Another US Bank Screwup
Written: May 05 '00 (Updated Jun 21 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Some friendly customer service reps.
Cons: fees for savings accounts, long hold times, too many handling mistakes
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| topolski's Full Review: U.S. Bancorp |
On April 3rd, I called 1-800-USBANKS and asked to open a savings account. A nice lady took my information and mailed the application to me.
On April 14th, I sent in the application along with a check for $1,000 as an opening deposit. (They make you have something like $300 balance at all times or they charge you for the privilege of having a savings account. That's bad!)
On April 28th, I call the number, asking if anyone knows anything about my account. Nobody attempts to even look it up, they take a message for a manager to call me back. They didn't ask for any identifying information (like a SSN or mothers maiden name). I take this to mean they didn't even try to help me.
On May 3rd (note turn around time is 1 month), I get a letter back with an account number and acknowledging my $1,000.00 deposit. This letter is dated April 25th.
I call 1-800-USBANKS. I already decided I'm not staying with US Bank because of their screw up of my credit application (see my other e-pinion on that subject). The computer offers to check my balance, so I feed it my shiny new account number and it informs me my balance is $0 (should be $1,000). I'm not too alarmed -- maybe they're just delaying posting until the check clears.
On 5/4. I talk to a VERY NICE guy on the phone who notes that written notes on the account mention the $1,000 opening check but no transaction record exists for it. He initiates an investigation and gives me a research number. He tells me to check back in 24 hours, if not called earlier by the bank.
On 5/5, I get through the queue and talk to a customer service rep. who puts me on hold for ten minutes while she researches my previous call. She returns to the line to tell me that she needs to transfer my call, and she transfers it into the same queue that caused me to reach her. [This, my friends, is called the "run-around."] The second guy is a bit more helpful. He looks up my case and tells me that the bank wants a copy of my cancelled check. I tell him that the check has not cleared my credit union. I offer, instead, to stop payment on the check and close my new savings account and he should write comments on my account that if they do find my check and try to submit it for payment, then no fees should be charged me when the check is returned unpaid. He agrees and notes my account and closes it.
So, in the end I'm out a stamp and a $5 fee for the stop payment at my credit union. US Bank pretty much already lost me as a customer, this was not my only debacle with them (see "New Accounts Screwup" at http://www.epinions.com/finc-review-158E-1AD427-39051430-prod3). But if there was any doubt remaining, it would be gone now. I moved all my business back to First Tech CU (see "Small operation, tries hard and usually succeeds" at http://www.epinions.com/finc-review-4700-1D06B4-390519D0-prod3).
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
topolski
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Member: Robert Topolski
Location: Hillsboro, OR
Reviews written: 23
Trusted by: 12 members
About Me:
I sing baritone in a barbershop quartet!
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