Banco Popular

Worse bank ever! Banco makes millions off of their crafty accounting and overdraft fee scam. Let's rundown the checklist of violations, shall we?

Banco will hold deposited checks (so that they can pay off their loans and other bank expenses) and won't make the money available to the account holder until after two weeks! However, your online banking statement will reflect the funds as available money, from which the account holder will draw from only to be hit with overdraft fees for every item purchased during that time period; Banco will allow purchases to clear your account but retroactive said purchases two days later and hit you with an abundance of overdraft fees; Banco customer service reps will blame you for their mistakes and refuse to rectify their wrongdoings; Banco institutes every policy imaginable to ensure that the bank is covered financially and their account holders are not.

For example, only the branch where you opened your account can assist you with account issues. Imagine being out of town and having to deal with this policy. Checks that are returned will automatically make your account negative, even though the funds were never deducted from the account, which spirals an out of control overdraft fee spree. The computer will then start "over-drafting" prior purchases!

Dreadful experience! I deposited my first paycheck from a huge advertising agency after one month's work on a long sought new job, confident I would have a warmer Christmas than the previous two had been. We all know what I'm referring to here in America. The branch released $200 of this amount as is the procedure I am familiar with. I proceeded to pay my car insurance bill and a few small bills which needed to be paid immediately. It was my 8 year old daughter's birthday as well and we stopped for a bite in an unassuming eatery in NYC. When it was time to pay, they rejected my bank card for insufficient funds. Upon inquiry with BPOP (an exercise in frustration in itself), I was told they had put a 10 day hold on my deposit because the check source could not be verified, a very uncreative lie.

Although, I'd worked very hard for my paycheck, I was unable to have a "normal" birthday for my child, or for my Lord, or for New Years. The embarrassment, the frustration, the disappointment for me and my family was all capped off by the bank not releasing my money on the 3rd of January as promised repeatedly by word and letter. And with a "Tawanda" yelling over my verbal inquiry into this extension of my hardship and indignation. They are unprofessional in practice, procedure, and behavior. Stay away!

My equity line of credit was purchased by Banco Popular by BoA. Banco Popular's procedure is that you have a due date and then a grace period, and if you miss the due date but are still in your grace period, they call you relentlessly multiple times a day. This could be considered harassment because you are still in your grace period. They were rude and continue doing this every month unless it's paid by the due date.

My equity loan payment is due on the 6th, with a 10-day grace period that ends on the 16th. If you don't pay by the 6th, the collections department calls to ask when you will be paying, even though you are in your grace period and per agreement. I don't have to have paid them as of yet. This is harassment of the consumer as the rules that were agreed upon when the loan was taken/received are being adhered to and yet, they are calling and pressuring to pay before the required time.

My spouse passed away. I went to Banco Popular and called several times to inquire what I need to close the account and safe deposit box, and I went 3 weeks without an answer. When I went into the bank, they let me know that I needed a court order to get into the box and a bank employee will need to evaluate the assets in the box. However, all other banks only required me to complete a Probate 13100 after 40 days along with a death certificate. Norma also handed me their version of the Probate 13100 and it listed safe deposit box as one of its options, however, they will not allow me to use this per their legal department.

I contacted the district manager and she only offered to have their legal department contact my attorney. I asked to have the legal department contact me (why do I need to incur the cost of an attorney?). So far, I got no response. There are only two of anything where my spouse and I are not joint and they are both at Banco Popular. Everything else we ever owned is joint; therefore, I do not need to have a probate hearing since he left no will and any assets which are in his name only are less than $100,000.

According to the Los Angeles Superior Court website, they a have a pamphlet which also indicates that all I need to do is complete the form. I don't understand why this bank seems to think they are above the law. All other banks where I have made an inquiry also only require the Probate 13100 form.

There was a mistake made in 2008, and it took 4 to 5 months for us to fix it with them. Everything was supposed to be okay, and nothing was going to be negative on my credit! Now 2 years later after the Temecula branch closed, we received a collection letter in the amount of $251.07. There should not be any amount due at all. This was taken care of in 2008, but the people I dealt with were not to be found, and I cannot get anywhere with the people at Banco to find their old employee to help me fix this.

