#1 Employee
AUTHOR: Eris - Las Vegas (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, April 07, 2005
POSTED: Thursday, April 07, 2005
1. ATMs have listed the fee THEY charge you on the ATM itself.
2. Bank Of America lists what they charge for other ATMs in the customer agreement you receive when you opened your account
3. Bank of America does not arrange your transactions in a certain way as to trick you into overdraft fees.
Depending on your state of residence, transactions process from highest to lowest or lowest to highest. This is done in a process called Batch processing, which is done at the end of every business day (m-f) from midnight to 6am EST.
As I have said repeatedly to customers myself, and I'm positive reps have told you this if you'd called, the balance you get from online banking or over the phone or at an ATM is not as accurate as your check or transaction register. It is the customer's responsibility to keep track of their purchases as the system has NO WAY of seeing checks you've written that have not been processed. It's not psychic.
So if you've sent out checks for say, your mortgage, your credit card bill, etc. and postal mail can sometimes take up to 10 business days, and you have not written these in your check register, then you look at your online statement and think, "oh i have $xx.xx left!" and go spend it.
You overdraft.
Bank of America is by no means a perfect company, but posting things like ripoff report about things which were your own stupidity and inability to manage your money, muddies the water for finding information on actual unethical practices BOFA has done or will do.
#2 Consumer Suggestion
AUTHOR: Jan - CHARLOTTE (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, April 07, 2005
POSTED: Thursday, April 07, 2005
I nearly choked when reading the BofA employee's ridiculous response to this complaint. Anyone who can read knows BofA arranges debits, etc to suit them and earn the most in overdraft fees - you just admitted it by stating they do so in small to large , or large to small, depending on different states?? Well, gee, that oughta clear things up.
(And by the way, am I the only one sick of corrupt companies using America's name to screw the general public?)
The only thing worse than BofA's corrupt practices are people who complain and still leave their money there. For God's sake hit these people where it hurts and find a credit union - TODAY.
In case you need further proof of the various ways and opportunities BofA screws the common man, (as if stealing *your* money isn't enough)I suggest you take a look at Jay Allen's or any other website by googling 'Bank of America' and 'sucks'. Plain and simple, if you don't move your money then, you deserve what you get.
Fair warning, BofA employee, I (and millions of others) can respond as long as you can lie....
#3 Consumer Suggestion
AUTHOR: Joe - Platteville (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, April 07, 2005
POSTED: Thursday, April 07, 2005
Man I love it when people think that everyone's out to get them....if you weren't living paycheck to paycheck and floating checks, you wouldn't have that problem.
BOA has a right to charge fees on ATM's, especially if it's a "foriegn" ATM...even 99.99% of ATM's these days are required to tell you about the fee and make you press a button that says you agree to the fee.
Can you read? Did you choose not to read? Are you dyslexic? USE CASH if you have a hard time with checks...obviously nobody ever taught you how to use a check register...and you aren't reading articles on how checks instantly clear now...and that the days of the "float" are gone.
And $33 is cheap these days...I've seen $50 on paperwork from other banks....but I don't float checks.
Get with the program!!!
#4 Consumer Suggestion
AUTHOR: Jan - CHARLOTTE (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, April 07, 2005
POSTED: Friday, April 08, 2005
Joe, Joe, Joe. Unless you still keep your money under your mattress or have an account with Bank of America, you are just looking to blow off steam anonymously. I don't fault you for that, we all need a sounding board from time to time. But if you'd bothered to investigate, you would have seen thousands of complaints nationwide where people have actually taken screenshots to prove this happens.
It isn't a matter of 'floating checks', conspiracy theories, it's not even about having enough money. You can have a hefty balance at the end of the month, there's still no way to tell what's being drafted or when - because they plan it that way. Oh wait! - that sounds like a 'conspiracy'. How about this - it's a damned questionable way to make money.
If you go online and check your balance and it shows your mortgage payment has been deducted, and you check that against your check register, you should be able to belive that, right? But with Bank of America, you can go back online just hours later and waddya know, the payment is no longer there - only to reappear again later that night or the next day or even a few days after that. And that's all anyone is complaining about. Pick rules -- but stick with them.
