Complaint Review: BB&T Bank - Sparta North Carolina

It is very clear to me that the report was not read in full before that last comment was made. Had the time been taken to read the report the person would have seen that it is not only the card but checks as well. If I am unable to use the card or checks how than am I to use the money?

"It literally seems that every time I use my debit card, there's a $35 charge." STOP using the debit card!

I stated above that I was positive when I used my card because thats what I thought. I found out on 5/15/07 that was not what happened. Every time I was positive and was close to using all the money in my account I was told to please see the cashier. When the overdraft fees started being incurred all of a sudden any purchases made with my card went through. On 5/11/07 I had a payroll check clear my account so thinking that every thing was finally done I did my usual thing and found out that every thing I did that day was in the negative. My whole paycheck was gone and there was still a negative balance of 125.33. I have 11 overdraft fees for that 1 day alone. Since this started on 4/26/07 I have a total of 20 overdraft fees. As for there not being any hold time BB&T has held items up to 3 days therefore insuring that when the items do finally go in the money is not there. I have talked repeatedly to the bank on this matter and I get the run around. I have a third party working with me on this and what is happening does not make sense to them either. At this point and time I do not have the money to switch banks because all my money is going to BB&T. Just one more thing I have 2 children to take care of and this has made things very hard for our family.

I stated in the report that the bank is using "timing" as an excuse. According to BB&T there is no longer a hold time for checks or the card, therefore the items purchased are immediately charged and money is removed from the account. However for the direct deposit check that goes in friday at 12:00am there must be a 1-2 day hold time. BB&T states that the payroll check is in as soon as the business puts it in. The time has been the same for one and a half years but it seems to be whenever BB&T decides to clear my check. As for the card being denied when I use the card I am in the positive and than there is more overdraft fees. If the money is not in my account where is it? I am not the only person BB&t has done this to. In my town alone if you mention what BB&T is doing the response is "it doesn't surprise me" or "they did that to me to so i switched banks" at which point i get a list of banks and told that since switching these people have not had any problems. BB&T needs to know that people trust them with thier money and to rip them off is a highly dishonest and disrespectful thing to practice. BB&Ts overdraft fees go in same day as purchases.

What do you mean by "timing"? If you have charge slips that shows you made the transactions after the bank shows you did, then you have a legitimate complaint. However, if your charge slips show you made the charges before, or the same day, the bank says you did, then you are overdraft. A charge can post to your account anytime from 1 second to weeks after you make the charge. The timing is up to the merchant who submits your charge for payment. Charges are not submitted by the merchant just because your card is "swiped". Merchants have to then submit the charge for payment to their account and it is up to them when they do it. This has nothing to do with the bank. In addition, if your charge has made you overdraft today, the bank doesn't usually post the NSF fee until the next banking day. Any NSF fees that are posted to your account today incurred because yesterday your charges made you overdraft. Also, something new I recently learned about what banks are doing. Recently, after a spending spree one weekend, I had about $134 left in my checking account. I went to a store and tried to charge $156. I figured the charge would be approved because I had thousands in my savings account that was linking to my checking account. Anyway, the charge was denied. So I called the online banking to transfer money from my savings account to the checking account so I could make the purchase. The $134 balance I should have had was now zero. I transferred a couple hundred and made the charge. On Monday, I realized that not only was the $156 on hold (as it should have been), but the $134 was still on hold. Then the $156 posted, and the $156 came off hold. However, the $134 was still on hold. I called the bank and asked why that money was on hold. I was informed that even though the charge was denied because I didn't have enough money in the account, all money I did have in the account was still held anyway for the denied transaction. They said this was to protect the merchant. I said the merchant was already protected since the charge was denied, but the bank said this was their policy. Had you made any charges that were denied? If so, the bank might have placed a hold on whatever money you had. Banks are now holding for denied charges, too.

I am curious why you were hit with these overdrafts... What I believe happened is what banks do.. When I worked for one, I always disagreed, but then understood their logic.. They will always send through the highest dollar item first (which usually will bring you into the negative)... Then they start with the fees, and go from there.. However, if you had an item which they sent back (because you did not have enough money in there to cover the high dollar item), the fee would be charged and then go from there.. I think you have a legitimate complaint however..