Charter One Bank ripoff Total NOT free checking bet you they don't fess up and pay on their promise. Clinton Township Michigan Internet
This is a "warning" to others thinking of opening a "total free checking" account at Charter One banks (what a joke). First of all it is NOT a totally free checking account. I opened a checking acount ($50.00 balance)a little over two months ago, because I have my house financed through Charter One. Well I never made the jump from moving my bank account monies from TCF Bank to Charter One.
Yesterday I received my second bank account statement, which included $37.50 in fees! The statement included $25.00 "MegaRewards ANNUAL FEE" and a $12.50 fee for no transactions within my account (50.00) within the last two months (make note; the bank associate never mentenioned or gave me any literature stating these fees when I opened my account), Does this sound like "totally free" to you?
I would like to find out if Charter One understands what the words "totally free" means! Because out of the last six years of having a checking account with TCF/Great Lakes Bank I NEVER had to pay ANY FEES what so ever, only had to purchase checks ($17.00 a year average).
Charter One has a pledge that states, " THE BEST FREE CHECKING GUARANTEE - We dare anyone to find a better value at another bank! If you do, we'll give you $50."
Well Monday morning I will grab my TCF Bank statements and head down to the local Charter One bank branch office and "call them out on their promise" and show them that I NEVER had to pay anywhere near $37.50 in maintenance fees (other words MegaRewards Annual fee to Charter One) within the last six years (bet you they don't fess up and pay on their promise). I will keep my response updated.
Chris
ira, Michigan
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Diane
Buffalo,New York,
U.S.A.
Charter One Bank Gave In and settled with my but what about the rest who are overcharged with fees every 3 days
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, March 31, 2004
Hello: just to let you know I fought back, contacted the NY State Banking Commission. They replied to my request for help. Since Charter One is not under the regulation of New York, they advised me to contact the OCC, since Charter One is a federal bank. The Banking Comm did forward my complaint and advised me to follow up with the same, which I have already done.
To make matters worse when I checked the account, checking this mornoing low and behold there was another fee attached. Just like they said every 3 days another $33.00 and growing.
I was determined and went to the branch and spoke with the manager, I explained my financial situation and advised that by the time I earn the monies, I would never be able to pay all the fees at the rate they are accumulating.
I offered to bring the overdraft to zero with only one fee. The manager advised if it was cash and right then and there he would waive the other fees, over $130.00 worth but needed to close the account.
So I paid the agreed amount just to get away from them. Then I get the mail and guess what a letter from them advising of the situation of an overdraft, but a different amount, more than agreed to and a comment/offer to purchase $200.00 overdraft protection. The brochure iincluded had no financial data reflecting that if accepted and every utilixed what the interest rate would be.
I thought disclosure of interest rates was mandatory and a professional courtesy.
The brochure did state that they charge $33.00 for any late or overdraft period. That letter is in my recycle bin, but i doid scan it just in case the closing of my account happens to have a miraculous late charge pop up.
Keep fighting everyone, do not give up, but for some reason the manager did comment that I made a complaint. Thank God I live in New York where they react almost the same day.
It pays to speak up when things are not right.
Diane
Buffalo,New York,
U.S.A.
Charter One Bank Gave In and settled with my but what about the rest who are overcharged with fees every 3 days
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, March 31, 2004
Hello: just to let you know I fought back, contacted the NY State Banking Commission. They replied to my request for help. Since Charter One is not under the regulation of New York, they advised me to contact the OCC, since Charter One is a federal bank. The Banking Comm did forward my complaint and advised me to follow up with the same, which I have already done.
To make matters worse when I checked the account, checking this mornoing low and behold there was another fee attached. Just like they said every 3 days another $33.00 and growing.
I was determined and went to the branch and spoke with the manager, I explained my financial situation and advised that by the time I earn the monies, I would never be able to pay all the fees at the rate they are accumulating.