People seem to have forgotten this is the same bank who, ten years ago or so, had the audacity to admit (in the Charlotte Observer) that their level of service was dependent on your account balance. Now that they've gotten all warm and fuzzy and want to take over all of America's banking, it's a different story. But it isn't. The new motto seems to be: We treat all Aericans the same ... You don't mean squat no matter how much money you have.
On another board, more than one Bank of America employee apologized for not only this but also the level of service, saying that so many complaints come in per day that turnover rate was outrageous and it was difficult to train call center reps appropriately. Of course, in the very same post they also defended their perks such as exotic vacations and high-end gifts by citing the same 'stressful' working conditions. And we all know where the money for such perks comes from. Guess what, we all have stress but no one is going to take money out of Joe's pocket to make my day easier. Unless you want to volunteer, Joe. ;-)
#5 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Joe - Platteville (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, April 13, 2005
POSTED: Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Here's a novel idea. Try sometime to pay your mortgage at any bank branch. Know what they'll do? They will take your payment, stick it in a basket and MAIL it along with all the others they saved up for the week...causing your payment to 1. be late, and 2. clear later than you figured.
Some companies post checks occasionally...or other debits...if you cash a check at 5pm on the west coast for an east coast company...guess what...it's likely to clear the next day...same as a deposit. Why do you think places like Capital One have payment centers on opposite sides of the coast from where you live? It's so your payment gets there with a slim time window to actually be "in the mail".
However you operate your checkbook...some transactions will get posted later than others by how that individual company operates. Kwikee Mart is different from a large grocery chain or one of those that debit your check immediately just like an ATM card. So get used to the new fangled world and start keeping more than a handful of bucks in your account to get the "free" checks they promissed you...or operate with checks. Hell...I'd be giving better service to someone with more money too.
Do you think Donald Trump has problems with overdraft fees? Ya get what ya pay for.
#6 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Tim - Hillsboro (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Monday, April 18, 2005
POSTED: Monday, April 18, 2005
Hmmm, that sounds alot like the problem I had with BOA and their transaction shuffling. I have direct deposit and it takes sometimes 2-3 hours after midnight before it deposits. I would go online and check my account and see that it posted before a check would clear. It did!!!! Huraah Huraah!!! But wait, go back and check it around 9-10 AM that morning and guess what??
That check somehow got ahead of my direct deposit within a 3-5 hour time period since I last checked it. Yep, 33.00 overdraft fee was in effect!! Well that happened more than once.I tried to close the account but they wouldnt unless I paid the overdraft fee.
Well, I didnt pay and they closed It and threatened to report me to some stupid bank credit collector. To bring this to a end. I went with a credit union(FIRST COMMUNITY) located in St.Louis and get treated much better.
My direct deposits usually hits before midnight and a overdraft fee is only 20.00 dollars. And there is no shuffling!!!
#7 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Cory - San Antonio (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, April 21, 2005
POSTED: Thursday, April 21, 2005
For all you non-key customers, keep racking up all those fees. That way key customers can get their fees refunded, while non-key customers increase bank profits. Strike a bell?
#8 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Z'ella - Baltimore (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Friday, April 22, 2005
POSTED: Friday, April 22, 2005
I think your complaint about BOA's banking policies are utterly ridiculous.
Some people on the posting were right about you...You were too stupid to recognize BOA's policies about checking accounts. For example, when you have a really low account balance, and then withdraw more than the actual balance then obviously, it's an OVER-DRAFT. So the bank gives you a 33.00 fee for that because they were willing to give you a little more than what you had--but hey, it did cost you.
So it would be better if you had enough funds to prevent those fees from occurring. But instead, you went crazy and racked up the fees! Next time, use some common sense and use more of your judgment before you do something like that. That means it's not BOA's fault--it's yours!! You DO owe them....
And if you are complaining so much about the service why dont you close your account and then move to another bank where they dont charge a lot of overdraft fees as BOA? Unfortunately, BOA won't be able to close your account until you pay the fees. Think for yourself, please!
