BB&T Branch Banking and Trust Overdraft scam Apex North Carolina

“BB&T are con-artists and theives that are just waiting for you to make a mistake with your finances.”

Excessive overdrafts are not mistakes. You are intentionally drawing against unavailable funds or are attempting to cover debits and checks before they are presented for payment.

“We have paid thousands of dollars in overdrafts this year”

At $36 a pop, it appears that you overdraft at least 1-2 times a week. Do you really think that’s the fault of the bank? Seriously?

“we'll be paying thousands more if BB&T continue to find ways to rip off decent people trying to get ahead”

The harsh reality is that you will never get ahead by authorizing 4 or 5 withdrawals against an account that is in overdraft. You need to get your spending habits under control.

 It has been my understanding since we started banking at BB&T that deposits were processed ahead of pending withdrawals regardless of the origin date

- Your check WAS processed..it just had a hold put on it.  The reason it had a hold put on it was most likely because of your excessive overdrafts.

I called the branch and spoke with someone (not the manager) and they told me that their rules changed this year such that ALL charges and deposits are processed in the order that they were originally received. I
could have deposited cash at the teller (which should have gone in immediately) and I would have still incurred fees for the pending charges since they were technically on the books before my cash deposit.
 - See banks can't win.  For years and years and dozens of lawsuits people kept suing them because they were not posting transactions in the order received.  Now amazingly enough when they finally start doing that it is all of the sudden a scam.  Well at least there is one thing I thank you for giving me a great laugh. 

The problem here is two-fold; the overdraft fees are exhorbitant and this idea of a 'pending' transaction is false.

- Actually the problem is one-fold, and I'll explain that later.  So let me help you out on this.  In terms of the OD Fees...DON'T Overdraft.  As for "PENDING"..WRONG again. Pending means you have attempted to spend the money.  So regardless of if it was "pending" or posted right away when you made the purchase, the money is taken out of your account.

I think that banks like BB&T prey on people like us who live paycheck to paycheck and barely tread water in between paydays

- NO.  They "pray" on people who do not take personal responsibility and manage their account.  I bet that those "on-line" purchases were not a necessity.  But you WANTED to buy what ever you bought and did not NEED it.  Had you NEEDED it and it was an immediate need you would have gone to the store. 

We have paid thousands of dollars in overdrafts this year (most our fault, I'm sure), and we'll be paying thousands more if BB&T continue to find ways to rip off decent people trying to get ahead. 

- And here is the violin.  Let me ask you this.  If you keep doing the same thing every month and get charged all of these fees..wouldn't any person with average intelligence think.."Ummm you know perhaps I need to change something".  Not only that but if you think this bank is such a problem why don't you go to another bank.  Oh but I think we all know the reason you haven't.

Now as to your responsibility..I can guarantee that you are probably relying on on-line banking.  Well on-line banking was NEVER meant to be a method of account management.  You MUST keep a written register, that is EVERY transaction you make you write down and subtract it from your available balance.  Then you NEVER..EVER..EVER even attempt to spend a penny more than you have available.  If you do this you will find these overdraft fees will disapear.  Now what about deposits and available balance.  Well this is where you can use on-line banking.  When it becomes available you can then add it to your registers available balance..but not until then.

Now, if you say that even after you do that you don't have the money but still want to spend it then this is 100% on you.  Your account is not a line of credit and as such you will be subject to the fees.  Perhaps going over your budget with a fine tooth comb may be in order.

 Oh and this bank that you think lives on these fees, if you asked them they would tell you EXACTLY the same thing.  In fact if you ask they may even provide you with a check register you can use.

And no I do not now or have I ever worked for any bank.