Useless

Posted by memphis2498 on 10/1/2008

After my bank card was fraudulently used out of the country, it took them 4 weeks to pay me back the money, and only after I went in and demanded to know why I hadn't been given my money back when it was obvious it was fraud, as I had already proved to the first person I talked to that I was still in Miami on the day it was used. Also, as the fraud occurred on July 4, I was unable to contact anyone at the bank until the next Monday, and their 1800 number for 24/7 fraud reporting is an answering service that doesn't answer 9 out of 10 times, and has no power other than taking your information and forwarding it to the bank. When I returned to the bank after 4 weeks of waiting, I was told that I didn't get the money back yet because they weren't certain it was fraud as it was an ATM transaction, and then accused me of being stupid enough to lend someone my card and PIN number. After speaking with 3 separate people, filing a police report for fraud (which they first told me I didn't have to do then told me I had to when I went in the second time), and telling them in person that I no longer planned to use them for a mortgage as I had been planning to do, my account was credited the next day. This was the last straw in a bank that gives more hassles than any other bank I've been with. In addition to this, I had my account frozen on a Saturday, after depositing a personal check into my account, and was unable to use my debit card or withdraw money from the ATM- money that was *already* cleared in the account and not part of the check. Again, the 24/7 Fraud number rang once and the line went dead. Another time I called, I spoke to someone, they put me on hold, and after ten minutes the line went dead. Monday morning, as I was getting ready to go to the bank, I tried the card and it was working. They never personally called me to explain the freeze. Also, when depositing a cashier's check from another bank, after paying extra to get a cashier's check so that the funds wouldn't be held for a week as they typically do with personal checks, they told me it would be 6 days for the money to clear. Even on a *cashier's* check. I explained to them what a cashier's check entails and they told me it was their policy. Overall, their policy sucks and their customer service, although they are all smiles and 'we care about you' attitude, is phony. Even though they gave me a great rate on my car loan, I've since paid it off with them early so they don't get an extra dime from me.