Complaint Review: FIFTH THIRD BANK

I paid my car payment online on February 13, 2004 but Fifth Third Bank says they didn't receive a draft until February 27, some 2 weeks later and charged me a late fee of $16.00. My bank has verified that the payment went out by US mail on the 13th day of February. The grace period expired 13 days later on February 26th, one day before Fifth Third acknowledges it received the draft.

It doesn't take the mail 14 days to run from Indianapolis to Cincinnati (98 miles)or anywhere else in the USA as their Customer Service people have suggested. I complained bitterly to their customer service and was never able to contact a supervisor nor were my calls returned despite several attempts. I submitted documentation to their customer service by mail from my bank that would indicate they are lying but have not received a response as of yet.

I finally complained to the attorney general who said it was out of his jurisdiction but admitted they had about 40 similar complaints against Fifth Third. They forwarded my case to the Comptroller of the National Banks in Texas and they said this matter was out of their jurisdiction because Fifth Third is not a national bank and forwarded the case to a Federal Reserve supervisory agency in DC who sent me a letter and said it was out of their jurisdiction. Something needs to be done about these people and apparently there in no controlling authority over these people. What a scary thought!

Larry
New Palestine, Indiana
U.S.A.