#9 Consumer Suggestion
AUTHOR: Jonathan - Dallas (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Sunday, April 24, 2005
POSTED: Sunday, April 24, 2005
All ATMs charge fees. This is a given. My bank, Wells Fargo, allows me to use their ATMs for free, but for all others it charges a fee to use an ATM. It says this right when you use the item and asks "You will be charged $x.xx transaction fee to use this ATM, yes or no?" It's pretty obvious.
Next, if you can't keep funds or a positive balanace in your bank account, they are going to charge you an overdraft fee. Again, this is a given with all banks. If they didn't charge the overdraft fee and pay the money for you, you would default on whatever check or payment you made and would be in debt and possible legal trouble, and incure whatever debts and penalties the other party you wrote the check out too charges. This is actually a SERVICE of the bank to protect you. The fees are set by the bank and all the information about this is included in brochures you get when you first open your account.
I don't know if there's a "Banking for Dummies" book, but if there is, I recommend purchasing it ASAP.
#10 Consumer Suggestion
AUTHOR: Deondre - St. Louis (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Sunday, April 24, 2005
POSTED: Sunday, April 24, 2005
I am not as stupid as some of you who have responded to this in a negative mannor. I am a computer technician with a degree. I do understand that ATMs charge a fee, thats not what I am talking about a**. I am speaking about the extra fee that BOA charges for using another ATM, an aditional 1.50. Its chump change but I think it is crazy. Also, BOA does not pay anything towards any of my overdrafts. Thats right nothing. I wouldnt be as upset if they did. But no, not only do I still have a bill to pay but additional overdraft fees and cancelled check fees.
Let me explain a situation that occurred when I got the account.
Lets say after I got my check direct deposited into my account, I paid some bills and wound up with $10 left. OK, I go to the gas station and decide that I need a full tank to last until next week - payday. So I said to myself that I will let my tank fill and handle the $33 dollar fee. So now I am in the negative about $10-15 with an overdraft fee coming, cool. Now listen, my wife against my permission takes the card and withdraws $60 later on the next day. How can she withdraw money from an ATM if im in the negative. Well what happens is that some of my transactions posted to my account then were added back. So now "I" understand it as I am already a negative 50 something with the gas incident plus an additional 90 something with what my wife did. NO, what happens is that even though I made all those transaction in a certain time frame, the ATM withdrawal sent me into the negative. Then all of the transactions I made before that were put behind the ATM transaction. Which meant that everything I did the day before, when they reposted, excluding the large bill payments went negative and drew overdraft fees.
I am a linear thinker by nature. If I have $100 in my pocket and spend 50 then I got 50 left. There is no need for me to keep a register, I can Fu****g add B**ch. Banks dont think like that.
To Hell Wit Bank Of America and any other bank. Yeah, I shouldnt have to live check to check but I do. If the money was in my pocket, I'd still be living check to check but wouldnt have to worry about anyone taking shit from me. My bills would be paid on time without this addition stress.
And I did go to a credit union. They offer old school overdraft protection. They pay the bill and add 20 on top of that. I havent had to use it yet, but I would never mind paying that fee. Plus, they offer up to $400 in overdraft protection. F*** You and anybody else that wanna speak bad of me as if Im stupid. Come find me and say it to my face Bi***!
#11 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Denny - Honolulu (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Monday, April 25, 2005
POSTED: Monday, April 25, 2005
"Lets say after I got my check direct deposited into my account, I paid some bills and wound up with $10 left."
Just because it was deposited, doesn't mean you have access to that $$$ at that time. Some take as much as 10 business days to clear, YES Even for payroll checks!
" OK, I go to the gas station and decide that I need a full tank to last until next week - payday. So I said to myself that I will let my tank fill and handle the $33 dollar fee. So now I am in the negative about $10-15 with an overdraft fee coming, cool."
so you admit that you overdrafted on purpose.
" Now listen, my wife against my permission takes the card and withdraws $60 later on the next day. How can she withdraw money from an ATM if im in the negative."
