Complaint Review: Compass Bank

First of all, this happened because of a scam company called FIRST NATIONAL CREDIT. You know, one of those companies that calls and says that you are getting a credit card and ends up giving you nothing in return, or if they do give you anything it is a bunch of advertisements for credit card companies or debt consolidation firms. Thats them. The kind of companies that are all over rip-off report.com.

Unfortunately, I never heard or knew about rip-off report.com until I looked up GoTech Financial(who I had a simular dealing with not too long ago), on the BBB website, so I was very cafeful in listening to the crap that this company was selling.

I even made sure to get on them on tape telling me what I was getting by asking them as they recorded my information, "This is to receive a mastercard with a credit limit of $1000.00 correct?" And of cousre,the answer was yes.

I then figured, if it is a scam, I will just cancel my transaction through them, and my bank. I checked them out on the BBB and rip-off report websites and found nothing here, but the BBB had a lot of information on this company basically indicating that indeed it is a scam. So, I first called them, and tried to cancel and I was told was I was really paying for(not a credit card), and that I would have to go through my bank if I wanted to cancel.

This is where the fun starts with Compass. I called customer service to put a stop payment on the transaction that was to take place the following day(1-23-04).$25.00 service charge. Okay, I deserve to pay that just to teach me a lesson to never give out any information to any telemarketer, ever! Besides, it is better than paying $187.00 for nothing.

First off, I had $400.00 in my bank account. I was told that the money still might be taken from my account and to make sure the funds are available just in case to avoid a NSF charge. First National Credit was to charge my account January 23, 2004, at 12:00am which they did not. Saturday and Sunday Compass is closed, including the 1-800-COMPASS number.

I just moved in to my apartment two weeks ago. I had to pay my phone bill and get some household items from the store, after all 400-187=213. Well I sarted to get close to over spending and I still had a lot of items that I needed to get for my apartment. Checking on my account balance at an electronic ATM that reflects your AVAILIBLE BALANCE immediately after transactions are made, I saw the transactions that just took place.

Because of this, I figured that Compass is closed on the weekends, but transactions are still processed, and it is still is not reflecting First National Credit charging my account.

So, I then continued shopping and just went over 213 dollars after going grocery shopping on Sunday. I checked my AVAILIBLE BALANCE on an ATM and again, it read the transations I had just made, again not reflecting First National Credit.

I went to work the following Monday(the 26th) and checked my balance once again. I still had an AVAILIBLE BALANCE of $94.71.

I bought food for work($6.02) and before I went home I bought a beer and got some change for laundry($9.69) leaving me with an AVAILIBLE BALANCE of $79.00. Tuesday I went to work and checked my account online. My balance was -131.00. I imediately called Compass to find out why.

They told me that the transactions that I had made over the weekend were not processed until Tuesday the 27th at 12:00am.

Not only that, the First National Credit charge went through, but on Monday the 26th instead of Friday the 23rd. Furthermore, they did not go by the order in which transactions were made. The items that I had purchased this weekend were charged to my account AFTER First National Credit even though the charge was made on Monday and the others were made over the weekend.
-"Sounds like a rip off to me"

I was told by the 1-800-COMPASS customer service that I need to speak to the manager. So I gave my number to her to have a manager call me back. Afterwards, I called the branch on Deer Valley Rd. They told me that they could not help me, but, if I can provide proof that all of the NSF charges are a result of this $187.00 being charged to my acount, and if I provide this information to the manager at the branch that I opened my account at(the Scottsdale branch), I can get those NSF charges removed.

Needless to say, I called them imediately. I spoke with the manager, and she said that she was going to call the 1-800-COMPASS number and find out what they were going to do. Then, I received a call from a manager from the customer service number. I expalained the situation, and asked questions about why this took place. I could not get results and I was told(very rudely) that she did not beleive that it was a bank error and she could only refund one NSF charge. As in regard to me being told that all I have to do is provide proof, I was told that the manager at my branch can deal with that.

I spoke with the manager once again, and she told me to wait until all transactions are cleared, and to call her back on Thursday because she will not be in on Wednesday. I called her back today and she put me on hold for 20 minutes, and then said that she has to speak with the person I spoke with about putting a stop payment on the $187.00 transaction.

She said that she would call me back and never did. I called her a few hours later, and she put me on hold another 20 minutes, and then told me that I was aware of the fact that I should have kept the funds in my account and she is not going to reverse the NSF charges. I asked her questions about the order of them sending transactions through and she ignored me, and then repeated herself. I asked her about what the Deer Valley branch told me about refunding the NSF charges, and yet again she did the same.

I was treated very rudely by 80% of the staff at Compass. My very valid questions went ignored. I always kept a good attitude regardless of the situation, and never even raised my voice. They chaged my account when it was convenient for them to do so in order to get $245.00 of NSF charges at $35.00 a piece. They have very poor customer service, and I cannot close my acount until I pay whats left of the fees(after refunding $187.00) which is S131.31. Furthermore, I have direct deposit so I have no choice but to pay.

They screwed me, and I cannot do anything about it. If I would of known that they were going to charge my account at their convenience, lie to me, and be rude, I would of never even touched my acount this weekend. I am loosing my new apartment because of this. IF YOU ARE THINKING DOING BUISNESS WITH COMPASS, THINK TWICE. IF THEY FIND THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY, THEY WILL NOT HESITATE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE.

C-M-
Phoenix, Arizona
U.S.A.

STOP! ..before you think about using the Better Business Bureau (BBB)... CLICK HERE to see how other consumers were victimized by the BBB's false or misleading information. Don't be fooled! It has been reported, when there are thousands of complaints and other investigations underway by authorities, the BBB has no choice but to finally give an UNsatisfactory rating to a BBB member business that is paying the BBB big membership fees every year. When a business is reported that is NOT a BBB member, BBB files WILL more likely show an UNsatisfactory rating, then reportedly shake down that company to become a member of the BBB. One positive thing about the BBB is, either way, if a business has an unsatisfactory rating with the BBB, you can be sure, the business is bad. But what about all those BBB member businesses that had complaints filed against them? Consumers never get to hear about them. What about the BBB advertising to the public? Is this a false and misleading perception they are giving about consumer confidence when dealing with a business? Click here to understand more of what consumers and business alike are saying about the BBB. You decide. ..Remember. The BBB membership is not earned, it's paid for!