Fifth Third Bank / 53.com review: poor customer service! 112

So there I was on Friday June 5th at around 9pm, looking at my account online. My balance was good. I had $203 dollars in my account. With 4 transactions pending. The money in my account more than covered my transactions, I would have about $100 dollars left over.

Saturday, my work paid me. I cashed my check at a local store, picked up pizza for my family, and enjoyed my weekend.

Monday at around noon I noticed I was suddenly $6.78 negative. My husband immediately drove to the bank, and deposited $200 in cash. I should not have been in the negative as all my pendings were covered. However a check from a month ago (written for $105) finally hit the system. My own fault for forgetting about it. I would pay the overdraft fee, and the negative balance. The price you pay for a checking account.

Then on Tuesday I checked my account again. I am currently $111 negative. Hmmm... that did not seem right to me. So I scrolled through my transaction script. The check from a month ago, was changed to go through on Friday (trust me it was not there Friday or I would have deposited my $200 in cash during my lunch break on Saturday). The 4 transactions listed as pending were put on hold, so that the bigger check could go through first. Resulting in 4 bounced checks.

Fifth Third tells me that old check went through on Friday. That I am wrong. That their customers like it that the bigger checks get cleared first. It was not there when I went to bed on Friday. It did not show up until Monday. It was not listed as pending. So now I get to pay late fees and overdraft fees for 4 transactions that they pushed to the side. They will not work with me on this. Their reasoning for why I did not see the transaction is that their online computer had not updated yet (at 9pm at night?) and that the central computer keeps the real tally, and that the central computer is always right. If the online computer does not update by the end of the business day, what is the point to online checking? It also seems their online checking does not update (unless it is a credit/debit card) over the weekend. Any transactions that hit the actual bank, will not be listed until Monday. So if they are not listed Friday at close, not listed Saturday, nor Sunday, how can anyone balance their accounts?

Recently, I was visiting my son in Louisville, KY. While visiting, I lost my debit card. In the mean time, my son found that he was overdrawn at 5/3 bank. I wrote a check to my son so he could deposit the check to more than clear his overdraft account. This was on a Friday and his pay check was scheduled for an automatic deposit on Monday. I was looking at a 5 hour trip home and had only 4 dollars in my wallet. Since my son was overdrawn on Friday the 5/3 bank could not give him cash for that day. Despite the fact that I had given him $500.00 to deposit, the people would not give me any cash for my travel. With technology today, I can find out how much money I have in the bank with one phone call yet these people had to wait to see if my check cleared before they could assist me. Certainly, they could not help me on the day of my departure. The teller offered a cash advance "store" or she could loan my son $500.00 with a $50.00 fee attached for transferring funds to his account...cash advance?
My husband is on the local Board for our Tennessee bank and I speculate that the teller at his banks would have given me travel money from their own pockets before they would have offered to take advantage of my bad situation by charging interest on unnecessarily borrowed money. My husband and my son's father have a net worth of over 4 million dollars between them. My son is a promising professional. I have my doctorate and draw a 6 figure salary package. We are not stupid, broke, or losers. Yet, I have never been made to feel so stupid, broke and like such a loser as the employees of this Kroger based 5/3 bank were trained to make me feel. I was desperate and they tried to make money off of my bad situation while treating me with disrespect.

ive delt with them for 15 years since my credit union sold my mortgage to these thugs, yes i like the term because it fits. Customer service representitives are either clueless or malicious. Cant prove which but the results are the same. You can once and get one version, call back to talk to someone else a few days later and you get something totally different. I recently requested a payoff from them to which it covered 10 days. I didnt get the payoff info till day 6 so am now waiting to see how many days of extra interest this will cost me.Im shure they will drag there feet on it to its maximum effect, feel like you almost have to have a attorny hand deliver a payment to them just to protect yourself. its like playing some kind of shell game with them all the time with them trying to figure out how to screw you for just a little more money. I will never be as glad as the day i am finally totally thru with them forever.