That;s your fault and your wifes. If you knew that yu guys are that tight on $$ WTF is she doing withdrawing money?
" Well what happens is that some of my transactions posted to my account then were added back. So now "I" understand it as I am already a negative 50 something with the gas incident plus an additional 90 something with what my wife did. NO, what happens is that even though I made all those transaction in a certain time frame, the ATM withdrawal sent me into the negative. Then all of the transactions I made before that were put behind the ATM transaction. Which meant that everything I did the day before, when they reposted, excluding the large bill payments went negative and drew overdraft fees."
You admited that you were going to be overdrafted by spending money on GAS! YOUR MISTAKE!
"I am a linear thinker by nature. If I have $100 in my pocket and spend 50 then I got 50 left. There is no need for me to keep a register, I can Fu****g add B**ch. Banks dont think like that."
No, just shows you dont know how to manage a checking account. Just becuase you write a check on 4/1/05 doesn't mean that the money leaves that day. UP TO 10 business days to CLEAR! That means, YOU DO NOT MAKE any transactions until all PAPER checks have cleared!
Did they not teach you anything in High School?
"To Hell Wit Bank Of America and any other bank. Yeah, I shouldnt have to live check to check but I do. If the money was in my pocket, I'd still be living check to check but wouldnt have to worry about anyone taking shit from me. My bills would be paid on time without this addition stress."
3-6 months salary is what you should be keeping in your account AT ALL TIMES! If you're lving check to check, you need to set your priorities straigth ( ie like getting rid of the car and use public transportation instead)
You are stupid.
#12 Consumer Suggestion
AUTHOR: Cory - San Antonio (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Monday, April 25, 2005
POSTED: Monday, April 25, 2005
I don't know what type of degree you have but I'd ask for your money back. You can't spell. You can't add. You can't balance your checkbook. You have no control over your wife. $600 in NSF fees, no wonder you're broke. Get rid of the internet, get rid of the cells phones, quit buying CD's and DVD's. Get on a written budget. Get a new account at a local credit union, take the cards away from the wife, learn the ins and outs of the banking industry, learn to balance a checkbook and you'll be $600 richer, won't be paying ANY NSF fees and won't be behind on your bills and living paycheck to paycheck. Good luck.
#13 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: D - Naples (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, April 26, 2005
POSTED: Tuesday, April 26, 2005
In your rebuttal dated 4/24 you stated that your wife made a withdrawl without your permission. This is theft and you can get the police involved if you want. But, If your account is a JOINT account with both of your names on it, then she has every legal right to the money.
#14 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: E - Jasper (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, April 26, 2005
POSTED: Tuesday, April 26, 2005
There are bank out there that still DO return the check and then charge an overdraft fee as well. Some even charge up to ten dollars a day for every day you are overdrawn...But that's not why I'm commenting.
Anyone can lose a job or otherwise fall on hard times. Some people, no matter how hard they work, and YES some of them do work their rear-ends off, will never get out of the rut of living paycheck to paycheck. It doesn't mean they are stupid, dead beats, low-class, or entitled to less dignity and respect than anyone else in the world.
For that matter, even people with Ph.D.'s have been known to make simple mistakes like overlooking a transaction or transposing a decimal place when balancing a checkbook ledger.
Regarding public transportation, etc., there are areas of this country where public transportation is not availabe--some towns don't even have taxi cab service. I'm as guilty as anyone of occasionally believing I know more about how other people should live and manage their lives, but I learned the hard way years ago that no one can accurately pass judgment on someone else's situation, because there are always factors of which we are totally unaware.
A lot of hard-working, decent people have at some point found themselves living paycheck to paycheck, and yes, even having to float the occasional check to make ends meet. For anyone lucky enough to have never been in such a situation, I'm truly happy for your good fortune. For those of you stuck in the familiar hell of having to count every penny twice, God bless you--I've been there.
#15 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Chris - Yuma (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Friday, April 29, 2005
POSTED: Friday, April 29, 2005
Many of us have at one time or another lived in a situation where making ends meet is a phenomenal task. Layoffs, divorces, emergency expenses, inflation, pay-cuts, inexperience;the list goes on and on. Getting to the edge of a financial plateu is stressful enough, but taking the slightest step over is getting more and more perilous. These days companies have learned to profit from dismal situations. Bank of America is right at the top of the list.
