Complain about a product or service

Fifth Third Bank

Charles of Richmond , KY November 21, 2009

5th 3rd bank has not sent a cc bill in over one year. I have called several times. 5th-3rd has charged late fees and has risen my rates. I am still talking to them. Bank of America and Chase Cards have informed me that they are "Changing our agreement." They are "changing our agreement?" And they are placing my interest on variable rates. I have NEVER missed a payment...why do my rates keep climbing?

Jennifer of Glen Ellyn, IL November 18, 2009

On Saturday November 14th at approximately 9:00 a.m. I deposited a check for 1,000.00 (which they did not clear for four days). Just a day prior to this I had transferred money to cover bank fees so I was happy to finally have a little bit of extra money. After depositing the check, 5th 3rd made 50.00 of the check available to me. Knowing that they have a tendancy to do that then hours later take it away, I didn't touch it at first. Eight hours later the money was still available to me so I decided to treat my son to an early birthday present so we went to McDonalds, Gamestop and a small visit to the gas station to buy munchies while we played the game all night long. After I got home and throughout the rest of the weekend up until 12:15 a.m. November 17th, the bank said I had 16 and some change available to me still. Upon waking this morning, I checked my bank first thing as I always do and was shocked to see a fee for 74.00.

Now just three days prior to this I already had a fee taken out and I had no idea what this fee was for. I was also really kicking myself in the behind for not printing out the small available balance because 5th 3rd has numerous times in the past moved things around where they will post debits that occured AFTER a deposit before the deposit and nail me with a ton of fees (in the beginning of the month 5th 3rd hit me with nearly 400.00 in fees. I went to the bank several times to see a personal banker and none was ever available to speak to me. The teller filled out on the computer a request form for someone to contact me about this. No one ever did and I still to this day have no idea what the 400.00 in fees were).

I went to the bank with a print out of what was posted on the internet and I made several comments in pen to discuss with the banker. I also brought along my checkbook (which I keep up with almost a religious obsession. I recheck numbers repeatedly and for days after as well!). for the first time a banker was available to speak to me.

right from the second he sat down at the other side of the desk, his tone and attitude changed. He printed off several papers, which he threw on the desk in front of me and said "this is for this and this is for this and this is for this and this is for this. get it?" No, I did not get it. I was so confused and just wanted him to tell me what the 74.00 in fees were when they were the ones that made money available to me! He then said in a rather gleeful tone of voice, "oh, and it looks like you owe us another 111.00, which will be taken from your account over the next 24 hours." I began to cry. I'm a single parent on disability and every cent I receive from compensation is desperately needed to care for my family.

So I attempted to show him my checkbook and the calculations I had and he didn't even glance at it, told me that maybe I should take a refresher course on how to keep a checkbook and manage money. I informed him I've had a checkbook since I was 16 and I have never had so many problems with a bank as I have since I joined 5th 3rd in May of this year. He had a snicker on his face and he told me that banking hasn't changed since I was 16 and I need to just accept the fact that the bank was removing another 111.00 in fees and he would not reverse a single one of them. I don't understand how it can be legal that banks can not only charge such a ridiculous amount but how is it legal that they can release funds, then only to take it back and charge you when you use them???

I still don't know why they took almost 400.00 from me at the beginning of the month. I was late paying my rent and had to borrow the money to cover it. The employees at the call center are also horrifically rude and if you talk to anyone about fees, they treat you as a criminal and as if you are stupid. They mock you and pretty much have a "too bad if you don't like it" attitude. Since May 5th 3rd Bank has taken well over 1,000.00 in fees from me. One fee, fine. But when they just keep hitting you with more and more, well I just don't understand that.

ed of villa hills, KY November 18, 2009

I was wrongly charged 165.00 in overdraft fees for 4 separate 3 or 4 dollar charges on a single day. We kept track of these debit charges and transferred money to make sure our balance stayed positive. Seems 5/3 likes to charge overdraft on authorizations and not posted dates that show up in internet banking. Its tough to keep up with their real-time authorizations while I have to wait on the delay in actual transactions posted to view with their online banking.

I've never had anyone so blatantly steal from me before. Its a new experience for me to learn that a bank that i have supported by using my debit card for over 16 years can so eagerly strong arm money out of my account without showing me factual evidence that such withdrawals of funds was justified.

Laura of Bellevue, KY November 3, 2009

I have been a customer for several years with never a late payment or a overdraft. Then recently they have been charging fees on everything. I made a deposit, which only 100 deposited immediately.. no problem, but then they charged me an overdraft fee 3 days later because they posted a debit that hadn't even cleared yet... and then later the same day cleared the rest of the deposit. Then, more recently I deposited a check and a couple days later received a notice that the funds were on hold and that my account will not be charged any fees... and if there were fees they would be refunded. Surprise... I was charged bounce check fees... and when I called about it they said that they couldn't remove the fees because they already posted and that it is there policy not to remove fees.

Brian of Cleveland Heights, OH November 1, 2009

On multiple occasions, I've made several transactions in a single day with a sufficient account balance, but an additional transaction causes my account to overdraw. Fifth Third applied an overdraft fee per item for each transaction that day - even the transactions made with sufficient account balance - simply because the last transaction caused an overdraw. This is an absurd and anti-consumer practice.