It was their own branch manager from Temecula who made all the mistakes and said everything was okay. Her name was Alma, and now after two years, it's on my credit and they think that I owe them $251.07. It took us a month to fix this in 2008. They are the people who messed up, and the only people who are nowhere. This Alma has to fix this. I cannot get into their internal papers to get anything done. Please help! Thank you.

I received a letter with the letterhead from Banco Popular letting me know that they have been trying to contact me to discuss possible options. The person on the phone, a Marco S, mentioned that he was calling to help me lower my monthly payments. I kept asking questions. He said that in order for him to help me I needed to make an appointment with him. To bring with me my paycheck stub, my bank statement, my checkbook, Driver's license, Social Security, 2008 taxes.

When I asked again, He told me that they were a branch of BP. I asked him if I needed to pay for this. He mentioned that I should not worry that there were different programs for everyone just bring the info to him. I kept asking him if he knew my loan # since he is calling me from BP. Then, he changed and said that they were not BP but they were endorsed by BP. I asked for the name of the company but he did not gave me the name. I called BP customer services since the letter shows their Letterhead. Customer service told me that they do not have anything to do with this people. I don't know if this is a legitimate company or scam. To me it does not sound legit. I don't need to do any changes in my mortgate, but I'm writing you to investigate. I fear for all this poor people that call to try to get a better deal to save their houses and will end up worse than they are now.

David and I originally bought this home in May 2005, as an 80/20 loan with minimal money down. This was with verified bank statements. I'm in the mortgage business. I had loss of income due to the industry slowing down. Feb 2007, One of my rental properties had a water heater burst and we had loss of income from fixing up the problem for six months without a tenant. We had gotten reimbursed afterwards and this put us behind on our primary residence.

This started in April 2007...Dave and I wanted to refinance in May 2008 our two yr prepay was due. We couldn't since our credit ...we were late...this affected our approval. From May 2007 to August we had an increase in our adjustable from a 3300.00 interest only payment to a 4500.00 interest only payment in six months. ACS the loan servicer (owned by Wells Fargo Bank) on my rental property that had a flood in the house..they wanted to go into trustee sale Auguest 1, 2007 and Dave and I had to file emergency Bankruptcy..to stop the foreclosure. We went into chapter 13 to keep the homes. (dave had another rental next door to the home with the flood) We paid all the payments current and trustee payments.

Now our home on Laguna Vista had increased another 500.00 in payment while we were in Chapter 13. We called Popular Bank to do a Loan Modifcation and they told us they were strickly a loan servicing company and they didn't do Loan Modifications. I called the bankruptcy department and then I left a message with the Loss Mitigation department ano no one cared to return our call to David and I. We made several attempts to modify and make these payments however; they didn't want to work with our situation nor did they care...very, very rude.

Dave, works for Boeing in Washington State..moved there to keep up with these payments and makes middle six figure income. he can afford keeping the house..used all our savings...and basically said...it doesn't make sense financially to throw money away for a home that is dropping in value and the payments going up. We need to short sale. We found a Realtor to negotiate to do a short sale on our home. banco popular approved the short sale twice and the third time denyed the short sale price due to they think they could get a higher amount.

A couple days before the trustee sale David and I called Tim T. again. he was very rude. cut off our conversation and said he was denying the short sale and Dave was actually calling about the Loan Modification. I called him several times and he waited to call the day of the trustee sale to the bank and left a message. Two days after the trustee sale we get a letter from Banco Popular stating they were wanting to work out a plan for us to keep our home and negotiate our Loan Modification and the last resource was to do a short sale.

We stopped making the Payments in January 1st 2008. From January 1st 2008 to October 2008...we never received one correspondence into modifying our payments or keeping this home until after the sale. I'm now doing Loan Modifications with homeowners in the same situation (I've owned my own company six years and closed it Aug 2007) I found out that modifications can use all the people that are helping with the payments and living in the house.