I loved First Charter. In 6 years, it was financial bliss and nothing ever bounced or caused issues. The service was always fantastic, and I could NOT complain. In fact, I bragged ALL THE TIME. Then we get a letter that they have been purchased by this so called "bank."

Everything seemed fine until our funds were a little low. That's when the anguish began.

They bounced my rent check (first time in 3 years of renting) BECAUSE their policy is to process DEBITS first, deposits second! A deposit well over the amount was made MINUTES LATER. How is this fair? They rejected the check then proceeded to charge me $132 in NSF fees. I went to the bank branch (crying may I add) and demanded an explanation. They could not even tell me how any of it made sense, so they refunded me $99 of my money. I then had to take a certified check to my rental company tacked on with $80 in fees.

After that, I was paranoid. On Wednesday the online account was positive. The next day it was negative $138 due to overdraft fees DERIVED FROM A PENDING TRANSACTION. But because of how they process, again I was charged $165 in fees. I had my mom bail me out and deposit $180. She is 62 years old and should not be dealing with my stress. The teller told her since it was 11am, and cash, it would post immediately. So we pull up my account online and it's positive $43. A sigh of relief because THIS BANK CHARGES YOU $6 PER DAY YOU ARE NEGATIVE. Not so. They processed it the next day but it was EATEN UP WITH FEES by that point. So it was negative 88 dollars and now I owe my mom 180 on top of that.

I go to the local branch hysterically crying and no one can help me. They said because they credited me $99 back last week, that was all they could do. So I closed my savings and 2nd checking account on the spot. If our checks weren't being deposited in 5 days, You can BET I would have closed it RIGHT THEN. So Thursday, mom deposits $100 to fix the account- AGAIN BEFORE 2PM. The account was positive.

This morning, we're negative $28. Why? A pending transaction from 12pm Wednesday (Today is Saturday) that has sat for days.There was MONEY IN THE ACCOUNT TO PAY FOR THIS. But AGAIN... they processed my debits first and obviously mom's deposit did NOTHING again.

I have been on the phone with this so called bank and what an unsympathetic group. I begged for someone in a suit with some clout, she said they didn't have access to that person. Basically their attitude was S.O.L. I couldn't believe it.

So now we're in the hole $26- and this group of idiots have cost us somewhere around $450 - not to mention I took 2 days off from work to open a new account with a bank. I have never been treated so unfairly in my life, and I have already left voice mails with a few consumer protection lawyers. This bank has ONLY been here in NC since June 9th. My statement makes absolutely no sense and I'm not taking this lying down. If you LIKE to have money, You had BETTER NOT BANK HERE.

Very slow, understaffed customer service at most NW Indiana locations. Lowered credit limit on new credit card issued only 3 weeks and not charged over limit.

Your not the only one. I am looking to start a class action law suit but need your story http://closeyourbankaccount.blogspot.com/

Not just rediculous but criminal almost. Additionall how they stack largest to smallest so your charged for more overdrafts . Honestly if you have overdraft protection (your savings account) they charge you to use your own money. Im feed up with banks!

The 5/3 bank has been good for us. But today I mistook my 5/3 debit card for a different card I carry and used the 5/3 card it over drew my account. Went to the bank and I was $12.89 over draft so they charged $25.00 for the over draft. All total they took $37.89 out of a different account to cover and left this account with a zero balance. Now what? I acknowledge it was my mistake but after over 50 years with the same bank they would not forgive. What a rip off. I am not a happy camper.

