Wednesday, October 8, 2008

That's robbery

So, I officially hate banks. I understand that you shouldn't write checks unless you have the funds available, but you should also not rip people off at any given chance. So, I was a little short for rent, but didn't want to pay the late fee of $50 + $5/day on top of my rent, and I didn't want them posting that note on my door that's embarrassing. So, I floated a check to them on Monday. I was about $100 short or so, at least I thought, but it didn't matter because I worked on Tuesday and could easily make the remainder then and rush it to the bank on Tuesday night. My rent check has always, for the past 3 years taken AT LEAST 2 full days to clear my bank, so I felt good about it. I checked my internet banking and there was a list of 12 things that were "pending", but had been charged up until last Tuesday. Should've cleared by now you'd think. Anyway, I get onto the internet banking on Tuesday morning, at about 5am, and there it was. This big - $568.00 staring at me. So, how does that happen you ask? Well, after speaking with the phone banker, they explained it is Colorado law that they cash large items FIRST, regardless of the date of the transaction, and since they "may have been" expecting my rent check soon- they kept those items pending. So, they cleared the rent check and a couple other things and then they proceeded to hit me with $35 overdraft fees ELEVEN times. Each transaction that incurred this fee was under $15. PLUS- I didn't know this either- when you get gas with a Wells Fargo card.....it doesn't register in your balance except for a $1 charge, until about a week later. That's hilarious. It's so funny that I'm about to cry. Maybe it's my fault for not being Mr. Checkbook balancer but I expect that when I make a purchase, you take that out of my balance immediately. Instead, I get to go into the bank and raise hell. Besides that, my Norton Internet Security expired and now my internet runs slow as molasses and crashes constantly. Plus, Comcast is doing something with the phones and ours is all jacked up and we can't get or send calls from the house at this point. The customer service lady said she'd have to send someone out to fix it, and that it would cost US!!!! We didn't do anything!!! You pay for it!! Uggggghhh- Not to mention that we have Kaitis appointment today at 2:30 and I'm very nervous about that. Anyway, I have to get back to this wonderful life of mine and I'll update when we know more.

4 comments:

Abby said...

Ugh,that's such bull. I hate that crap!

Last Christmas, er..before then..I went onto ToysRUs.com to do a bit of shopping for my kids and my friend's kids and around that same time, Orion had taken a couple of hundred dollars from the bank account and THEN told me about it..not that he was planning on doing it..but that he already had..and we weren't getting paid for about another week or so. Crap. I expected they were going to charge me the $29 overdraft fee..ya know..just for that store. No..they literally charged me $29 for EVERY item that I'd purchased. I'm not sure how that's okay because it was ONE transaction..but they did. When payday came around..I think I had something like $300 to pay bills, get gas, and groceries with. So yes..I know the screw you over routine well.

It's frustrating..but it happens to almost everyone at some point.

Sarah said...

We've dealt with the same exact sort of stuff. Last time it happened, I called and was able to get them to take off 1/2 of the overdraft fees. I think there were 4 in all, so it wasn't everything, but still $66 is better than nothing.

The most recent crap that Wells Fargo has screwed us over with though, is completely the banks fault and we will be leaving them here shortly because they are such morons. We're going to make friends w/AZ Federal. I've heard they have more common sense.

YogaNana said...

I've had this happen more than once, and yeah, they pay the big ones first. In a way that's good because the big one is usually rent and rent is most important, followed by car, which is also usually big. But at one point it left me with zero money for food and four of you to feed. I called Wells and sort of begged and they removed half my overdraft fees.

Be cautious about changing banks right now, guys -- I've heard from more than one person that Wells Fargo is one of a small small handful of relatively stable banks in this mess.

And there are no warm fuzzy banks. They all exist to make money. But you knew that. :o)

My heart goes out to you. I know all those horrible money problems all too well.

Hannah said...

Ew That totally sucks Micah.

Mike and I were getting overdraft fees up the butt a while ago. Once we got it worked out we switched to a mostly cash system. We deposit his checks and take out my grocery money, gas money, and whatever else we need cash for. Then we don't touch our debit cards. It's kind of liberating.