Fifth Third Bank Consumer Reviews - Page 6

I had been a customer of Fifth Third Bank for approximately 8 years. The problem started when they froze my home equity loan. I had access to $50K in cash until and was ready to make an real estate purchase. I spoke with the lender at Fifth Third and then things were set but then I got a letter in the mail saying my account had been frozen. Not such a big deal because a lot of banks were doing it at that time and I could simply switch to a new bank. However, they would not refund the $65 annual fee associated with the account I had just paid on the account. They would not even prorate it or anything.

Subsequently, I bounced a check inside an account where my home equity loan was the backup funds. Normally, if this would have happened it would have cost me $9.00 in a one time per transaction. Well I forgot that the account was closed and they ended up charging me $350+ dollars in fees. I verbally agreed to pay the two $39 charges and the two $9.00 overdraft charges and asked them to reconsider the remaining $260 in fees.

I thought this was a reasonable request but the branch manager just let me know they would give me a $66 refund on the fees but that is all they could do. I told him to keep his $66. I was going to close my account and inform as many people as I could about the situation. If you stay with this bank or join this bank be prepared to be treated in a similar manner.

This bank is in the business to charge and get as many fees as possible from their customers. It starts with something as simple as online banking. We use online banking with our other accounts and it is very accurate. Not with Fifth Third, they state that their online banking is not real time and no updates are made on the weekends. For instance, I have a distribution deposited on Friday but can not access it until Monday when they update their system. It's my money but they tell me I can't access it?!

Another example... our running balance was $589 and there were $66 pending transactions which was subtracted from the $589. Once all the other transactions posted, the balance was negative 2 transactions. Then the disaster started. The account was negative $21 and I put enough money to cover it before it we would be charged fees. Didn't work. I was charged $74.

Since that day last week, we have paid over $300 in fees for a $10 transaction and have put over $400 to cover the expenses. But as soon as I put money in the account, they charge me more fees. So I went to close the account and not surprised at all, they will charge MORE FEES. $25 for each account that I close and I can't close it until Monday when they update the account

Two years ago I obtained an auto loan with Fifth Third Bank. I live in Texas. There are no local branches. I fell a couple of weeks behind and I called them to set up a payment arrangement. They made an arrangement for that payment and my next payment that was coming due within the next two weeks. They handed me off to their "Collection Agency". When my first payment cleared and my account was current, 5/3 pulled my account back from their collection agency. When they did this the collection agency had no choice but to delete the 2nd payment I'd made with them for an automatic EFT to hit my account for the upcoming payment.

5/3 called me and the man on the phone was awful to me. He was making rude remarks and would not allow me to explain my side of the situation. I hung up on him because he would not let me talk. I promptly called back and got a supervisor. He argued that I owed an extra payment. I insisted that payment had been paid. By this time the payment was 30 days late and 5/3 was reporting it to the credit bureau.

5/3 is a TERRIBLE bank and I use that term "Bank" loosely. I am going to consult with an attorney to have them correct my credit bureau as this is their fault. I am considering surrendering my vehicle to get these people out of my life and if I do, I am going to make sure I have a good attorney to keep them off my back. We need to come together for a class action lawsuit.

FISHERS, INDIANA -- I want to warn the public about Fifth Third Bank. I have had a mortgage with this bank and have had accounts for years and this is the way I am treated. I deposited money on a Saturday (not a business day) check came through on a Monday. The money was there in my account to pay all checks that were to come through. But...because the deposit was made on a Saturday (non business day), Fifth Third Bank bounced over 10 checks and dinged me for insufficient funds for 10 items because they told me the money didn't reflect until the end of the business day.

Fifth third bank charged me over 400.00 in fees and the money was there. On top of that, PLEASE READ THIS... they took my debit card from me and told me I was irresponsible with my purchases!!! I hope Fifth Third Bank fails. I would also like to warn the public that this disgusting practice took place in Fishers Indiana. Fishers is the most snobby place in America to live let alone to conduct your banking business with. If you don't have LOTS of money they consider and treat you like trash!

I have recently learned very quickly to get out of Fifth Third Bank! I HAD a truck loan through them for a little over 3 years. I have never been late once on a payment. As stated in other postings within this site, a grace period of 10 days is LAW! That said, if it takes a while for the named bank to process a payment the bank will call you day, night, at work and at home non stop! This bank needs to work harder on customer service and not customer harassment.