Fifth Third has no customer service. The Rand Road Palatine Il locations manager has no sense of urgency and has no balls to support his customers. I have 2 checking accounts one at Northern Trust and another at Fifth Third. I was told a wire transfer of 43K was to be put in my Northern Trust account. So I wrote a check from Northern to the Fifth Third Bank. The next thing I know is my Fifth Third account has been put on hold. When phoned to find out why, I was told that only the manager "Mustofa" could give us that information and he was not in. Mustofa was the only one to make these decisions about reopening our account. I finally find out that the Fifth Third Bank feels that we are "kitting". Mustofa finally called and he was to call early the next am to notify us of his findings. Well needless to say, Mustofa did not call and we called him. Now we find out that Mustofa has to contact his regional manager Joe to decide if they will take the hold off of our account. Joe has no balls either, according to Mustofa, Joe will not reopen my account because we bounced one...YES 1 check from one bank to another. WTF...is there no room for error in America any more...MUSTOFA...You loose, little did you know I put 1.5 million dollars thru Northern Trust every year...DUMB DUM MUSTOFA

Hahaha you're all a bunch of whiny consumers who don't understand simple contracts... funny to read you complaints. Reminds me of my five year old... seriously.

They have illegally taken out of my checking account without permission and without notifying me. I have no knowlege of who these people are or what it is for but they claim I am authorized it and it has caused my bank Fifth Third Bank to take out outrages fees for overdraft due to these people deducting with out my knowlege. I have found several other complaints against this company related to the same issue at ripoff.com I have filled a complaint with the better business bureau, states attorney and ripoff.com and now you. This needs to be stopped and I feel like the bank should notify consumers of an electronic withdrawal and does the consumer give permission and do they agree with this, my bank told me there is nothing we can do it was authorized I have paid out about 400 dollars in overdraft fees due to this.

You must be a 5/3 bank employee/manager, if not maybe you should be. Your attitude is completely in line with their service and policies of ripping off as many people as possible and finding it funny...seriously.

Me too, what do we do!

They are taking money out left and right, what do I do? The phone number nobody picks up, and the website is bogus!

I HATE 5th Third Bank...

My credit WAS 785. I never pay anything late, ever.

However, somehow in the last 9 months 5th Third has not received my payment at all or have received them late.

I have mailed them in more than an ample time to arrive.

Now I have thee dings on my credit report, and 5th Third is blaming the postal service.

BULL $#$#$# 5th third...

And, they refuse to take responsibility saying I have to prove them got the money.

I pay 30 bills a month raning from $35 to $1, 700 house payment. I don't think the little $22 balance on a 5th third card is an issuee.

We cancelled a debit card that was accidently used and was charged 90.00 for a 7.50 overdraft on a card that was cancelled. The bank admitted the mistake but refused to reverse the overdraft fees.

Fifth Third Bank is absolutely HORRIBLE and i seriously believe that their practices are unethical. How is it that you can post transactions to my account, deduct what is pending from the available balance but as soon as I spend what is available you use that amount to clear then charge overdraft fees for the smaller amounts that were already posted? Clearly it is because you can charge me several times instead of just the 1 time for the LAST transaction that posts. WTF? WHO DOES THAT? That is so unethical and misleading. I would never recommend that anyone EVER bank with them. At this rate they shouldn't even be in business! That is terrible and a scam nonetheless. I will be closing that account ASAP and finding a new bank. I'll also tell everyone I know about the absolutely TERRIBLE experience I've had with this place called Fifth Third...Just short of a cash advance or check cashing place responsible for scamming people and preying on people.

DO NOT USE FIFTH THIRD BANK! They have the worst customer service personnel ever! I have a vehicle loan with them and have overpaid them every month for 2.5 years. I called and asked for credit back because I needed the money right away. They didn't understand what I was talking about and it took me 3 people to finally understand it. Even the supervisor didn't understand. They finally put my request through and told me that in 10 days I would receive the check in the mail. 3 weeks later they called (15 business days later) they said that my request has been denied and they are going to use that credit towards the next payment. I am glad that they tell me what they are going to do with my money. I have never been late, never had problems, never called them, and wish I never had them for a loan/creditor. BEWARE they are the worst bank I have ever dealt with!

