Bank of America.. You're not going to believe this!

[EE33]

How the hell did the bank allow/authorise payment when there wasn't sufficient funds in the account in the 1st place.

You must have a very good credit rating Paul.

[swatty]

Originally Posted by EE33

How the hell did the bank allow/authorise payment when there wasn't sufficient funds in the account in the 1st place.

Thats what I was thinking

[hhh007]

Here was the last straw incident that made me tell BofA to take a hike:

BofA had just opened a large branch near my house, a big fancy one with about 8 drive thru lanes and a big lobby. I go in one day holding 2 large zip lock bags filled with quarters from my quarter jar at home, and as I walk in a greeter says hello and welcome to BofA (what in the heck does a bank need a greeter for anyways?) I walk towards where the teller area is and notice they do not have the usual islands with the pens, deposit slips, etc. and I thought that was very odd. I also thought it was odd they had a large area with couches and magazine racks and a big TV (who goes to a bank to read and watch TV?)

So I finally get to the teller and lay both bags of quarters on the counter and ask her to change them into bills for me please. She says "I'm sorry sir, we don't count coins at this location" So I say "what do you mean, this is a bank" She replies, "we don't have a coin counting machine at this location". I paused for a moment thinking to myself what kind of an idiotic bank has a greeter and a huge lounge area but doesn't have pens and deposit slips and a coin counting machine? So I tell her ok that I just want to deposit the quarters into my checking account then please. She then tells me tellers are not allowed to accept or count over $10.00 in loose coins during peak lobby hours. I then ask her if a can please speak with a manager and she tells me yes, and would I please have a seat because they are all currently assisting other clients.

So I just walk out in disgust holding my bags of quarters as the greeter smiles and cheerfully tells me thank you for coming to BofA and to have a nice day.

[abigsecret]

Originally Posted by CoopJr

Hope it all works out for you Paul. These jack wads took over my mortgage lender and now I'm stuck with them.

Same here

Paul, I'm sorry you have to deal with this BS !

[DWdrummer]

They are well hated by many and for very good reason. I had an account with them for two years and that was enough fo me too.

I bank with Fifth Third but want to go with a credit union here soon.

[Prince]

Well Paul, I bank at BOA, and they would NEVER do that to me!

Seriously, that is a mess, my friend. I agree that there should have been red flags all over this transaction. I certainly hope that this has been resolved, or will be shortly.

[Green Sub]

BTW, in the USA, we can now opt out of overdraft protection. Get the change in writing and store it in a safe place. That's what I did about 6 months ago for my 2 BofA checking accounts.

[pz93c]

Chase ain't bad.

[daveathall]

After my wife died my building society (now a bank) kept sending me letters with both our names on the envelope even though I had informed them about her death, when I went into the branch they promised that they would sort it out, the next letter I received from them was addressed to; Mr David A ******* and Mrs C A ******* (deceased)

I nearly throttled the manager.

I am not with them any more.

[TheVTCGuy]

Upate.... It's 10:10AM... and I've been on the phone with them since about 7:30....


Don't ask me to say any more as I'll get banned for sure......

[Dqman]

Originally Posted by DWdrummer

They are well hated by many and for very good reason. I had an account with them for two years and that was enough fo me too.

I bank with Fifth Third but want to go with a credit union here soon.

I am in Wisconsin but my family and I have been back and forth to FL numerous times since July to deal with a death in the family. We always comment to each other as we drive by a Fifth Third. That has to be the dumbest name for a bank.

Chris

[grew]

BofA is one of the worst companies in all of America (not far behind are the other large financial institutions)

I only Trust USAA and local banks

[axxeman01]

Originally Posted by Dqman

I am in Wisconsin but my family and I have been back and forth to FL numerous times since July to deal with a death in the family. We always comment to each other as we drive by a Fifth Third. That has to be the dumbest name for a bank.

Chris

I think a "Third Fifth" would be a good name for a bank. Stop there on your way to the liquor store.

