Complain about a product or service

Compass Bank

James of Daphne, AL December 2, 2009

I have recently found out what thousands of people already know. Compass bank is taking advantage of American consumers. Their unethical highest to lowest debiting, complicated "available balance" vs. "posted balance", and the holding of deposited funds maximize the bank's financial gain from fees charged and has become a bank fee feeding frenzy. This unethical and illegal activity is targeted at the average consumer. Targeting this social class mimimizes the bank's risk of possible retaliation by it's unsuspecting customers. The average working class consumer does not have the time or financial means to pursue legal action.

I will be doing some research into a class action lawsuit against the bank. I am a small business owner who utilizes an account with compass for my wife. I don't keep very much money in this account and transfer money as my wife needs it for purchases. I have had several groups of NSF fees charged to this account over the past 5-6 months when a mistake was made by me or my wife. 380.00.

What I found out because of this experiance is disturbing. If I had just used Compass / BBVA for my business banking I would have never stumbled apon this "other world" where Compass is using unfair, unethical, and illegal policies and proceedures to rip off America's working consumers.

Tomorrow, 12/02/09, @ 10AM CST, I will have an email address to accept emails to compile a list of people that I can hand over to the firm that I will be using to look at a class action suit against BBVA / Compass. I will also setup a blog for correspondence among individuals that I will be gathering for this action.

Interested consumers, please send a name and basic contact information along with the amount of money that you paid in fees for incidents that match my discriptions above. I will email a link to the blog for the people that contact me at this address. I will have to review the emails, so be patient to get the link. Once this thing is on auto pilot, the attournys will be handling the correspondence.

Craig of round rock, TX November 19, 2009

I will narrow this complaint down to just the last 4 weeks, but know this has happened several times. In the last four weeks I have had 320 taken out of my account for NSF fees across two separate times. I don't show that I was ever negative legitimately, but they say there was a hold for a charge that put me negative. Now due to the first charges that came out, they charged me 120 that then caused two charges to go negative for which they charged me another 5 fees for a total of 200. I don't show it and it is not in my statement, but the 320 dollars they took out is there. The hold they discuss is not visible to me in any way and I can't verify it ever existed. At the time of the first I had 300, and the second I had 1000.

When I discuss it with them they are unable to explain why when I point out everything on my statement. Each time it ends the same way. They can't fix it for me and there is no supervisor to talk to. Someone can call me back in 24 to 48 hours. I never hear back from them. I went into my branch and they told me they can't do anything, but they will have the bank manager contact me. I never heard back from them. They are taking my money and there is no recourse for getting it fixed. They know there is nothing I can do so they continue to do it. I'm cancelling my account, but I'm dismayed that they are allowed to operate this way. I have never had problems like this before. In the course of 5 months they have stolen now over 1000 from me and have not allowed me to even show them how they made a mistake. Even customer service agrees that it was not legitimate, but there is nothing they can do. Can't someone help?

Ram of Katy, TX November 18, 2009

Earlier this year, I negotiated a certain rate for a mortgage loan and made a down payment. To my surprise when I received the paperwork, the rate went up by about 3 points. When I enquired, they told me that the rate had gone up. My closing was delayed several times as they kept making mistakes. The only reason I went through with the loan is because I was out of the country and did not have the time to look elsewhere. Then I set up everything for automatic payments including a substantial additional principal.

A month later I got notification that I was in default for non payment. I went to the bank and they apologized saying the person who set it up is not working there again. I went through the process all over again and had to wait for several days to get approval for electronic payment. It still did not occur. The mistakes of this bank cost me a few hunred dollars.

I felt badly one day to tell their customer supervisor that it was the most incompetent bank I ever dealt with. Then when I saw all these complaints I wasn't surprised. I still cannot understand how a bank can continue to exist with such inefficiency and incompetence. I ended up with a much higher interest rate, then also paid more interest than I should have as the bank failed to put into effect arrangements I made for electronic deduction of substantial additional principal.

kay of tucson, AZ November 10, 2009

I opened a checking account with my cousin who had never had one before. I was a signer on the account so I could do business with Compass on his behalf. Since I come from a time when banks didn't honor debits that could not be covered without sufficient funds, I thought that this joint checking account would be safe from my cousin running this account into a negative balance. SURPRISE. I guess only one of us was given the "full disclosure statement" at the time we opened the account. The disclosure said that Compass will honor charges even if there is not enough money to cover the purchase.(like a credit card) MY cousin must have recieved this piece of paper, because I didn't. Unfortunately for me I got burned by my cousin running hundreds of negative balances for which I was responsible. My point is, when I called Compass about why I wasn't given the diclosure statement or welcome packet since I, too, was equally liable, the customer service person said, "Well did you ask for one?" "You got a welcome pack with your debit card." I said I did not recieve a debit card" the rep responded with "Well then. since you already have another account with Compass Bank, we assume you have a disclosure statement about our banking practices." "We have your signature right here that says you agree to all terms."

