Guaranty Bank

I recently made a math mistake and my account was overdrawn by $8. A week later, I received a letter showing I owe $168 in overdraft charges. The bank claims they sent me a letter informing me that effective Feb. 23, they will charge $28 a day in overdraft fees. I never received such letter and they neither emailed me nor sent a message to my account screen. I do online banking and receive e-Statements. The bank could have alerted by email that there was a problem. Instead, they sent me a letter a week later, telling I owe a large amount in overdraft fees. I was unable to close the account to stop the fees because of the negative balance and was told that after the 15th day, the bank will force close the account and charge me an additional $50.

The bank refused to cooperate and I began to prepare a federal lawsuit. In the meanwhile, I complained to the BBB and the FDIC. After these complaints, the bank contacted me and reversed all the overdraft fees. Still, I protested and requested that all customers receive the credit and that they properly notify consumers of the new overdraft policy. A week later, the bank sent me certified letter and attached a check for the balance and closed my account. I was pleased because by then, I opened an account with another bank. My advise to you is this: Do not accept the charge and complain. In the Message/Alert section (after a consumer logs on to their account) there is a clear message that says "Make sure we have your correct email address so you receive alerts and messages." Clearly, the bank didn't utilize my email address or account to notify me of the policy change. Avoid Guaranty Bank and all their affiliates (usually banks in retail and grocery stores). You have choice.

Since opening checking account last fall, this bank has changed their overdraft policy three times. They've gone to an overdraft policy that demands $28 daily for overdraft fees. This bank has gone from being a friendly bank, to a two-bit banker. As soon as I can, I will close this account.

Over the past few months, I believe as well as many other customers of Guaranty Bank, that they have been desperately trying to stay afloat by making extreme unnecessary fraudulent charges from it's customers.

They change banking policies every six months. In fact they are changing again this February 23 to what they call "easy to understand overdraft fees." This is how it works instead of their $37 dollar fee per date, with $10 a day after the 3rd day, they now just charge $28 per day. They call it "sensible banking."

Here are two examples in which I have been raked through the coals with Guaranty Bank. In June 2011, they again changed their policies, or should I say enforced their policies as a tool to entice customers into their Clear Advantage program, a program which charges a monthly fee for overdrawn checks. They began to put a two day hold on payroll checks to about I was told 30 percent of it's clientele. I apparently was in that 30 percent. I was told it was random but later found out it was based on a percentage of cash transactions. My balance told me I had more then enough money after depositing my payroll check. What I did not know is that the two day hold effect had just begun to be enforced and any transactions that were to go through before the two day hold was lifted clear with a $35 dollar charge. I ended up with around $165 in fines.

I immediately called the customer service line and was told there was nothing they could do. When I asked to speak to a manager, I was told no manager was on duty. I could here this unequipped employee being coached by another employee in the background, so I asked to speak to the one that knows what he is talking about. The next employee did now agree with me that the fees seemed unfair. I told her I would have never expect my bank of the last seven years to be running a scheme.

I could not let it rest, I went down to my branch, told the story again, the manager, yes they have them, told me about the policy and how they were told to enforce it to about 30% of the clientele and again told me it was unfair and did not think the two day hold on payroll checks would last that long. In fairness to Guaranty Bank, they did credit all my charges back to my account but after a three hour run around.

So comes January 2012, still a two day hold on payroll checks, and now I happened to come across some serious shadiness on the part of Guaranty Bank. I deposited my payroll check with a existing balance in the account. They gave me receipt it says my available balance and my balance. Walking away from the bank with the correct information. I went online the next day and it said I am overdrawn with no transactions made between deposit and checking. I am furious. I called up the customer service line again after being put on hold for thirty minutes. They told me they put a hold on funds against the payroll check until it clears. So now I have to wait two days to get my payroll check and my current available funds! Need I remind you this is my hard earned money. Again he told me this seems unfair but it is the policy. He then said if I don't purchase anything until Monday when the payroll check clears, it should be fine. It is the weekend with a family in need of groceries, so thanks for the advice.

I am closing my account in Spring and am truly disappointed that Guaranty Bank has had to cheapen themselves to bully tactics on it's customers. Your employees say it is unfair, in fact one teller that I have always enjoyed said in confidence that if she did not work here, she would not bank here. Employee Loyalty... hmmm. And all under the banner... Free and easy checking.

They charged me a returned mail fee from when I moved. Then we tried to change the address and customer service, a bunch of fools, said they could not change it. Tried to change it online but it would not go. I called the branch to speak to our personal banker and she was late for work and not in. So they send more mail to the same address they know is outdated and charge me another fee, and an overdraft charge for charging me the fee and then a daily fee for the overdraft.

I have been so disappointed with Guaranty's customer service over the last year. Our local branch has consistently been understaffed. It seems like there's a different manager every other week. The night deposits don't get posted till middle of next day. On top of it, Guaranty no longer allows one to contact branch via phone and requires an 800 number with a minimum 10 plus minute wait where they will "relay message". Expect to be moving within the next year; otherwise, I'd be withdrawing funds ASAP!

On Monday, June 20th, 2011, I contacted Guaranty Bank to dispute an unauthorized charge to my checking account. This charge in the amount of $12,569 wiped out all of my available funds and caused five legitimate charges to bounce which has resulted in $185 in fees thus far. I contacted the bank and spoke to many representatives. They all told me that the fee of $12,569 likely would not be paid, but that I would be charged $37 for each legitimate charge that came in at the same time, in addition to a $37 fee for returning the check.

I explained the situation to each representative and they all said Guaranty Bank is not responsible for waiving any of the fees associated with this unauthorized charge because it is a merchant error. Both Guaranty Bank and T-Mobile have absolutely refused to help me resolve this situation. Guaranty Bank has refused to waive any of the fees and T-Mobile has refused to do anything period.

was recently charged "overdraft fees" on my account with Guaranty Bank. When sending in an email to customer service to request the fees to be removed, I simply recieve a canned response that this not possible. So I call into the customer service department after TWO rounds of being hung up on after over a 20 minute hold each time, I speak to Lakesha (not sure if that is spelled correctly). She was extremely rude, cutting me off as I spoke.What kind of customer service center do they run?

I also called back to speak to a manager,spoke to a representative, young man with the same attitude and response He would not let me finish a sentance, its like they have the same response for every customer that calls.He proceeded to tell me there was nobody else there I could speak to. Being persistant, I FINALLY got a manager, who then ACTUALLY let me ask my question and explain my reasoning as to why I was requesting my HARD earned money back. But of course the same response, they are not able to refund me.

No one there could explain to my why at my local branch I was told I could "contact corporate for a reversal"(as this was the only place who had the ability)and why they were telling me this was merely IMPOSSIBLE.And then to be told to ask for Leah's manager Shane who was not even in the office.

WHAT A WASTE of TIME AND HARD EARNED MONEY! My personal opinion is that they need to screen for better help, people who sound more educated and considerate! I have never seen a company who has no reguard for a consumers financial stability as this!