Complaint Review: First Consumers National Bank

On July 3rd, around 4 p.m., just as I was leaving on a trip, I got a call from my bank (they are wonderful). They were calling to notify me that my online banking payment to FCNB (which was processed by my bank on 6/27/03)had been returned to them stating that it had an invalid acct.# (my fcnb acct.#) on it.

The lady at my bank and I double checked to make sure they had the correct acct. # on file. They had the correct acct. #, of course. I have used that same acct. number (which appears on all my bills from them) since I started online banking in January and have never had any problems. My payments were always in before the due date and always credited correctly to my acct.

Now all of the sudden they aren't recognizing my acct. #?! I told the lady at the bank I would call fcnb to get this resolved. She told me that if I wanted her to try to send it through again she would be happy to do it. She said I could get online and send the pmnt. again if I wanted.

Of course, by this time, it's close to 5 p.m.--the bank is getting ready to close and the next day was a holiday--July 4th. I tried calling the cust. serv. phone number on back of my bill and got a recording stating that the 1-800# had been changed and it gave me a long distance # to call. I called it, but of course, it was all automated, I could never talk to a person.

The funny thing is that the automated system asked me to enter my acct.#. I did and it recognized my acct. number and was able to tell me my acct. balance, etc. It also thanked me for keeping my acct. payments up to date. I tried the option to speak to a customer service rep and guess what? I was promptly disconnected! I tried the number several times trying different options, but they would only give me an address to write to.

By this time, it's after 5 p.m. The bank is closed so I can't let them know that I basically hit a dead-end and I'm over an hour late leaving for my trip. I got back online with my bank and re-sent the payment before leaving on my trip. Of course, due to the holiday and the weekend, my bank couldn't process the payment until Monday 7/7/03 which was one day past the due date.

There is much more I could tell you, but (long story short) on Monday after calling a gazillion different long-distance phone numbers I was finally "given the privilege" of speaking to a very rude and snotty service rep named Keon Robinson who informed me that the company had sent out new acct. #s and new mailing address where bills should be sent some time ago.

I told him that was a lie, that I had never received any notice except that Spiegel & Eddie Bauer were no longer doing business with fcnb, so we wouldn't be able to use our current credit card there. He said, "Well the new acct. # and mailing address will be on your next statement." I explained that this would not help my current situation and that if they even dared to charge me a late fee they were just asking for a lawsuit! He said he would note that on my acct.

So, a few days ago I received my bill with my new acct. # and bill pmnt. address. And guess what other little surprise they included? A $35.00 late charge and a "reminder" that my acct. was one pmnt. past due!!!

The latest twist is that I checked my recent bank transactions and found that the payment I re-sent on 7/3/03 (using my old acct. # and bill pmnt. address was accepted. I have the cancelled check to prove it.
I am so fed up at this point, I could scream.

I know that many of you have been dealing with these problems for much longer than I have and I totally sympathize. I hate this fraud and dishonesty! We can not let them get away with this! I'm ready to do whatever it takes to have these people punished and brought to their knees! By the way, their new website will not recognize my old or new acct. #s.

Melissa
Greenfield, Indiana
U.S.A.

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