Complaint Review: M And T Bank - Buffalo New York

I hope that by the end of this report, people can see how the larger banking companies are handling their customer care.

We were customers of BB&T for a few years and as branches have been closed frequently in our area, we decided to find a bank close to our home. We went with All First. We opened a checking account in May of this year and our son's savings account. Our son gets SSI payments every month for disability. So an account for him would be needed. When placing accounts at this bank, we were informed that they would be merging with M and T in the coming months. Before opening our son's account, we asked if the account number would change. We were asked why and told the woman that he will be receiving direct deposits for his SSI benefits and a change would have to be told to them. She told us not to worry; that the entire All First account numbers would stay the same. In July, they merged.

We noticed in mid July that he had not received his SSI payment for the month. We called the banks branch and asked them if they had received it and maybe not have posted it yet. We were told that at that time, no payment had been made for the month. So I called Social Security, I was told that I had to speak to the case manager and a letter was sent out, that was all they could tell me. I had left messages for the case manager, but he was on vacation.

The end of the third week of July, he called, and told us that our son's SSI payment had come back to the

Treasury Department from M and T/ All First stating that no such account existed and our son would not receive this payment or any other until this situation was fixed. I called the branch and again was told that they never saw any payment, therefor did not send it back. I called M and T's main office and was told that a check was presented in his name and returned because the account number was not right.

I was then given a completely different account number and told that this was his new account number. I was also told that All First knew that his account number would change and should have told us this up front. The woman also stated that the branch was the one who sent this payment back, not M and T itself. So I called the branch numerous times to discuss this and was told the manager would get back to me, that never happened.

It took two more weeks for his SSI payment to be placed into this account because of the change. The main office had also told us that the branch should have mailed us a letter with the new account number. In late August, we finally received a letter with this account information (almost two months after the fact). We also received a copy of their welcome booklet and terms and conditions booklet; this to was in late August.

We noticed that some checks or credits were being deducted more than once, we noticed that cash deposits were not posted on our account for days at a time. We brought these things to the company's attention on numerous occasions and each time; they had a different answer, answers making no sense at all. These things were fixed, it took time for someone to fix them, but they were fixed eventually.

About a month ago, a cash deposit was made and not placed on our account for two days. Mind you, in accordance to their terms and conditions booklet, cash deposits are made available the same day. This was not the case and had not been for some time. It caused a chain reaction to our account and our house payment bounced. After trying for two weeks to get a hold of the branch manager, I finally did. She argues that the deposit was made after 2 PM, which according to their terms and conditions, did not matter, I also made it clear that all deposits made are made well before 2 PM.

On the date in question, I know for a fact that it was just after 9 AM when I made this deposit because I had to wait for the drive-thru to open at 9 AM, and was behind another person. She insisted that the receipt stated 3:08 PM. That would have been impossible since I was somewhere else at that time, the same place I am every day at that time. She tells me that their computers are always right. I told her that apparently not. She said that maybe my husband deposited there at that time. Again, this was impossible since my husband was four counties over, 120 miles away at that time. Unless he sprouted wings he could not have been there either. Finally she said she would look into it and call me back.

Later that day, she did. She tells me that she has fixed the account. I told her what do I do about my house payment, she tells me to send a letter explaining the situation, that the bank made and error and fixed it and that the funds were available. I did that. More than a week later, I have a nasty message on my recorder form the manager demanding that I call her back. I did. She gets irate on the phone and yelling telling me that I did not have any right to tell people that the branch made a mistake. I yelled back and told her that she was the one who told me to send a letter. This was her mistake not mine. She then says, The way I see it, no one knows I told you this. She then tells me that she will send this to her legal department. I told her to go right ahead, I had proof of everything. She eventually called me a B**** and I hung up on her.

Last week I had noticed similar problems with our account, I figured she was being a real smart a** at this point. These errors overdraft our account. No big deal, I was going to place a cash deposit on Friday night or Saturday morning and then they could just credit my account the error. I went online Friday night to notice that my son's account had disappeared. I didn't do anything, because they're site has had error's before and I assumed this was one of them.

Again, Saturday, I went online and still his account was missing, so I never deposited anything into the accounts. I called the main office to be told that my son's account was closed. I asked the woman who had the right to close it; she gets smart with me and tells me that this happened at the local branch and that there were three names on the account. I told her, while I didn't close it, my husband is sitting right here and he didn't close it and my son is disabled and very unable to do such. She laughed. She tells me that I will have to wait until Monday morning to talk to the branch.

I then asked for the supervisor. She also tells me that it was closed at the local branch on Friday morning and that no other information was available. She couldn't do anything to help; I would have to talk to the branch on Monday. So all weekend, I'm really ticked off wondering who stole my son's money. At no time were we told that this was the only account closed.

I called the branch and the manager answered the phone. I asked her where my son's account was. She asked for his account number then asked for my name, before looking up his account, she says, I closed his account and your checking last Thursday, I sent you a letter Thursday. I asked who gave her permission to do such. She tells me that she can do what she wants and she wanted the accounts closed. I asked where my son's money was; she tells me that she'll send a check for the difference of the accounts.

I told her, I didn't think so, she could not take money from my son's account and place it on ours, nor could she close our accounts. She then tells me that our names are on his account. I told her that our names are there as legal guardians, but this was a minor's account set up in his name for his SSI payments. Again she gets rude and tells me that this is NOT an SSI account. I told her I did not say that, I said it was set up for his SSI payments.

She continued to yell and become even ruder than before. I told her that by taking his money, she has done this illegally, her closing our account was illegal and everything she was doing was unethical. Now she says that our account was overdrawn for one week. I told her that an account has to be overdrawn for a 30 days before she could do such. Then she changes her story again and says that she spoke to her legal department and they gave her permission to close our accounts. She said that the letter sent out to our landlord was misrepresenting of her and the bank.

I said, That letter was what you told me to send. She continued. She tells me that like she told me before, know one knows about our conversation but her and that she kept a copy of the letter. I told her good, I also have a copy of the letter, the e-mails, everything and if need be, I will show each and everyone one of them to my attorney. She then starts yelling again and tells me that she has made it so that I would have to bank somewhere else. That's fine, I told her. But, I will let people know just what kind of bank this really is. I told her she could yell and curse and threaten all she wants, but I am not stupid and do know the laws, to which she has continuously violated. She again says that no one knows of our conversations to try and prove them and hung up.

My husband then calls back; he wanted to go there and pickup cash for my son's account. Upon calling, another girl answered and asked who he was he told her and she said that the manager was busy. He then asked if she could help, he never said what about, yet she says, you can only speak to the manager.

Let me point out other placed where she has messed up in her stories. First, she changed it each time that I caught her and tried a different line. 2) When I called on Saturday to the main office, they told me that the account was closed on Friday morning, she told me that she closed them on Thursday. 3) She never sent a letter; it wasn't even in today's mail. If she had, we would have received it Friday or Saturday at the latest. And finally, I went online before writing this report, she placed the difference onto the account this morning (from my son's) after I called, I kept a printout of this too. The checking was also not closed until this morning.

I have sent an e-mail to the main office detailing the information posted here. I will be sending this information along to all applicable government agencies; I will speak to Social Security as to these actions and will once again speak to a manager at their main office.

This goes to show how little companies care when they become bigger. The worse part of all this, I could give them a list of people that have had similar problems with this bank and branch.

A outraged consumer

Waldorf, Maryland
U.S.A.