We have been account holders for over 25 years (Old Kent to 5/3). An electronic check in the amount of $850 was cleared on our account. This check is so painfully and obviously fraudulent. We signed all of the various paperwork needed the day after it hit our
account. We were assured it would not happen again and told it wasn't necessary to close the account. That made us uneasy. Now,
it has been over a business month now and we are still waiting for 5/3 to return our money. True, nothing else has hit the account, but the possibility still exists that it could happen again. All we get is lipservice! Yes, the paperwork states 30-120 days for investigation, but even a ### should have been able to sort this out by now. There is no contacting upper management with this bank. A sad turn of events. We have closed our long-term account and have taken our deposits elsewhere.

I currently have a car loan with this bank and have had one since 09/2008, I was never late on a pymt. I went to my bank which is located in my home state on february 02, 2010 and re-financed my car and mailed a pay-off check that day. I called fifth third bank the next day to notify them about me already mailing the pay-off check and if they did not recieve it by my next car payment to call me. i got a call from a collections agency on february 26, 2010 about not paying my car payment on time and now i owe them collection fees and other charges, while claiming they never recieved my pay-off check. i have attempted to call and speak with mulitple persons and supervisors on this matter and have been given the run around telling me to call this number and talk to this person then i call and no-one will talk with me about this or get this resolved. i called my bank to get another check printed and mailed. both me and the manager and other employees of my bank have called to get the pay-off amount which i have been told cannot get because i owe collections. i was in my bank tonight and spoke with "Echo" manager of my bank and called fifth third bank and was they would not release info to me or her about getting this resolved. i spoke with "Eric" with fifth third bank and also "Karen" and "Chris" with this collection agency. fifth third bank will not give my bank the pay-off amount and have told me to call the collection agency but when i call the collection agency they tell me they dont know the pay-off amount. i have gotten no-where with this bank and they are not working with me. i called the post office and they claim the mail was delivered and not returned. i believe the bank is just trying to get as many fee money from me as they can and have charged me numerous fees that i cannot pay in order to get it re-financed and get the title to my bank.

Can't your bank trace the pay off check that was sent to see if it was cashed? That would show whether they actually got the check or not.

After informing Fifth Third Bank and their lawyers that I moved out of the home they foreclosed on they still take me to court
to evict me.
They just want to go out of their way to make sure I cannot rent an apartment anywhere.

Fifth third has charged me o ver 500, in overdraft fees. The way they sent the charges through caused me to be charged 37.50 for items that were 2.38. How ridiculous is this. I have spoken to a rep twice and a supervisor once. Their response: that is our policey and they won't even work with me to ease some of these charges. I am trying to find a coroporate office mailing address or email to so that I can get some help w/ this. This is my entire paycheck. I am thinking of just closing my acct. and say screw it? any advice? thanks,

Customer relations are tha absulule worst I have ever seen at 5th 3rd Bank -- I could write pages to explain why not to use these guys but to keep it short - DO YOURSELF A FAVOR IF YOU ARE AT THIS BANK CLOSE EVERYTHING & RUN IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A BANK GO ELSEWARE !

I had a fifth third account in 2005 when they bought out the bank we had previously. We have never been happy with fifth third since day one. We had a balance on our account for our mortgage payment. we deposited the money in the account and after the check cleared we closed the account with a ZERO balance. we open up an account at a different bank which we are happy with and are still account holders. Fifth Third sold our "account" to arrow 2 years later and say that we owe just over $1200, which was the amount of our mortgage payment! I have the copy of the deposiut slip and my last bank statement saying I have a ZERO balance! I have sent the the paperwork numerous times saying that i dont owe them anything. It goes quiet for about 6 months then they start calling and sending letters again. now arrow has sold it to northland group. Here we go again! 3 more times I sent the proper paperwork showing that i dont owe this debt. I even went to the fifth third branch i had the account with and showed the branch manager all my paperwork and the problem that they have caused me and demanded that they fix this since it was their mistake! She even called Northland and Arrow in front of me and told them that i have proven I dont owe this debt. It was paid in full in 2005! now it is 2010 and they are still sending me collection letters! they keep saying they have never received my paperwork! *I am working with a lawyer now to clear this up and show they are harrassing for no reason! stay away from Fifth Third, Arrow Financial and Northland Group! they all are scammers!