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by axxeman01

I think a "Third Fifth" would be a good name for a bank. Stop there on your way to the liquor store.

That is the exact reason they did not got with "Third Fifth" Bank. Two banks merged during prohibition, Fifth National Bank and Third National Bank and they created the Fifth Third National Bank. They thought Third Fifth sounded two much like booze.

[enronforme]

Originally Posted by hhh007

Here was the last straw incident that made me tell BofA to take a hike:

BofA had just opened a large branch near my house, a big fancy one with about 8 drive thru lanes and a big lobby. I go in one day holding 2 large zip lock bags filled with quarters from my quarter jar at home, and as I walk in a greeter says hello and welcome to BofA (what in the heck does a bank need a greeter for anyways?) I walk towards where the teller area is and notice they do not have the usual islands with the pens, deposit slips, etc. and I thought that was very odd. I also thought it was odd they had a large area with couches and magazine racks and a big TV (who goes to a bank to read and watch TV?)

So I finally get to the teller and lay both bags of quarters on the counter and ask her to change them into bills for me please. She says "I'm sorry sir, we don't count coins at this location" So I say "what do you mean, this is a bank" She replies, "we don't have a coin counting machine at this location". I paused for a moment thinking to myself what kind of an idiotic bank has a greeter and a huge lounge area but doesn't have pens and deposit slips and a coin counting machine? So I tell her ok that I just want to deposit the quarters into my checking account then please. She then tells me tellers are not allowed to accept or count over $10.00 in loose coins during peak lobby hours. I then ask her if a can please speak with a manager and she tells me yes, and would I please have a seat because they are all currently assisting other clients.

So I just walk out in disgust holding my bags of quarters as the greeter smiles and cheerfully tells me thank you for coming to BofA and to have a nice day.

No offense, but that's pretty common- you can't expect to walk into a branch with bags of change and expect them to count them for you. They should have offered you various rolling papers (penny, nickel, etc.) to do it yourself and bring back to them.
Bob

ps. BOFA really does suck at customer service

[robertneville]

brian.t.moynihan@bankofamerica.com. email of BOA CEO! give it a shot!

[ParisDakarBmw]

WOW!

That really is a pre-paid phone!

[dmacintyre]

Don't get me started on BoA. We occasionally get unauthorized charges to our account which are probably card cloning and such like. We usually report them and get a refund (eventually). However, we frequently have our own transactions declined because the security programs they use flag them up as card fraud. I would like to know how they manage to implement a system which rejects authorized use and allows fraud to slip through unquestioned.

I had one situation in Frys when I was trying to buy a camera. Transaction was declined three times by the BoA security system. I was on the phone to BoA when standing at the checkout to confirm I was making the purchase and it wasn't fraud. BoA rep told me that although I had confirmed it was a genuine transaction that the security system would continue to decline it as it had "learned" that a major purchase at that store was card fraud. I had to go home and order it online and the transaction went through.

[pz93c]

Originally Posted by dmacintyre

I had one situation in Frys when I was trying to buy a camera. Transaction was declined three times by the BoA security system. I was on the phone to BoA when standing at the checkout to confirm I was making the purchase and it wasn't fraud. BoA rep told me that although I had confirmed it was a genuine transaction that the security system would continue to decline it as it had "learned" that a major purchase at that store was card fraud. I had to go home and order it online and the transaction went through.

That's reason enough to change banks.

[dmacintyre]

Originally Posted by pz93c

That's reason enough to change banks.

What's worse is that I had a transaction declined just yesterday - the deposit for my new Sub-C. Now that really is annoying.

[rfknauss]

Paul, I certainly hope that this gets resolved to your satisfaction!