Also, the pleasant calls you receive (once you get someone on the phone) is someone of the Asian culture. I guess that is how the named bank can save a few bucks… Should be called 5th 3rd Party Banking. I will be contacting a lawyer on harassment charges against the CEO.

LONGWOOD, FLORIDA -- My recent experience with 5th 3rd Bank here in Central Florida has taught me a valuable lesson that will stick with me indefinitely... Heads up people, even if you go into the bank lobby, live and in person, to speak directly with a teller and ask specific questions regarding your account balance/available funds, and any pending activity information prior to making a transaction, you will NOT be told the truth in response to even direct questions.

Because of their chosen business practice to deliberately misinform as to actual activity on the account, my experience has ballooned into over $280 in "fees" and it all tracks directly back to the transaction I made inside the Longwood Highlands branch location only after questioning a teller at length as to any activity on my account prior to making a transaction to withdraw money to pay a bill and was BOLDLY lied to.

I'm unemployed and on unemployment - so it's not like I have a way to settle this easily. This insidious bank is raping people of money they don't have to start with and Regulators need to nail them to the wall and put them the hell out of business.

THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN -- I am a newer customer to 5/3. But ever since my wife and I have joined we have had nothing but problems. They constantly change their policies without giving any notice to us. They would not cash my federal income tax checks. Their reason, "It's a federal issue check and we don't cash them". I could see them not accepting them if I was not a customer but I have a car loan and a checking account with them.

Transactions with the bank tend to take different amounts of time to take effect on my account every time causing me to overdraft without knowing. And then they charge their $33 fee to put even further behind. I deposited a check on Saturday knowing that I would not be able to get the money till Monday (my receipt even showed a Posting date of Monday) and on Monday I went to check my account and the transaction was still pending. I went into a local branch to ask why this was, given the POST DATE on the receipt.

I was treated very poorly. The teller says "It will not be Posted till Tuesday at Midnight". I then asked why does my receipt say POST Date of Monday? She had no answer for this. On top of all this, their customer service is horrible at the Three Rivers, MI branch. They constantly treat me like an idiot. As soon as my wife direct deposit is canceled and then my car loan paid off we'll be leaving the piss poor bank.

BOWLING GREEN, OHIO -- 5/3 bank has helped themselves to my son's money in his bank account claiming he was overdrawn because of their fees! The only reason he is overdrawn on his debit card IS because of their overdraft fees which accrue daily. I just sent him $200 to deposit into his account and they sucked the entire amount in for overdraft fees and said that he still owes more. My question is: WHY DID HIS DEBIT CARD STILL WORK??? He has been with this bank since high school (5 years) and this is the first time this has ever happened to him. They will not get the chance to do that again.

INDIANA -- I've had my car loan with Fifth Third Bank for over four years. Each and every month, I've made my payment early or on the due date. This month is the first time I have paid within the grace period (3 days within grace period). I figured I would just go ahead and call them up and make a payment over the phone. The agent I spoke to was very rude and short with me, told me that I would need to talk to Collections. What the helicopter do you mean by Collections? My car loan is not even considered late. She advised me if I wanted to pay it over the phone there would be a fee of $17.00.

It's obvious this is the first time I've ever needed to deal with Fifth Third Bank regarding my car loan. This one contact has made me upset and frustrated. Needless to say, I did NOT make the payment over the phone, I will just drive 1/2 mile down the road and make my payment at a branch.

I was planning on trading in my car soon, and purchasing another. At least I know what bank I won't use again. If this is how they treat people who've paid each and every month before the due date for the past four years. And then to have them put my loan in collections. I'm done with them. I'm so happy this thing will be paid off in less than a year. Shame on you Fifth Third Bank.

CINCINNATI, OHIO -- For the past 5 years (or more) Fifth Third has given out my business toll-free number (**) instead of their conference line number (877-534-8500). At times, we would receive 30 or more calls per day. No matter what I've tried to do to correct the situation, we still get several phone calls each day for Fifth Third conference calls. The problem could be that hundreds of their employees are too stupid to dial the correct number (per 5/3 management) or it could be that they are publishing the wrong number for their conference calls (per 5/3 employees).

The president's office prefers the explanation that the employees just dial the wrong number but the employees insist that they are being given my toll-free number for conference calls. Who should I believe? Who should pay for all these incoming calls to my toll-free line? Fifth Third claims no responsibility even though their employees are giving out my toll-free number.