We had three incomes to help for the payments. They didn't bother to find out how we could keep this home. Also, when I bought this home in 2005 the Realtor never disclosed that the Sellers had an ongoing problem with the next door neighbor about the trees enroaching their yard and cracked their concrete. we've had an ongoing fight about cutting four tree's that would ruin the look of the back yard since it had roses and a english garden..for their own selfish needs.

David and I spent all of our savings to save these homes and went into chapter 13. We wasted our money and should have just let them go into foreclosure. We still have foreclosures on our credit even though we tried to fight against the system that doesn't want to help homeowners keep their homes. I'm in the mortgage industry 28 years helping others get homes and I cannot even keep my own homes. I downsized and even shut my company down to save these homes. I still didn't get anywhere with this lender.

Closed account. Met face to face with bank, getting threatening letters of credit collections. Says I owe $10.00 overdraft.

Damaged my good name. Will seek damages if credit affected.

On 6/27/06 I closed Mastercard Account from Banco Popular of Tulsa OK, I was told that the account could not be closed until they received a payment of $660.03 but I had already made a payment of $719.09. The agent said that this was what I owed a little reluctant but knowing they would have to refund me I sent the payment over the phone. On 8/3/06 I recieve a statement from the company stating that I had a balance of -$660.03. I called that same evening and was told that my refund should be in the mail in 21 business days.

Meanwhile they continued to charge me overlimit fees and overcharge fees even though they owed me $660.03, this was the primary reason I closed the account I would have to fight for a reimbursement of unwarranted overlimit fees and late payment every month. On 9/8/06 I called again because I never received my refund, the agent claimed that the check was sent out and I would have to wait another 20 days for it to be traced. I was not satisfied with all this waiting and called again on 9/11/06 and spoke to an agent who had no idea about my account filed another trace and told me I would have to wait an additional 45 days.I cannot get a straight answer from this company.

that I can not authorize an investigation.

My daughter had to access my account from their internet site and call back the customer service center demanding that they deal with me. We also went to the Southern Blvd branch where the error occur and was told that they can't help because they lacked the resources and directed us to call the customer service #.

After many calls, I received the authorization in the mail on Saturday Feb 28, 2004 and signed and mailed it out three days later with copies of other documentation. Today, March 16, 2004, I received a letter from Stephen Fader (Banco populars - ATM Services Support) stating that "On 02/23/2004 you filed a claim regarding an electronic Funds Transfer and in the amount of $400.00. Please be advised that the amount investigated will not be provisionally credited to your account, since you failed to notify the bank in writing within 10 days".

I made a payment over the phone on 7/11 for the final balance of $4,756.09 on my credit Card account. Later I received a letter on July 28th stating that the check I wrote them on July 11th has been returned as unpaid for an unknown reason and to send a replacement check in that ammount. I call Banco Popluar asking what happen and they could not tell me and they kept hanging up on me. After finally reaching someone I told them that I am going to send the amount that was to be sent on July 11th.

Now Banco Popluar is saying that I owe a Balance of today $186.00 because a new billing cycle went through. I told the laday that I do not have that amount, ponly the amount that I sent them on July 11th.

I would like to know how can charges go up from the billing cycle which was suppose to be on July 22nd and today.

Please help me I do not know what to do because I not able to pay nothing more or nothing less.

Thank you for your cooperation in advance.

Banco Popular in Rincon, PR required a letter from me, signed as Pastor of Rincon Christian Fellowship in order to open up a church sponsored Health Care Plan. The account had four signatures on it. We had a split in our church, and when I went to check on the Health Care account personnel told me that in order to change the signature the bank required a letter from our board. I was satisfied that no one had tampered with it.

But shortly thereafter I learned that one of the signatures to the account had closed it and transferred all assest of the program to another church. When I protested to Banco Popular, they sent a letter from their attorney claiming anyone who was a signator to this account could make changes to the name of the account, and close it if they wished.