Furthermore, several years ago I requested that my account options be changed to deny funds at ATMs when attempting to overdraw instead of dispensing funds and charging an overdraft fee. This is possible, and they did change this for me. But now my account has been changed back to the old way without my approval and, surprise, I can overdraw and incur fees.

John of Johnson City, TN October 27, 2009

I transferred from Alabama to Tennessee last year. Transferred the registrations on my cars to Tennessee, as I was supposed to. Go down to renew the tags for this year, but only recieved 3 of the 4 renewals. The one that had problems was the one that Fifth Third Bank hold the title on. The State of Tennessee sent a request for the old title for Alabama to the bank on October 30th, 2008. I contacted the bank after the problem at the County Clerk's Office and was told that I had to have a form from them to transfer the title and they would fax it. That was last week...NO FAX.

Called back today was told that they would fax the form again but that there is a 20 processing fee which I would have to MAIL in to have the title transferred. This Bank screws you everytime. If you do not have an account with them to make your payments, then you have to use BILLPAYER2000 to get them there money and there is a fee for having to use the BILLPAYER. Now I will have to figure out a way to get to work next week because I cannot drive my car with an expired tag! I find that this is one of the worst banks I have ever delt with.

Holly of Huntersville, NC October 21, 2009

I closed my Fifth Third checking account on September 28 but neglected to change my gym's automatic withdrawl to my new account. My gym processed the payment on October 15, which Fifth Third paid and charged me an overdraft fee of 37 + 8 per day the account was in the red. I walked into the bank branch and told them what had happened. It was explained to me they automatically re-open the account rather than send the item back as unable to pay. I paid the item but see this as an obvious ruse to charge overdraft fees which I refuse to pay.

This is one of many problems I've had with Fifth Third's "real time banking" practices that resulted in overdraft charges for items that were never actually taken out of my account but sat in pending, thereby reducing the amount I had available. They refused to give back the overdraft charge in each of those instances as well.

Paula of Centennial, CO October 18, 2009

I have a Mastercard Platinum account with Fifth Third Bank. I paid off the balance while I was living in Ohio. I moved to Colorado and forgot I had the card. I received notification that they charged me a 19 inactivity fee. Right after I got this notification, I wrote a letter and cancelled the card. Shortly thereafter, I received another statement showing that I was charged a late fee of 19.00 on a supposed 19 balance with a 2 finance charge, doubling the amount they say I now owe.

I informed them when I wrote my cancellation letter that I did not incur these charges and WILL NOT PAY THEM. This is ridiculous and outright fraud. They can keep adding these ludicrous charges - they won't get a penny out of me. I pay my bills on time and work hard for my money and am outraged that a good past customer would be treated this way.

I have many other cards with zero balances, and those companies have just inactivated my card, and not charged me for not using my card. I'm not even calling them because I know I'll just get the run-around and don't have time to waste on a company that is trying to rob me. As I said before, they can charge me all they want, but I refuse to pay charges that I did not incur!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J. of Shelbyville, KY October 9, 2009

A little over 2 years ago, we used 5/3 Bank to do our original mortgage. They were so nice and professional, we really enjoyed working with them, but Last December, 18 months after our closing, we received a letter from 5/3 informing us that our escrow account had insufficient funds. Come to find out, our escrow was calculated to pay the property tax based on what the former homeowners had been paying for the past 15 years. The home’s value had almost doubled by the time of our purchase, and so did the property taxes. I don’t know whose fault this was, but it was a terrible inconvenience. Our monthly payment went up 300.00 a month – part to cover the new tax amount and part as back pay to cover the old escrow amount due. I was pretty upset, it took us by complete surprise.

Last summer we decided to refinance our home as part of the making homes affordable plan. We qualified and saved up for closing and I was very excited because this would settle our former escrow account and get us caught up. We were originally told we needed to bring 1200 to closing, a week before we were told we only needed 750. The day of closing, they gave us a check for 300. This all seemed too fishy, so luckily we held onto the money for a long while, it just didn’t seem right. This month, 4 months after our closing, I received a notice from our insurance that our premium, which was due right before our closing had not been paid. When we refinanced, they did not pay the premium from our old escrow and forgot to add it into the new escrow. Once again, we are upside down on our escrow again.

I’m pretty frustrated right now. Our escrow account was miscalculated both times by over 1000, and we just don’t have that kind of money lying around. I’ve been told it was the Loan Officer’s fault or the Escrow Companies fault, the blame goes back and forth, but it has taken me weeks to work this stuff out.

My review of Fifth Third – their customer service is great, very polite. I liked the mortgage package we received both times, but this is my first home and I don’t have the experience to know every detail I needed to check for at closing, nor do I think I could have foreseen either issue. I have been very frustrated by their mistakes and the huge inconvenience it has been coming up with the extra money to pay for them.

Kathleen of St. Petersburg, FL October 8, 2009

My bank charged me overdraft fees for items (1.07, 1.73, etc.) Total fees 100.00. Items were pending not actual charges and they still charged me. They also moved money over from savings (charged me again) and still charged overdraft fees for the items. I called to complain, met with rudeness. Told they don't offer to refund, I have to ask them. When I did, they refunded only 37.50. I asked for a higher supervisor and Joseph refused, said he has as much power as the president of the company.

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