I asked Compass if they could prvide me with an initialled paper that acknowledged the fact that I recieved the Terms. They could not. Well, I have been to places where I have to initial the fact that I agree, in triplicate, to have my tires changed. Don't you think that something this important should be documented? So no matter what complaint you may have with Compass Bank, they will run you around in circles without having any proof of their transaction with you. By the way, my cousin and I live in different cities, so Compass knows correspondance with him will not be accessed by me. So, Compass issued credit to me that I did not know about. Charged me 38 dollars per item they paid, which is usury, as well as a daily negative balnce fee. A high interest credit card is fairer that having a checking acount with Compass Bank

Nina of Queen Creek, AZ October 20, 2009

I advise anyone who is considering banking with Compass to think twice. They have lousy accounting practices. Here is the chain of events. Friday I deposited 20.00 (it's all I had) to cover any unexpected expenses. This happened about 4:00. Unknowingly I had two 3.00 checks that they decided to post that day. Because of their lousy accounting practices they charged the 6.00 before they credited the 20.00. (The 20.00 didn't show up until Monday) Now I am dinged 38.00 for two 3.00 checks. I tried selling some stuff on Craiglist to get the money together to pay these nsf fees. No luck. Now, today, because it has been 6 days they have charged me an additional 42.00. Not counting the 7.00 fee they are going to charge me until payday.

Barbara of Tuscaloosa, AL August 30, 2009

I have never been so dissapointed with a bank in my life. In the month of June I was hit with five NSF fees and I pretty much got the run around from customer service. My whole unemployment check was taken from for that particular week and left me with nothing.I had to borrow money from friends just to get by that week.Recently in the month of August I was hit with three more NSF fees so I have gotten another account with region bank and I am going to see how that works out.I personally am tired of being ripped off by a bank.I thought a bank was suppose to take care of it's customers .

henry of jacksonville, FL August 28, 2009

Over a eight month period my account accummulated over 1400.00 in NSF fees. I am now banking with a new bank and have no problems. Obviously, Compass Bank is holding deposits and not crediting accounts as soon as possible. Most of my deposits are from the U.S. Treasury and deposits are sent several days in advance. I would receive NSFs on the day of the deposit because I assumed my account has been credited for that day. I lost a great amount of money dealing with this bank thinking that they really cared for their customers. I feel violated. I was most certainly raped financially by this financial institution.

eluterio of eagle pass, TX August 25, 2009

when it was laredo bank i could take 2 party checks and deposit them on my commercial account, now that they changed to compass bank they do not want to do it anymore, why not. i have money there that will respond for that check if its no good.

Teresa of Burleson, TX July 27, 2009

they steal money constantly out of your bank account. they say you have bounced checks but you put money in then they dont give you credit for it for days and sometimes week at times. i am talking government VA checks taking 2 weeks to clear. They have charged me outragious fees over 900.00 on 62.00 worth of checks. I am disabled i cannot make it to the bank i ask them to help me transfer money over from my savings they say they will but they do not do it. Please help us.

We need the Police. when I call the Police they say there is nothing they can do. they are robbing us can you guys really not see what is happeninis is wrong I hate all banks. Yet the government gives them all the money they have ruined me financially credit i dont know who to turn to. I just want to take care of them myselfs if i could get out of this bed and grab something they would all pay. You cannot let these practices continue. STOP THEM PLEASE HELP ME PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GOD HELP US!!!!

Tom of burleson, TX July 27, 2009

the compuss bank as a problem with how they do there accounting. The problem is you deposit money cash before 2 PM there cut off they still do not count it. then if any type of check that comes in they will hold it 4 days until they cash it, yet make you pay overdraft fee's on that check even though they have not even paid the vendor.

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