I offered to bring the overdraft to zero with only one fee. The manager advised if it was cash and right then and there he would waive the other fees, over $130.00 worth but needed to close the account.
So I paid the agreed amount just to get away from them. Then I get the mail and guess what a letter from them advising of the situation of an overdraft, but a different amount, more than agreed to and a comment/offer to purchase $200.00 overdraft protection. The brochure iincluded had no financial data reflecting that if accepted and every utilixed what the interest rate would be.
I thought disclosure of interest rates was mandatory and a professional courtesy.
The brochure did state that they charge $33.00 for any late or overdraft period. That letter is in my recycle bin, but i doid scan it just in case the closing of my account happens to have a miraculous late charge pop up.
Keep fighting everyone, do not give up, but for some reason the manager did comment that I made a complaint. Thank God I live in New York where they react almost the same day.
It pays to speak up when things are not right.
Diane
Buffalo,New York,
U.S.A.
Charter One Bank Gave In and settled with my but what about the rest who are overcharged with fees every 3 days
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, March 31, 2004
Hello: just to let you know I fought back, contacted the NY State Banking Commission. They replied to my request for help. Since Charter One is not under the regulation of New York, they advised me to contact the OCC, since Charter One is a federal bank. The Banking Comm did forward my complaint and advised me to follow up with the same, which I have already done.
To make matters worse when I checked the account, checking this mornoing low and behold there was another fee attached. Just like they said every 3 days another $33.00 and growing.
I was determined and went to the branch and spoke with the manager, I explained my financial situation and advised that by the time I earn the monies, I would never be able to pay all the fees at the rate they are accumulating.
I offered to bring the overdraft to zero with only one fee. The manager advised if it was cash and right then and there he would waive the other fees, over $130.00 worth but needed to close the account.
So I paid the agreed amount just to get away from them. Then I get the mail and guess what a letter from them advising of the situation of an overdraft, but a different amount, more than agreed to and a comment/offer to purchase $200.00 overdraft protection. The brochure iincluded had no financial data reflecting that if accepted and every utilixed what the interest rate would be.
I thought disclosure of interest rates was mandatory and a professional courtesy.
The brochure did state that they charge $33.00 for any late or overdraft period. That letter is in my recycle bin, but i doid scan it just in case the closing of my account happens to have a miraculous late charge pop up.
Keep fighting everyone, do not give up, but for some reason the manager did comment that I made a complaint. Thank God I live in New York where they react almost the same day.
It pays to speak up when things are not right.
Diane
Buffalo,New York,
U.S.A.
Charter One Bank Gave In and settled with my but what about the rest who are overcharged with fees every 3 days
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, March 31, 2004
Hello: just to let you know I fought back, contacted the NY State Banking Commission. They replied to my request for help. Since Charter One is not under the regulation of New York, they advised me to contact the OCC, since Charter One is a federal bank. The Banking Comm did forward my complaint and advised me to follow up with the same, which I have already done.
To make matters worse when I checked the account, checking this mornoing low and behold there was another fee attached. Just like they said every 3 days another $33.00 and growing.
I was determined and went to the branch and spoke with the manager, I explained my financial situation and advised that by the time I earn the monies, I would never be able to pay all the fees at the rate they are accumulating.
I offered to bring the overdraft to zero with only one fee. The manager advised if it was cash and right then and there he would waive the other fees, over $130.00 worth but needed to close the account.
So I paid the agreed amount just to get away from them. Then I get the mail and guess what a letter from them advising of the situation of an overdraft, but a different amount, more than agreed to and a comment/offer to purchase $200.00 overdraft protection. The brochure iincluded had no financial data reflecting that if accepted and every utilixed what the interest rate would be.
I thought disclosure of interest rates was mandatory and a professional courtesy.
The brochure did state that they charge $33.00 for any late or overdraft period. That letter is in my recycle bin, but i doid scan it just in case the closing of my account happens to have a miraculous late charge pop up.