I received a late charge notice from Fifth Third Bank today. I called customer service and was told it was an error, and that I would not be charged. I ask to speak to a supervisor, Stephanie, and ask that a letter be sent to me stating that the charge was an error on the part of the bank and that no fee would be charged. I was told that this was not something they could generate. A bank that cannot write a letter scares me more than a little. I was also told that I could not speak to an officer of the bank because they did not take phone calls. It seems that MR. P. BRIAN MOORE can sign inaccurate letters of money due but isn't qualified to follow up with a "whoops" letter clearing our credit status of any wrong doing. I ask if I could come to FifthThird's corporate office to speak to an officer and was told "no" that there were guards at the door and no one was allowed in. So now I am to trust the word of a bank that mischarged me in the first place that they will remember that my fees were waived. Is it any wonder that the people of this country mistrust banks and all they stand for? Any company whose top management refuses to talk to it's customers is not to be trusted.

This sounds like a misunderstanding on your end as far as what constitutes regular collections actions. If you owe a credit or money, they may persue you legally. That's a consequence of default.

The younger tellers are very rude and incompetent. At Fifth third bank in Oak Park Illinois. And make inappropriate comments. They have no respect!

Here's the latest with my Fifth Third account: I received a call in late September (29th). My debit card had been compromised, it was being cancelled immediately, I would receive a new one very shortly. I received a letter from P. Brian Moore dated October 1, 2010 stating the reasons for the cancellation and that I would be receiving a new card when 3 to 5 business days of the notification call. Here it is October 14, 2010, no card!
I've made numerous calls to their customer service - no help other than sending another card. I want it fedexed, I said. Can do that, they said. Why didn't you send it with the letter from Moore? Still being processed, they said. They could have fedexed the card and eliminated the postage on the Moore's letter and the postage from the new card being sent out (that I haven't received).
This is just the latest in 5/3's terrible customer service. I am now looking for a new bank that is local and will stay local. Never, ever do business with this bank!

Fifth Third Bank Runs A Scam On Customers Regarding Fees

They will access fees against your account wrongly, refuse to credit those fees back, and then continue charging you fees at a rate of $8.00 a day and refuse to allow you to close your account until you pay all those fees.

They then report this against your credit until you pay all fees.

Their customer service center refuses TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THEIR CORPORATE ADDRESS OR TELEPHONE NUMBERS!

Here is their corporate address:

Fifth Third Bank
Corporate Offices
George A. Schaefer, Jr. - President
38 Fountain Square Plaza
Cincinnati, OH 45263

LET EVERYONE KNOW THEY SHOULD NOT DEAL WITH THIS BANK EVER!

Also be advised that you can file a complaint against any bank at this government web site: www.federalreserveconsumerhelp.gov

When going to this web site, look at the first link on the right hand side column, and click on it to file a complaint.

We started using 5/3 because we thought it would be a good bank. WRONG! First they charge you so much for using their bank. My husband has direct deposit and they hold it for 2 days, so of course checks are going through before his check goes into the acct. We have a loan through them and they wanted to take money out of our acct for the payment. I called them last week and told them to cancel that payment because it wouldn't go through (not even money in acct). They said on the phone that they would cancel it. Well I check this morning and they NEVER canceled it. I will be calling them on Monday and giving them a piece of my mind. Also will be telling them that we are going to start using a new bank. I would not recommend 5/3 to anyone.

