dealt with at U.S. Bank, saying that it is my responsibility to balance my account, not the banks. Well, what happened to customer service? I was under the impression when I opened the bank that they would be looking out for my best interest. Ya right.
I am seriously considering a class action lawsuit in regards to their deceptive business practices and by the way Sam no matter what it says in writing, if a jury or judge believes that an institution has been deceptive or unfair, you can sue them, but you are an idiot, don”t even know why I am responding to you except that what you wrote pissed me off.
I think it is you limited capacity to understand common sense business practices and just because someone can do a thing does not mean that they should do that thing. Like astronomica overdraft charges that the banking client knows nothing about until it is too late.
Asshole.
I don’t think that Sam is the one who wrote the nasty comments. I can’t read that name though.
I too have had a problem with U.S. Bank and NSF Fees. I just hung up on the Branch Manager. I should have went into the branch and created a scene. Maybe they would have refunded my nsf fees just to get me out of the bank!
Anyway, I have a problem with how they items through as well as the previous poster. They really DO run the biggest item through first. This way, can charge you the greatest amount of nsf fees. If you have 5 things hit your account in a single day, and the bank has enough money to pay 4 of those 5 items, they don’t.
I would LOVE to get a class action suit started as well. My email address is sirrowan@earthlink.net. If you have any ideas, or would just like to vent, email me.
Yes we DO run them Largest to smallest because IF THAT WERE YOUR HOUSE PAYMENT (us adults have large payments that come out regularily I know most of your trailor are paid off already and youre driving your parents car) It is in the CUSTOMERS best interests to pay the checks larges to smalles in case something DOES happen where the last few dont get paid. Thats so you dont LOSE YOU HOUSE OR CAR YOU IDIOTS. You would be the SAME person calling if we posted checks in reverse order, because when you spent that extra 20 at the liquor store, your mortage payment dosent make it through. Grow up and stop writing checks for more money than you have in your acct and you wont have those problems. KNOW how much you have. If you write checks for more than whats in your acct, adn we pay it, youve STOLEN MONEY FROM THE BANK. WE DID YOU a favor but covering your broke ass and paying for your beer and charging you an NSF fee. That was for the INSTANT loan we provided you without a credit check, or even knowing if you would pay it back. Get a job where you make some money, close your legs stop having kids, and get your life together. GROW up and TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for your actions. EVERYONE who is mad at the bank is actually mad at themselves and need to redirect their anger somewhere else, just like a child would do. Read the brochures before you sign them idiots.
This seems as good a point as any to note that I don’t filter commentary here, which is the personal opinions, experiences, judgments, grammar, spelling, and emotional maturity of the writer. Your mileage may vary.
BTW my email is USBank_employee@yahoo.com
Ill be happy to give 5 star (after hours) service to anyone who has questions or complaints.
Fear my ALL CAPS…fear them!
Well, heck, JJ, with such a positive attitude toward customer complaints as you have, I can’t imagine anyone turning down an offer like that!
Make no fees, pay no fees. If you don’t want to pay an overdraft fee, don’t become overdrawn. If you don’t know a policy at a bank ask. If you don’t like the specific policy or still don’t understand it, take your money out of the bank. The 1st National Bank of My Own Damn Wallet doesn’t charge any fees and I can easily tell how much money is in there. Then again I can’t try expect to get something for nothing out of my wallet.
Mark,
You claim US Bank holds debits until they know they will overdraft you. If you don’t write checks exceeding your balance then that’s impossible.
Obviously, you don’t balance your checkbook.
I have never had an account at U.S Bank. But just from my experience with them where I work, I would never, ever use this bank. They are the most screwed up operation I have ever seen. Totally incompetent, careless, apathetic towards their customers. First they were STAR BANK, then they changed to FIRSTAR, then U.S. BANK in a very short time. They absolutely do not care about their customers. Period.
I opened a checking account in January 18th with $90, $10 less than required. Which I thought was nice of them to accommodate me. Since that time I have had the worst experience of any institution I have ever dealt with. I opened the account to have direct deposit with my KICKASS new job. My employer has an online self service direct deposit setup. When I setup my account I was told that it would begin within 2-3 weeks. Which actually took more than a month. After speaking with Jason-Branch Manager, Chris- Sales and Service, Jessica-Teller had told me that Wells Fargo had removed their routing # as an ACH Participant. Which was apparently the reason why my direct deposit failed after several attempts by my employer.
