Problems with TD Bank

Hey, I bank at TD Bank (formerlly Commerce) and I really am fed up. Last year they really messed me badly when I was with my payday loan cycle. After belittling me for wanting to my account on a hard block, and after hours spent with corporate trying to permantly close the bank, they messed me so bad that I ended up paying hundreds more to illegeal companies who I already over-paid by hundreds (maybe over a thousand) of dollars.
After I complained about that, they waived their "cycle" fee of $15 a month for another year. This is charged when your account hits below $100, which mine often does
Anyway on March 13, 2009 i wrote a check to my doctor. I have not written a check in a good seven months or so, but their credit card machine was down and i did not have cash on me (I planned on using my debit card). Well the doctor was slow to cash it though i did keep the $15 in there - i have been so broke lately that all i kept in there was $25 - but of course the doctor cashed it the day the cycle fee popped again (and one month early, to boot!). Of course the bank paid the cycle fee, and left me short $5 for the check. i called the bank, who said i could deposit the money in and they will cover the check as long as i get it in before 10 am. so i ran to the bank with $20 that i had to borrow, which made me late for work, i might add.
than i woke up this morning to see that they returned the check anyway. they said it was because i didnt put in an extra $35 for the overdraft fees.
I am so disgusted, I deposit money in good faith that it will not bounce, and I am so embarrsed. When will the doctor's office find out? do doctors normally automatically take the money out again, as a store would? I emailed coprorate for the bank, complaining about my branch (noting i know people who bank at other branches and have better luck) and asked for the $35 to be waived. they probably will not waive it but I thought i'd at least try.
I need to get far away from them, i know of other banks who are more willing to work with customers who have direct deposit. i am done.

Yeah, I would drop them quick. Find a new back or even a Credit union. Credit Unions are much better with customer service. I have a savings, checking, and loan with my credit union. They are great.

thanks, i am so mad at them! I really do think I have to switch banks, I was considering my credit union as well.
Does anyone know when the doctor will find out or if they automatically take it out again? I know when i bounced the check to a food store, corporate said they automatically take it out again and it is than that the store finds out. but this is a small doctor's office, so i do not know.
also, do you know when they will find out? i have another appointment tommorow and honestly do not have the money to pay back the check and whatever fee they will probably charge. (not to mention I feel really stupid that a $15 check bounced to a doctor that my family has been seeing for years).

Be upfront with your doc. When you go in tomoroow , tell them that you "forgot" about a check ad it made the check you wrote to them bounce. and ask them if you can come in and pay them cash when you get paid next.

I have learned that if you are up front with people then they will most likely work with you. If you wait until something bad happens then they don't really like to work with you. So tell them before they find out.

you are right, there is no point avoiding them (though I probably will do this over the phone before I see them in person, as I am so so embarrsed!)
do you think they will know tommorow? i always had the impression that they do not find out until close a week but I could be wrong. I really feel so ashamed about this!

I ditto what Count said...

thanks, you're right, again i am very embarrsed! if i tell them tommorow, will it be too late (like will they know it already?) i want to catch them early.

Well it all depends on when their banks tells them. so if it bounces on your account on monday, their bank would know on tuesday, and depending if their bank sends it thru again, then....who knows for sure. I say call them before they call you about it.

thanks - you really are right. i have to get over it and call them
i actually am going to wait until late first because if the bank does waive my fee, I can pay them tommorow. i want some sort of payment plan in mind when I call them but it will be before i see them in person tommorow afternoon (i could not bear to face someone in person with this!) i really am ashamed even though it was seriously an honest mistake

i recieved an email back from corporate:
At TD Bank, we are dedicated to providing superior service to you and all of our Customers. We apologize if you received anything less than exceptional customer service and for any inconvenience you may have experienced during your recent visit to the branch. Your message has been forwarded to the Branch Management Team for further review and response.

I do not know how to handle this.. i do not like my branch as they are really hostile and they will just say that i should have paid the $35 fee along with the other money i deposited. i am defintely switching banks as soon as i get money for the opening deposit. I am very frustrated right now. I emailed them back asking again if they can just waive the fee? i know a long time ago (over two years) they waived it when i requested via email. my branch never waives fees for anything.. not even when i had problems that were not my fault.
plus my branch will not even be able to call me since my contact phone number has changed and i never thought to give it to them. with so many other things going on, i do not think i have the fight in me to call them (i have to call my doctor's office, which will probably take the last strenght i have - money problems as well as family health problems have really weighed down on me and i just need a break).

oh, also i did not visit the branch so off the bat i know my branch is going to say i'm lying
i actually called and whoever answered the phone said all i had to do was put the money in before 10 am. i did not deposit it in my branch, i deposited it to the one that is closer to my work. and of course stupid me never got the name of the person i spoke with! :'(

Well banks rutinely record calls. If corporate gives you any hassle, I would ask for a recording of that conversation. Tell them what time you called and when and whom you spoke to they should be able to pull the tape.

Also I would be firing that bank so quick it wouldn't be funny. I'm in the process of firing TCF (I finally got approved with US Bank.. they usually open accounts based on credit and not chexsystems) I'm tired of loosing 40 dollars a month for all their fees. (And they don't charge them right away either.. they usually do two weeks later so it adds up to 20 and 4. They charge for Non Atm fees (which I don't have a problem with) but they are also charging POS fees as well (When you use your card as a credit card over the internet type of thing) THAT I 've never heard of till this bank. I have to wait to fund it till next paycheck which is next week,. Another thing that ticks me off at TCF is that if you want to use your debit card at western union online to send money, they won't allow it. They say "due to fraud" well punish the people that commit the fraud not the law binding citizens.

thanks, beli2005 - believe me, i am done. i am most likely switching to my local credit union. i've had loans and accounts with them in the past and they seem to have much better policies.
I never heard of POS, that's crazy! commerce was pretty good with fees, but since i cannot keep $100 in my bank everyday i do not see the bank in an account that charges me $15 every month.. i know my credit union allows you to go to different ATMs eight times a month, which i do not mind (plus they have a branch close to my home and my work, which is a plus!)

i got another response:
We have received a response from the Branch Manager indicating that they will not pay the item that overdrafts the account unless enough funds are deposited to cover the overdrafted item as well as the $35 Overdraft Fee. We were advised that no refund will be issued.

Returned transactions can be resubmitted a second time by the payee's bank.

To close an account, please visit your local branch or fax your request to:


I wrote back and told them they lost a customer. I cannot believe that even corporate refused to refund this! I never heard of this seriously, every other local bank would have worked with me. even other branches of this bank would have done it (my sister's branch would have done it, and she also banks at TD). but regardless, I am through with them.. once this is taken care of i am out and i basically told them that. i considered leaving them open as a back up but this is just crazy, it really is an outrage for me that they are being so difficult!

In fact, I am so mad I might report them to the BBB.. only because they told me one thing than did the other. am i being out of line here?

I'd be going to OCC first. They'll more then likely listen to them (they have more clout then BBB)

thanks for listening, I am so outraged! i know this might seem petty but that $35 is really hurting me. Who is the OCC? Am I being out of line here?