Like some of the people posting comments on this page, Bank of America feels that if you aren't in control of your finances than you do not have a right to them. For instance, they claim that their banking software is set up to process transactions from largest to smallest, as a courtesy to their customers, because large transactions are usually the really important ones like mortgage and car payments. If there is a chance of overdraft, they claim, it is more likely to go through if it is first. The problem is, and the reason it is feasible to believe that Bank of America has unethical business practices, is that there are no guarantees that your mortgage or car payment will clear. The one gaurantee however is that whether anything gets paid or not, B of A will charge you 15.00 for the first overdraft, 20.00 for the second, 30.00 for the third - sixth, and 33.00 for every one after that. If the order that the transactions were put through caused a string of overdrafts, say because even after the overdraft occured your debit card operated at full functionality for gas, lunch, groceries,etc., you will find that no-one in Bank of America has the authority to do anything about it, not even as a "courtesy". Now you will find yourself caught in a spiral, trying to cover the overdraft fees and your bills and possibly more overdraft fees because you couldn't cover both. By the time you finally catch up and can close your account, you could be out hundreds of dollars. Which is a hell of a lot more money than they could have made off of you if you had remained a customer in good standing for several years.
They know this happens, call customer support a hundred times and you will not find an operator that has to check and see what they can do for you. They know, they hear it all day and have the same automated response about mortgages and car payments, "have a nice day!".
And there is the rub, B of A is worse than all the other vulture businesses that circle the financially disabled. Unlike high interest credit cards, Loans, Pawn Shops, and Pay-Day advances there are no regulations or limitations to what and when they can charge you. They operate under the loop-hole that it is a "courtesy" that they grant at their discretion. Yet strangely enough, the one profiting most from this courtesy is B of A.
#16 Consumer Suggestion
AUTHOR: Joe - Platteville (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Monday, May 02, 2005
POSTED: Monday, May 02, 2005
Don't use your card at gas stations. When you do that, they can "approve" 2-3 times the amount (just as credit card approvals are for round number when you reserve a hotel room) - and then once the day's transactions are done, they send the actual transaction....so they "approve" more leaving you will less.
You're credited back after awhile, but just like when you reserve a room, that takes off the limit of what you can spend.
You should use a mattress for awhile until you get your act together and learn to read fine print....$1.50 for another ATM is not unusual...what rock are you living under?
#17 Employee
AUTHOR: Dashia - Durham (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, May 05, 2005
POSTED: Thursday, May 05, 2005
First of all I just want to let you all know that all banks no matter where you go will have something about them that you don't like. But the deal with BoA is this:
1. BoA is not out to get you or your money. The rearragning of transactions is an automatic system designed to filter more "important transactions" to pay them first.
2. Online banking is designed to show you what you have done throughout the day(pending) and what has already posted the account, same as with ATM and phone.
3. Overdraft fees are designed for one purpose, to DETER customers from doing just that. Its just that you are making the bank rich in the process.
I could keep this list going telling you what every aspect of BoA is designed for but you would just say Im taking up for the bank. not true. Belive me I have had my share of mishaps w/ the bank. Being a customer myself there have been times where I felt like BoA was a rip off but since I am an emplyee as well for the most part I can understand why BoA does some things. It may seem wrong to some but most seem to be happy. BoA IS one of the top banks in the country. Banks are one of those prefrence issues...If you like one, you like it...if you dont, you dont. By the way I love online banking and use it faithfully but it is only for paying bills and a reference tool. I use my handwritten register to see how my spending is affecting my balence.
#18 Consumer Suggestion
AUTHOR: Paul - Anaheim (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, May 05, 2005
POSTED: Thursday, May 05, 2005
I have never paid one red cent as an overdraft fee. I don't use a checking account, so I don't need to worry about any minimum balances. Or, pay a per-check fee.
