Complaint Review: Compass Bank

Compass Bank openly expresses a policy of check resequencing. Check resequencing is a tool used by banks to unethicaly bilk its customers out of extra NSF fees. This was the subject of one major class action lawsuit against Bank of America and is the focus of several other pending class action lawsuit investigations.

Moreover, I also had the experience of having my paycheck from my employer bounce. Normally I would have found another job by now and started proceedings to collect from, what would be, by former employer. However, in this economy there are not alot of jobs to be had, so I was forced into the uncomfortable position of working with my employer to get my backpay, or at least my checking account and other immediate bills, caught up until the cash flow problem could be rectified. During this time Compass Bank has called me repeatedly about my account. I told them I was doing everything I could to try and get the funds from my employer and deposit them and that I would do so at the very instant I recieved the funds. This wasn't enough, however, they had to keep pressuring me and included threats of criminal persecution.

Well this got me to look up the bad check laws of my state. Turns out that while, yes a person can be charged with a crime for passing bad checks, the subject must KNOWINGLY do so. Intent can only be assumed under two conditions, neither of which my case or deposit record, upheld. The bank and it's employees, especially in the security department must surely know this.

Then I thought I would look up to see if there were any laws covering the false threat of criminal persecution in Colorado. It looks like, according to the way I read and understand it, there is. The criminal extortion law prohibits a person, without legal authority and with the intent to induce another person against that other person's will to perform an act or to refrain from performing a lawful act, makes a substantial threat to confine or restrain, cause economic hardship or bodily injury to, or damage the property or reputation of, the threatened person or another person.

I now had the funds, so I thought I would go into the bank and make them aware of the laws, in case they were unaware of their actions. As I was doing so (in a calm, inside voice) the Branch Manager, JD, overheard what I was telling the teller and told me to leave. As I did so I retorted that I should have just called the police. He has since called to harrass me and told me that my conversation with the teller was "totally inappropriate" and when pressed to give a reason why he deemed my conversation "inappropriate" he would only go in circles saying, "Oh you KNOW that was totally inappropriate!", never actually stating HOW it was inappropriate. Evidently, they can level false threats against a customer when it suits their purpose, however, when a reading of the actual laws by the customer is performed, that is "totally inappropriate".

Avoid ALL Compass Banks!

Jeff
Longmont, Colorado
U.S.A.