Complaint Review: Bank Midwest Wal-Mart Jessica Denney Sales Associate

I opened an account at Bank Midwest because of its convenient location in Walmart and its extended hours. I did not realize what I was in for.

It was nearing Christmas of 2006 and I knew I was short on funds. To make sure that I had funds available for Christmas and to make sure I covered things already coming into my account, I withdrew money from my only other source: I took a loan on my retirement fund to tide me over.

I put this money into my checking account at Bank Midwest to make sure nothing bounced and that I would have some sort of Christmas money available.

About a week and a half later I received a letter from Bank Midwest saying that they had put a hold on this check from
Merrill Lynch because I had overdrawn my account recently.
I looked back at my account when this letter arrived.

I had put put a small amount of money into my account just before I had put this larger check from an established company into the account.

If they had wanted to take overdrafts or to hold money from me to make a point, they could have done it when I put the deposit in prior to the larger check; but they didn't. They waited until they saw a chance to really rake in the overdraft charges from me.

Since I did not know that the check was on hold for about a week, all of the purchases I made and the bills I paid came in to the bank, and the bank charged an overdraft fee for each one paid. These fees were more than enough to pay my rent, and I had no rent money when my rent came due.

I went to the free standing building on Republic Road in Springfield Missouri, taking the letter that I had received with me. I was told that the manager that does the overdraft decisions was not located at their location. She is in the South Campbell Walmart Store.

They called her to discuss the letter. She was not in when they called her. She was on Christmas vacation. The teller said that they had the wrong phone number for me in their records (I have not changed my number since I have banked with them that I know of) so they could only contact me by letter. I told them my number IS unlisted. The Campbell branch Assistant Manager said he didn't know how to help me.

I asked them if they realized that they were putting me in the hole even deeper. I said I had put that check in their bank in good faith to cover my expenses and to make sure they didn't have to pay anything that came in with low funds around Christmas and it looked like they were making sure that I WOULD definitely have overdrafts.

It made no difference to them. They shrugged and said "Sorry".
My Christmas was ruined, and I was too upset to look further as I watched the overdrafts stack up, so I do not know the full amount of the mess, but it was definitely over 360.00 in overdraft fees.

When my paycheck was put into the bank on the assigned date by direct deposit, they took over half of it. As soon as I saw that, I withdrew everything they had left me and got money orders to do business.

I still feel ripped when I think about it or talk about it. I have yet to catch up from the mess that all caused me in my account. I will not auto deposits in that bank anymore.

Hopefully, I can find a way to get the money refunded and find a better bank.

My advice is; Do Not use Bank Midwest!

Teresa
Springfield, Missouri
U.S.A.