Keep fighting everyone, do not give up, but for some reason the manager did comment that I made a complaint. Thank God I live in New York where they react almost the same day.
It pays to speak up when things are not right.
Diane
Buffalo,New York,
U.S.A.
Charter One free checking all lies and fraud
#7Consumer Comment
Tue, March 30, 2004
To the Charter One employee, you are so full of it and how much is Charter One paying you to defend them. Shouldn't any officer or someone in management comment .
Well I for one am fed up with your bank and will contact Eliott Spitzer the GA for NY and the OCC your fees are irrational and outrageous, $33.00 every 3 days , then $30.00 nothing makes sense except that you are using predatory lending tactics.
I have posted a comment to this fact at Complaints.com also.
Today spoke with one of your attitude reps on the phone asked how do I close the account, said I needed to do it in person, so I went to the branch which is housed in Tops Markets around the Buffalo, NY area and guess what I was told.
You can't close an account that is overdrawn. So I wasted my time, lost a half hour pay and told too bad.
Better yet, they are adding another $33.00 to my account as I write this. Now I owe them $99.00, plus the lousy few dollars I was overdrafted.
Ann if I do not pay that ASAP, another fee and then they will report me as delinquent to the Credit Bureaus, for fees not lack of deposits.
What a great country we have when banks and lenders and services abuse the rights of Americans. especially, older persons and in low incomes.
Now I know why Charter One's free checking is so free, I am paying the way for the next victim or is it a fool.
Charter One go away and leave New Yorkers and Tops Market shoppers alone. You have no business falsly advsertising all over and in the aisle's of grocery stores.
Love the teddy bear promo gift, maybe you should change it to a Girzzly Bear, it would be more appropriate. Grrrrrrr
Charter One Employee
Cleveland,Ohio,
U.S.A.
MegaRewards is a program offered to customers because many consumers with debit cards will not use them
#7UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, March 17, 2004
Dear Sir,
I think you are mistaken...
When you sign up for a Charter One account, there is a form to fill out. MegaRewards is a program offered to customers because many consumers with debit cards will not use them and will use credit cards with rewards programs. So, this means the bank giving you a debit card with no rewards program could be a loss. However, there is a choice to MegaRewards... MegaRewards is NOT part of Charter One Bank, it's a 3rd party and you are asked on the form you open your account with if you want it. Many customers do not read what they are filling out and assume it's a small detail when it mentions the 25 dollar fee. For each dollar you spend on your Money Master Card through Charter One, you obtain a point for every dollar you spend. If you use the online banking bill pay service, you can earn points for paying your own bills which is amazing. Imagine money you pay for bills, mortgage, including purchases being put towards a point system to where you get something back... For 25 dollars a year, that's not bad...
Bank accounts have terms and policies with them, many banks have non-activity policies. Any bank offering a free bank account is going to have fees to make up for it if you go outside of the rules, terms, and policies. It's not something the bank takes lightly at all. However, if you open a free account with Charter One and do not use it, what was the point of opening it? Free checks for life, free this, free that, there are many products that are free with Charter One bank and why not take advantage of them? I had a customer one time put 100 dollars in and let it go since the Best Free promotion began and called us 7 months later wondering why we switched his account.
I know this is a pain in the rear to say, however there are some things to understand about banking. Although long, small print, and boring to look at, every bank has a "rules & regulations" guide to look at. It's important to read that book to understand how the bank is going to charge you and what the terms are for your account. Customers who don't overdraft and don't have any fees on their account read those guides which are most with Charter One and are happy with their accounts. I've heard, "My god, you offer so many more things than other banks I've banked with." Every Charter One customer is given one.
As for the "50 dollar challenge", I think you are stretching that a bit and are being a little obtuse... The challenge is in relation to opening the account, such as what other bank would give you a 100 dollar gift card just for simply opening an account and having direct deposit? What bank is going to give you free checks? What bank is going to allow you to make free wire transfers? That is what the challenge is... Not comparison to fees that other banks have.