bbandt Of Virginia ripoff dishonest fraudulent overdraft charges Martinsville Virginia

I too, am a victim of BBandT. My livelihood, my self image, my emotional state, my health-literally, have been stolen from me by this bank.

My direct deposits of over $2600 from Social Security and TIAA/CREF Annuity were going to this bank for the last three years. I used very few checks, but used the Bank Card mostly.

I tried to keep check on my available balance by computer and by phone, yet my money disappeared before my own eyes, when I was sure I had money in the account. I still don't understand how they did it.

After the bank took ($1,059.43)almost all of my social security check ($1,365.00)in nsf charges for the third time, I closed the account. I had been in to see them and talked to them about the unfair charges several times.

It makes no sense how they can do this and get away with it. They show available funds, the customer uses them, they keep adding up overdraft charges which puts the account further and further into overdraft without your knowledge since they do not notify you or stop the use of the card.

I was out of town, checked my account. Had over $700 available, by check card was approved, days later I was charged, for example, on gas charges tripple the cost of the gas, keeping in mind I had hundreds of dollars in my account.

The bank tellers explain they cash checks, or process withdrawals against the available balance remaining in the account. And then clear the charges for all of my other charges on the road afterwards(that supposedly had already been set aside to be paid but not reflected in my available balance.

The way the system is supposed to work is that the money for the daily charges are set aside and intended to be paid for. The money that is se aside is removed from your available balance but not actually paid, so it's still there in your current balance. But what they did was charge my automatic check against the available balance instead which created an overdraft and put my account into the negatives. Then charged $34 for each daily gas and shopping charge made days prior, costing me much more than I had spent.

Without a doubt I feel that I was swindled. This is the third time they have done this, even though I went in and talked to them about it.

I have closed my account and feel I should be able to get some of the money returned. (Upwards of $3,000--this is absurd!)

This is not just for me, but other elderly victims as well. We are better off keeping our money under mattress, it has less chance of being stolen or burned in a home fire.


Submitted 6/24/2006 11:45 aAM

Marie
Gary, West Virginia
U.S.A.