BANK ROBBERY IN REVERSE - Bank ROBS (now Ex) Customer:
Rabo Bank (formerly Pacific State Bank) ROBS (Ex) Customer (Account # 03 708604 now closed)
In February 2011 I mistakenly entered a $7,800 payment to my DiscoverCard instead of $780 in my on-line bill-pay banking system. Upon finding that out the following morning, I immediately called the branch to explain and have them correct it. The following day they not only reversed the erroneous DiscoverCard payment, but 1) THEY REVERSED MY CORRECT PAYMENT to my MasterCard also, 2) LOCKED ME OUT of their entire on;line banking system, and 3) BLOCKED ACCESS to my account via their 800 number. What's worse is that THEIR TECH PEOPLE WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, and THEY BILLED ME A $50 SERVICE CHARGE as their way of saying "Thank You" for having been a (now former) custmer for almost 10 years!!!
Would YOU stay with a bank that does not allow access to on-line banking or a toll free number, and can't/won't fix it???
Since I could no longer use their on-line banking system to pay bills, I was forced to write checks to my Discover and Mastercard and send them via US mail. .
I realize that entering an erroneous figure was MY screw-up, but I missed a deadline on my MasterCard payment because THEY REVERSED THE CORRECT PAYMENT and because I HAD TO USE U.S. MAIL, since THEY LOCKED ME OUT OF ON-LINE AND TELEPHONE ACCESS. As a consequence, I had go through more tremendous hassle, and it took mw three more weeks of going back and forth, explaining to my MasterCard people that my ROTTEN, NO-GOOD, FORMER BANK incorrectly reversed my original timely payment, to get this new problem, caused by my FORMER, ROTTEN, NO-GOOD BANK, resolved.
Bottom Line "Screw-Up Score": ONE screw-up problem from Me vs. FOUR screw-up problems from that rotten bank, and they refused to reverse that "rip-off" $50 service charge.
Clearly, this bank does not accept responsibility for their own screw-ups. I talked with Branch Manager Pamela Swift, and also VP/Advertising and Communications Manager Andy Frokjer, and they did NOTHING except "talk"!!! the reason I mention the latter individual is that their website mentions his name and refers to a press release dated May 14, 2010 entitled "RaboBank N. A. Honored as 'MODEL BANK' for OnLine Banking Execution" ?????!!!!!!! Really??? They "executed" me allright...
Wouldn't you think that a DECENT BANK would NOT charge me a fee, which is ridiculously high as it is (Robbery by the Bank), but especially after their INABILITY TO ALLOW ME ANY FURTHER ACCESS to their on-line banking??? I talked with people at all the other banks I deal with, and they were appalled!
Alex M.