53 bank is the worst. I transfered $200.00 online from my savings into my checking account. When I was done and had my reference number it said my available balance reflected the $200.00. I had realized I made a error in my checking acct which was the reasoning for transfering the 200.00 from my savings over to avoid OD fees. Well to my surprise I get up the next morning and my acct is in the negative. I call 53 and they tell me my 200.00 deposit didn't post till the next day and the check I transfered the money over for came in that night after I transfered the money, but because they didn't post it until the next morning, the charged me to OD fees because they took the big item first instead of the smaller items that there was clearly enough money in there for. They are a crooked [censor] bank who runs debits before credits and then charge you countless OD fees.

Fifth Third Bank is the biggest Jip Joint ever, even for people trying to save money. They charged our account without any forewarning a dormancy fee of $5 per month for 6 months without even a statement.

Under Deposits/Credit history every month there is an interest payment, but according to Megan E# 99556, the self proclaimed highest to speak to, "that does not count as account activity." "It is part of our Rules and Regulations that we charge you dormancy fees, and the Federal Government tells us we have to." When asked to quote where I could get this information she told me the Internet!

On a back story it is impossible to close the account without going to Michigan in person, we live in Arkansas, we have tried.

I never received any satisfaction from their so called Customer Service Center, I just hope I wasted $35 of their time.

Why would you trust a bank that can't even get fractions right?

I was just written a check by an associate who uses Fifth Third Bank. The check was for about a hundred dollars (he was buying a bike from me). I figured I'd go to the bank the check was from, cash it, and go out to eat with my wife. The check, written for a Firth Third bank account, apparently couldn't be cashed at a 5th 3rd bank, WITHOUT paying an $8 fee. So my associate leaves his money in a bank, so that he can use it at his discretion by writing checks, and the only way for that check to get honored is via a fee? How does that make sense? That seems similar to me telling people I owe money that they can collect by accepting payment from my card, but they'll have to pay me a fee. I've never used this bank, I've had friends who've complained about it, and now I will spread the word of stupidity that is this bank.

FYI, I did NOT sign anything saying they could automatically take money of our acct for our loan. AND we quit going through them because they suck when it comes to banking. You think you know everything don't ya?

Fifth Third Bank is the worst bank ever! I have had a car loan for over 5 yrs and it's been hassles and rude people for the duration of the loan. I got ripped off over $60 when I made final payment. Wondering how long it's going to take to get my title back now that it's finally paid off. Thank God I never have to talk to this horrible bank anymore!

I purchesed a new vehicle about 3 years ago in this coming feb. I have never been late on my payments and they call constantly if u dont make it before your 10 day grace period starts. Lately I have been to the point where the harrashing hasn't stopped and i had to change my cell phone number so it would. I work evening and sleep days so when they call they are waking me up. The other thing i hate about fifth thrid bank is that they dont allow u to make split payments. i work in a hotel so i dont bring home that much money every week and can't make the whole payment of almost 350 dollars at one time. so i had to cancel the auto pay and make half payments every week. so that way i can survive for the week. this bank needs to train there staff and call centers a lot better than they have.

Have a mortgage account with 53 and after a mistake that they made with my automatic bill payment, refuses to clear up their mistake with the credit reporting bureau.
I'm seriously cobduseung hiring an attorney because they refuse to escalate my calls, tell me they'll have someinevreturn my call and never does. They have the most horrible customer service ever!"

i just recently moved to nashville and chose to bank with fifth third bank, from day one all i have had is problems first they re did not put the order through for my debit card and so it took like a month to get to me...but of course they dont apologize for it, which that might have made it better. second they charge you for everything they possibly can i had to call about a charge on my card the rude nasty rep left me on the phone for over ten min. and came back and said it was my fault this happened when it was not... they were not supposed to debit my card because i had opted out of debiting when funds are not availble.. they always make away to put the blame on you not taking any responsiblilty for their mistakes..and dont think they will ever give you a break and reverse an overdraft fee thats not how they roll.. Ive been with some great banks and this banks suck the worse ever..Told them i was closing my account and guess what. they dont care they dont even try to keep you there..they suck they suck they suck go some wher else if you dont want to be screwed over and over...ps THEY SUCK..