I don't own a credit card. Why would I ever need one? I have more than enough money of my own to pay for everything I need. So, why in the world would I ever need to charge my lunch or my gas?
Poor people need loans all the time. Smart people never borrow one cent. I spent zero on interest in the past 30 years. How about you?
I have absolutely zero credit. Never borrowed a dime. TRW? Credit report? I don't know. I never bothered to check and see if they have my name.
Identity fraud? Wrong info on my credit report? What the hell do I care? I won't be borrowing any money in this lifetime, so put what you like on there. I'll never read it!
Now, you're probably thinking I inherited a million, right? Wrong! No inheritance. No handout of any kind.
So, you're probably thinking I own a major corporation, right? Wrong again. I'm a working stiff. My last job was as a truck driver. What's that pay? Chump change!
So, how did I end up with enough money to buy a home here in southern California for cash?
I'm really not sure myself. It's not like I work all the time. Truck job ended over a year ago. No welfare. No unemployment. No paychecks. Haven't made one cent in 15 months. Maybe I'll get a job next year. Or, not. It's not like I'm actually looking or anything.
You see, what I'm really trying to show you is that you need to spend your money smart. If you're always borrowing and running up all kinds of debts, you'll never get ahead. Look at just how much the bank has charged you in fees and interest.
That's all wasted money.
You say there's nothing you can do about it. You have no choice in the matter. Well then, what am I doing differently than you? I don't pay any fees. Or interest. Never have. Never will.
Perhaps, you might try doing what I do, you think?
#19 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: April - THebes (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, June 09, 2005
POSTED: Thursday, June 09, 2005
I had been with Bank of America in my hometown back when it was Boatmen's Bank. I never once had any problems with that bank. It then changed name to Nations (WHAT A JOKE!!) and on to Bank Of America. We were excited that we finally got the debit card...but that is when things went horribly wrong!! We were always in the negative ALWAYS!
We would call the automated service only to hear that their figures were different than ours. Then we would talk to someone live and they would proceed to tell us something DIFFERENT EVERY SINGLE TIME we talked to one of them.
First it was that you had to talk to someone live to ever get your ACTUAL account, then it was you would NEVER know your actual account unless you were keeping it yourself, etc, etc, until you never knew exactly what was going on. We tucked away the bank card and let everything "run" its course until we financed our home.
We had a deposit of $2,600 to our account. We did this on a Friday AFTER 2:00 p.m. We went into an actual bank, talked to an ACTUAL employee who tells us that they cannot cash this check because we did not have the funds in our account to cover a check should it be a bad check...I don't know about you, but it isn't very often we hold that much money in our account.
Then he tells us if we simply deposit it thru the ATM, we would have it right away! Ok, so that's what we did. We went to Lowe's and purchased a new washer and when the card scanned, guess what ?? It wouldn't take the card..hmmm....so we wrote a check. Well, imagine our surprise that on the following Friday, we get a letter stating that the check had NOT cleared! At the same time we got that notice, we also got a letter that stated the money was put on-hold until verified!
At the bottom of the letter it stated that if there were ANY problems resulting in overdraft fees that they would be responsible for ALL costs.
Well that is what happened and did they pay for anything???NOPE! When I went in to my local branch, I told them I wanted to close my account. I was sick of them and I just wanted to simply close the account. She said that there was no way that they could close it because of the debit card.
I asked if she could tell me if there was anything outstanding and she said that she was not showing anything. I told her to close the account and she gave me what little money was left in my account.
Well, the story ends by saying that somehow we ended up with over $350 over drawn in our account and it has been reported to the collection agency.
I WANT BANK OF AMERICA TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN REPORT ALL THEY WANT BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT RECIEVE ANY MORE MONEY FROM ME.
You have ripped us off so many times and I kept everything to back my story. All reimbursement we got was $100 back in 1997 for letting some unknown agency debit our account. Where is the rest of our money then? We DID report it but nothing STILL ever got done. YOU WILL NOT GET ANYMORE MONEY!
Why file a report here? Ripoff Report is a permanent record! Other complaint sites copy our content then remove reports for money.
