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  • Report:  #1157528

Complaint Review: First Convenience Bank of Texas - Houston Texas

Reported By:
Gwen - Houston, Texas,
Submitted:
Updated:

First Convenience Bank of Texas
Houston, 77038 Texas, USA
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?

 No matter what your financial situation is, if you bank with them you are in big trouble.  I have no idea where to begin, but since I've had an account with this bank it has been a nightmare!  Your account balance is only subjective - I pay particular attention to keep records of my transactions and what I have in my account, but they somehow find a way for that number to be incorrect.  According to their representative:  When you make a purchase, the merchant has XXX amount of days to collect the funds at which time the funds have not yet been deducted...blah, blah, blah...long story short they make you think you have more funds than you do so you make a tiny purchase and then they hit you with a POS reject fee and an NSF Fee.  This has happened a number of times and I am at a boiling point now.  They rejected payment for my water bill, which was made using my debit card!!!  I had no idea it had occurred and now I am sitting in my home with no water.  I just checked my account and see that a SINGLE transaction I made with Amazon - which they didn't approve in the first place has racked up over  $100.00 in fees...WHAT?!?!  You didn't even approve it, but you've charged me $12.00 in POS reject fees (there were 3 items, each $2.00 reject - CHARGED TWICE) and a $35.00 NSF fee for each item!  I hate this bank, they are only out to steal from their customers and I have no idea how on earth they can get away with their shady business practices.  I could write so much more, but I am so angry that I just want to cry right now and can't spend one more second in front of my PC.  I wish there was a way to get back at them and I hope that someone brings about a class-action lawsuit because they are ripping people off, I know I can't be the only one experiencing this with them.  THey will ruin me financially if I continue to bank with them.  Of course I discovered this after business hours so I have no one to talk to.  I don't think it would make a difference anyway because I've found nearly 100 other complaints about the same subject but it seems like they are just getting away with this mess scott free.  Do not bank with them!  I want to use all caps so badly, but it was recommended not to do that for readability.  I hate them!!!  You are far better off getting a Green Dot card from WalMart than to trust this shady bank.  I wish I had taken time to read reviews on them before I opened an account, they've already screwed me out of several hundred dollars. I have learned a costly lesson in all of this though, I will never do business - especially dealing with my finances with any other company before thoroughly investigating them first.  I thought they were safe, they are not!!!



5 Updates & Rebuttals

DRM

Houston,
Texas,
You are absolutely Right!

#2Consumer Comment

Tue, August 19, 2014

You are absolutely right! I am going through the exact same thing and I see a lot of others have reported the same issues. 

I have one main account that I use for my daily routines, and a 2nd account that I use for paying bills as I don't want my "main" account compromised.  So when I pay bills, I transfer the amount of whatever payments I'm making into the 2nd account and use the debit card for that to pay my bills.  Then creditors can take as as long as they want to collect it. Mind you, I never take money out of that account. As such there is often a small balance after all has been collected until the next month when I pay bills again and transfer the funds to cover them. But I have specifically left an additional 20.00 just to give myself a coushin for things like service fees or unexpected transaction from some merchants.

So imagine my surprise when as of the last transaction made using that account on 8-15-14, there was a positive balance of 5.63.  The next thing posted on that date (the same date!) there is not just 1 but 2 overdraft fees! for what???? There was Positiver balance so how can there possibly be an over draft?

I keep very accurate records and yes I keep a physical hand written check registry on both accounts, just as I have for the last 29 years when I got my first bank account long before internet service became available. So I know dang well that there was a positive balance.

The next day I purchased some furniture.  I transfered the money to that account and then went back and verified that the account was indeed credited to the account, and it was.  After verifying that the money was transfered, I then gave the merchant my card to run the transaction to purchase my item.  Imagine my surprise when the next day I'm hit with another OD fee!

I called the bank and they fed me some line of bull about the transaction not posting in time which is totally b-s because I specifically checked it before making my purchase. The transfer had gone through!

So yes, you are absolutely right!

 


Striderq

Columbia,
South Carolina,
Apparently not...

#3General Comment

Sun, June 29, 2014

"- I pay particular attention to keep records of my transactions and what I have in my account, but they somehow find a way for that number to be incorrect. "

Apparently your record keeping leaves much to be desired. If you kept an accurate register, you would know how much you had to spend without causing yourself fees. Add deposits when they're available and subtract debits immediately upon authorizing them.

 

"This has happened a number of times and I am at a boiling point now" Proof that your "system" doesn't work. And if your system doesn't work at Wells Fargo it won't work at any bank. Until an unless you keep the register correctly, you will continue to give your money to the bank.

 

"someone brings about a class-action lawsuit"   First of all, they're not doing anything wrong or illegal. Secondly, the only people that make money out of a class action lawsuit are the lwyers.

 

"THey will ruin me financially if I continue to bank with them" No, you will ruin yourself financially if you don't learn how to properly use a register.

 

And, no. I don't work for Wells Fargo.


Jim

Florida,
No...You Aren't Keeping Proper Records!

#4Consumer Comment

Thu, June 26, 2014

...otherwise you would NEVER have a single over-draft fee unless you actually decided to ignore the running balance and spend beyond that figure.  Keeping written records means writing down EVERY transaction and doing the subtraction for every transaction.  When you deposit money, you add it to the running balance ONLY when you see it posted to your account.  If you add it earlier than that, that money cannot be used because the bank hasn't yet credited it to your account as per the funds availability policy. Also, the bank and the merchant are separate entities.  The bank has ZERO control as to when the merchant submits the debits.  Generally, its pretty quick but some drag their feet like gas stations.  When you subtract that amount even before it shows up on-line then in effect, you have removed that money from your running balance and it is set aside so you don't spend it and give yourself an OD fee.


Stacey

Texas,
?

#5Consumer Comment

Thu, June 26, 2014

 I have not a clue about what your report says BUT if you are overdrawing your account because you rely on online, atm and phone balances then that is your fault.  You must keep track of your debits/credits by using a check register and reconciling your bank statement!!~! That is the only way to keep track of your money.  And NO I do not work for this bank or any other bank!


Robert

Irvine,
California,
There is a way...

#6Consumer Comment

Thu, June 26, 2014

 You want to "get back at them"...well let me tell you the perfect way and it will cost you absolutely NOTHING.

I think you would agree that the best way to "get back at them" would be to keep them from getting these fees..right?  Well there is one very simple thing you need to do.  Act like a responsible adult and keep a written register..well okay that is two things.

You see if you write down EVERY transaction you make in your register when you make it and deduct it from your balance, you will know exactly how much you have in your account at any one time.  This way regardless of the "blah blah blah", as long as you never spend more than you show you have available, you will NOT go negative and will NOT incurr any fees.  The other key to this is that when you make a deposit, do NOT attempt to spend even a single penny of that until it becomes available.

Oh and you want the real kicker...if you don't have a written register, go into a local branch and let them know.  I would bet that they will be more than willing to give you one, and they may even spend a few minutes showing you how to use it.

As for using a Green Dot card..oh yea they are soooooooo much more reliable.  If you want some interesting reading go ahead and read some of their complaints.

You are welcome in advance.....

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