Comments on: Bank of America Has No Follow Through http://samhowat.com/bank-of-america-has-no-follow-through/ I'm a partner at Avelient.com, an entrepreneur, adventurer and husband. Posting thoughts on web, tech and life since 2000. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:29:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Caitlin http://samhowat.com/bank-of-america-has-no-follow-through/comment-page-1/#comment-2255 Caitlin Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:11:14 +0000 http://samhowat.com/?p=580#comment-2255 A credit union most likely, mostly because they are owned by the people who bank with them, so I will be free from big banking's alterior motives :) A credit union most likely, mostly because they are owned by the people who bank with them, so I will be free from big banking’s alterior motives :)

]]> By: Sam Howat http://samhowat.com/bank-of-america-has-no-follow-through/comment-page-1/#comment-2253 Sam Howat Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:21:36 +0000 http://samhowat.com/?p=580#comment-2253 Caitlin -- sorry to hear for your troubles. Fortunately I never ran any credit lines with BofA, I don't even want to imagine how crappy that would be. Do you know what bank you will be moving to? Caitlin — sorry to hear for your troubles. Fortunately I never ran any credit lines with BofA, I don’t even want to imagine how crappy that would be.

Do you know what bank you will be moving to?

]]> By: Caitlin http://samhowat.com/bank-of-america-has-no-follow-through/comment-page-1/#comment-2252 Caitlin Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:16:52 +0000 http://samhowat.com/?p=580#comment-2252 I've had a similar problem with BoA. I've had a credit card with them since 2003. It has been my only credit card and I've paid more than the minimum payments on time for the past six years. In July, I was able to pay off the balance in full. I never received any correspondence from them until yesterday December 9th. It was a letter saying I was 4 payments past due and my account was being put on hold until I made the payments. I never received a simple phone call, email or snail mail for 4 whole months! I had no idea I had a protection fee being charged to my zero balance each month. What were they protecting me from? Myself? So, they let my account go deliquent, threatening my credit rating, when this is the first time I've ever been late on a payment in 6 years! I wasn't even aware of what was being charged bc their correspondence is non existent. Then I proceeded to talk to 4 different reps over the phone, all of which either sounded newly hired or completely clueless. All I wanted to do was make the payment to make my account current, and I was willing to take whatever late fees and put this all behind me. The rep couldn't even access my account, refused to put her manager on the phone an told me I could pay an extra 15 bucks to pay over the phone. I ended up going into a local branch and paying the late payments. I'm closing my account with BoA tomorrow. They are a horrible excuse for a financial institution because they dont care, period. They use their policies to weasle as much money and rights from the consumer as possible. How am I supposed pit my word against a giant? It's not worth fighting them for the 97 dollars they just stole from me. I’ve had a similar problem with BoA. I’ve had a credit card with them since 2003. It has been my only credit card and I’ve paid more than the minimum payments on time for the past six years. In July, I was able to pay off the balance in full. I never received any correspondence from them until yesterday December 9th. It was a letter saying I was 4 payments past due and my account was being put on hold until I made the payments. I never received a simple phone call, email or snail mail for 4 whole months! I had no idea I had a protection fee being charged to my zero balance each month. What were they protecting me from? Myself? So, they let my account go deliquent, threatening my credit rating, when this is the first time I’ve ever been late on a payment in 6 years! I wasn’t even aware of what was being charged bc their correspondence is non existent. Then I proceeded to talk to 4 different reps over the phone, all of which either sounded newly hired or completely clueless. All I wanted to do was make the payment to make my account current, and I was willing to take whatever late fees and put this all behind me. The rep couldn’t even access my account, refused to put her manager on the phone an told me I could pay an extra 15 bucks to pay over the phone. I ended up going into a local branch and paying the late payments. I’m closing my account with BoA tomorrow. They are a horrible excuse for a financial institution because they dont care, period. They use their policies to weasle as much money and rights from the consumer as possible. How am I supposed pit my word against a giant? It’s not worth fighting them for the 97 dollars they just stole from me.

]]> By: Sam Howat http://samhowat.com/bank-of-america-has-no-follow-through/comment-page-1/#comment-2240 Sam Howat Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:27:32 +0000 http://samhowat.com/?p=580#comment-2240 I actually went to Wells Fargo on the recomendation of my girlfriend. So far, they've been a pretty good choice, but again, I have a few complaints: 1. Privacy controls - Like any big company, they like to give you account information to all their "partners" etc, so you'll want to sneak in and shut ALL of that off. They give you that option inside your online banking account at WF.com. However, for the entire time that I've been a customer that option has been "temporarily unavailable". So you need to call up, walk in.. whatever and make sure that they do it for ALL your accounts with them. 2. Spam - These guys will waste 3 - 4 trees sending you letters about the same feature each time you do something on your account. They've been trying to sell me on overdraft protection since I joined there and sent me atleast 3 emails with "only 5 days left" type of countdown in the letter. Note to Corporate America... Save a freaking tree or two for the rest of us. Some good alternative banks that I've been making connections with are: Banner Bank and People's Bank. I know the brand VPs at both of these banks and they are in my local Rotary club. Great people, great banks, that I'd feel very comfortable banking with. The reason I went with WF is their website is unbeatable. As a web dev / designer, I know when a website is good, and when it's crap. Since I do most of my banking online, this was a major factor in my decision. I'll probably give WF a year or so before switching to a local bank if they manage to get their web presence updated! I actually went to Wells Fargo on the recomendation of my girlfriend. So far, they’ve been a pretty good choice, but again, I have a few complaints:

1. Privacy controls – Like any big company, they like to give you account information to all their “partners” etc, so you’ll want to sneak in and shut ALL of that off. They give you that option inside your online banking account at WF.com. However, for the entire time that I’ve been a customer that option has been “temporarily unavailable”. So you need to call up, walk in.. whatever and make sure that they do it for ALL your accounts with them.

2. Spam – These guys will waste 3 – 4 trees sending you letters about the same feature each time you do something on your account. They’ve been trying to sell me on overdraft protection since I joined there and sent me atleast 3 emails with “only 5 days left” type of countdown in the letter.

Note to Corporate America… Save a freaking tree or two for the rest of us.

Some good alternative banks that I’ve been making connections with are: Banner Bank and People’s Bank. I know the brand VPs at both of these banks and they are in my local Rotary club. Great people, great banks, that I’d feel very comfortable banking with.

The reason I went with WF is their website is unbeatable. As a web dev / designer, I know when a website is good, and when it’s crap. Since I do most of my banking online, this was a major factor in my decision.

I’ll probably give WF a year or so before switching to a local bank if they manage to get their web presence updated!

]]> By: Vik Duggal http://samhowat.com/bank-of-america-has-no-follow-through/comment-page-1/#comment-2239 Vik Duggal Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:25:38 +0000 http://samhowat.com/?p=580#comment-2239 Great article Sam. I just recently opened up an account with BofA and have had a string of of small issues. When I return to Bellevue I'll be closing my account and will use this as a resource of steps to follow. The question in the interim becomes where to put the money. So I guess the next step is to determine where to go when you decide to leave a big company like that. Hopefully you discuss that next. Vik Great article Sam. I just recently opened up an account with BofA and have had a string of of small issues. When I return to Bellevue I’ll be closing my account and will use this as a resource of steps to follow.

The question in the interim becomes where to put the money.

So I guess the next step is to determine where to go when you decide to leave a big company like that. Hopefully you discuss that next.

Vik

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