[hhh007]

<<< No offense, but that's pretty common- you can't expect to walk into a branch with bags of change and expect them to count them for you. They should have offered you various rolling papers (penny, nickel, etc.) to do it yourself and bring back to them. >>>


Really? Well that's the first time in my life I've ever heard of a major bank that doesn't have a coin counting machine. I thought that was pretty much standard equipment for a large bank along with an island in the lobby with pens and deposit slips (which they also didn't have.) On the other hand, every Fifth Third branch I've visited so far has a big self serve coin counter where you just dump in all your change and it spits out a receipt you take over to any teller and get bills, I think that's neat.

I also have accts. with Chase and even their tiny little locations at supermarkets have coin counting machines and are happy to do it for free for customers.

Even with the coin counting machines thing aside, I still think BofA stinks, and that was just one of many bad experiences I've had with them, and thankfully the last.

[drtooth73]

I always enjoy reading your posts, Paul!
You are set with Verizon for life.

[TheVTCGuy]

Upadate: 1:39 PM

Just left the branch after a meeting with the manager, and regional somebody or other. They fell all over themselves, my account now shows a positive balance again, a whopping $335.00 which, honestly, is where it normally is. I just use it for play money when I go to the casino. HOWEVER, they said tomorrow, the ATM might show a negative balance again as they will (electronically) try to send the same amount. I ask the stupidist of questions: "Can't you stop that attempted payment?" How foolish of me, to think something like that would be possible. They explain.. "No" Once the transaction is put in motion, the bank tries to send the money, even if the first was denied to insufficient funds. Having a Masters Degree in Electical Engineering, I ask them to explain how they can't stop it... I guess the machines really are in charge at B of A.

They assure me, even if the ATM shows a negative balance during the day, it will be cleared back to normal tomorrow at Midnight and that will be the end of it. I said: "You know what else will be the end of it? If I close all my B of A accounts right now and walk out of here, THAT will surely be the end of it!" The didn't say much. I was tempted to do it and probably still will, but I have so many automatic transactions, deposits etc. and I am SO sick of dealing with Banks, I don't have the strength to do it now.

Soooo.... suposedly, everything will be done and buried by tomorrow night at the latest, they even showed me some secret screen which customers are not supposed to see that shows my account did not even have an "F" on it, for "Flagged" Nothing showed up as a negative balance yesterday at the end of the day, nothing reported to the credit beureau, etc.

I am just absolutely pissed off, tired, frustrated, what a two days it has been. Gee.. maybe now I should get back to my office and start doing some work. Or, I could just start drinking and head to the casino. I think option two it is....

P.S. I want to thank everyone that sent me PMs, offering to help, names, addressess, etc. I'll answer you all soon, right now, I just don't want to THINK about banks or banking.

[axxeman01]

Hey Paul,

Glad it worked out OK! I'd start redirecting your payments and when you are sure they are all good to go, drop the account.

- Chris

[GradyPhilpott]

That's a reasonable ending to the story, except of course for the icing, which is when you close the damned account.

The bank I'm currently with has lost two checks since I've been with them. Once, it wasn't such an issue since it was just a check for two weeks pay.

The second time, it caused a bit more concern as the check was for $10,000.

In both cases, the problem was solved almost instantaneously and the bank was genuinely apologetic for the errors.

There is just a right way and a wrong way to do business.

BoA just doesn't get it.

[HL65]

Good ending Paul! Stuff happens. I happen to do all of my banking with B of A and not only have never had a problem but am quite happy with them-so was happy to seem them resolve it for you. Again-good ending-sorry for your heartache!!

[hdrazor251]

Glad it all worked out. Unfortunately all those automatic payments and deposits make it a pain to change banks.

[Joey_V]

My experience with Bank of America is completely different.

I had someone steal my card number and charge over $3,000 - charging stuff from Detroit, MI. BofA called me and told me about this and put a stop on the charges, refunded the money, and sent me a new card with a new account number all within 30 minutes.

Fantastic experience with BofA credit card division. I will always be a customer.

[EE33]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Gee.. maybe now I should get back to my office and start doing some work.

Should start off by sending them an invoice for your time wasted.