At one point, until I could get my direct deposit setup my account dropped down to $1.09 on 02/01/05. The next day I was charged an NSF fee of $30 a day before I actually had overdrawn. Where I was charged a second NSF fee(which I understood to be fair for the one time I had overdrawn $10.00). I went in and spoke with Jason-Branch Manager about the double fee and how I was charged twice. He apologized and said that he would reverse them both.(I felt that was more than fair BTW) I am not writing this as a “woe-is-me” story about how the evil bank took my money. I am more than willing to pay when I overdraw. In my case, however, I have been charged multiple NSF fees for a single overdraft. Needless to say, a few days went by and the $7 a day fee kept adding up and by 02/10/05 my balance was -$96.91. After speaking with Jason AGAIN(aren’t caps kewl?) the next day I was credited $88.00 as he could not explain why I was charged n NSF fee before I was actually overdrawn. AGAIN: I WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR THE SINGLE OVERDRAFT THE FIRST DAY I SPOKE WITH HIM AND HE TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT.(WHICH WAS MORE THAN FAIR)
Then on 02/17/05 I logged in to my online account to see that $3000 had been deposited into my account leaving me a balance of $3000.09. The next day it somehow vanished as mysteriously as it appeared. I have never been given an accurate explanation of what happened to my account when I was looking. I had only a balance then of $.09 because I was planning to close my account and told them that I was shopping for a different bank first. I didn’t login from 02/10/05 until the 17th and when I did I had money that I knew wasn’t mine. It had only given me an available balance of $100.09. The only thing they could tell me is that “maybe the money was put there by a teller by mistake.” DUHHH…. That still didn’t answer my questions which were how, who, what and where this occurred. My problems with that are first of all: My employer gives an annual bonus of $3000, so it could seem like a trick to cause me to overdraw. Second: how do I know that my account is not being used for illegal purposes? A: I don’t. When I went in the next day it was completely removed from any account record. Fortunately for me I printed my statement from the previous evening. Otherwise, I would have no kind of proof. Not that it mattered….
Now today, I logged in and even though I was only overdrawn $2.00 for parking at the airport. BTW: that only happened because I was overcharged $1.50 x 5= $7.50 while checking my balance ony one time outside of the network while in San Francisco. Needless to say, I was expecting a few dollars in the account until I could get back home in KY to deposit some cash without be charged to do it. I was charged 3 times for a total of $90 in NSF fees for a -$2.00 OD.
I was in the bank yesterday 03/15/05 and had deposited $100 to get my balance back to normal after taking a trip to CA over the weekend. I discussed it with Stephanie-Teller that if need be I would pay a NSF for the one overdraft. She said that I should be alright since I deposited the money the same day. She also talked me into applying for OD protection which I agreed was a good idea. Considering that unlike some of the oh-so-smart-club who post here(probably to defend their “higher banking ethics”)- I know that I am human and it is possible to make a mistake. Why not the teller made a mistake and where was my compensation for my “loss”? In a world of scenarios: I could have been terminally ill and needed the money just to add insult to injury. I know that I am reaching here but it should be considered acceptable behavior. After all it doesn’t stop US Bank from reaching into my wallet beyond what they are actually allowed. It is perfectly OK for them to mess with my account with impunity while I can barely get a straight answer from anyone regarding any of this….
So if someone says to me, “oh, you should have kept a register” – I did. My plan is to go in to the main branch here first thing tomorrow and offer for them to keep $60 of it for the initial and legitimate Overdraft on 02/04/05 and for this weeks one and only OD. Where I will then close my account. Otherwise, they will only make $30 from me that wasn’t rightfully theirs per their own agreement.
I’m sure that JJ and Kat will revel in my horrors with US Bank as they are no doubt trolling the net right now to remind everyone how fucking perfect they are and how the rest of us are just idiots for banking with them in the first place. Well, on that single point I will agree.
However, I personally have no kids, own my own home, own my own vehicles, don’t troll the net like they do, and most importantly don’t have the delusion that my low-pay-shit-ass bank teller position makes me such an authority on the finer points of financial institutions. Since I probably make more money than they do anyways. I could not care any less.
All that I can say is keep counting that money for me, JJ and Kat, you darlings of the banking industry you….:)
The best bank has always been my wallet anyways….
Quote: “Make no fees, pay no fees. If you don’t want to pay an overdraft fee, don’t become overdrawn.â€
US Bank does not work like that
For anyone who thinks US Bank does not have an overdraft policy engineered to take peoples money, go to my website for proof that they do indeed.
I just finished reading through all the comments about USBank and their OD/NSF policy. I too have had a few rounds of getting fees taken out that they set up to pay them. YES !!! They do take out the larger amounts first and then they can screw you on all the little stuff. I bank a lot on line and am told that what my account balance shows on line and what the balance actually is are 2 different things. I deposit A LOT of checks into my accounts and most all are drawn on other USBank accounts,yet they make just a portion of the amount “Available”. This is how they mess you over. They let our supposed OD”s go through instead of “holding” the check back til’ they decide to give us our rightful that cover our checks or debits… BULL.Another thing is the way you deposit thru ATM machines at the bank and the bank gives you a basically non-usuable balance receipt.I am told that the ATM transactions ARE NOT processed at my bank but go thru another area entirely. Their motto should be WE supply the lubricant and give you an ass to work with.
I have spent hours w/US Bank trying to get them help me with my sons checking account. He is traveling for two months in Europe and at one point was overdrawn. This set off a cascade of overdraft charges so every time we put money in to cover the overdrafts the fees ate it up causing more overdrafts causign more fees! I BEGGED them to help me. I got some sob sorry from a customer service agent about how he helped raise his girlfriends baby! Who cares! Help me with this problem. He made me leave a message for some local manager who will be calling me back. Yeah! Right! I could go on about how the teller treated me but you all know what a bad bank this is. And, this is the bank of the Marquette University! I want my son to put info on how bad they are on his Marquette University facebook page.
I don’t know if there are any good banks out there, they are all a bunch of Shylocks. We need legislation to protect consumers from these outrageous interest rates on overdrawn accounts. Because that it what it boils down to…they give you a loan and charge you what could be 1000 percent inteterest.
When my son gets home he is getting out of US Bank as I had suggested before he left…but did he listen?