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bb&t charged off my account while it was positive... any

Date: Tue, 01/01/2008 - 23:12
Submitted by cmvenable on Tue, 01/01/2008 - 23:12
Posts: 19
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at the end of october, while i was out of town, i called my bb&t 24 hr automated banking system and found that my bank account was overdrawn nearly $1000. this had been an ongoing problem - the unauthorized charges coming out of my account. for months i had reported issues to bb&t - always with the same "we can't do anything until the charges are put through and then you have to complete the dispute process" stuff. because i had been having so many problems with bb&t, and knowing that i was going on a trip, i had resorted, for one month, signing up with account now visa and having my paycheck deposited into this account instead of bb&t - which was a good thing. i contacted bb&t on 1 november and i placed a hold on my account. i, myself, placed this, stating fraudulent activity, meaning that i had to remove it in order for this account to be accessed. all of the money was credited to my account, save for two overdraft fees that they refused to re-credit. this made my account positive. it was negative, at this time, for a total of 6 consecutive days only. despite the hold on my account, 3 days later it went negative again, as there had been another unauthorized charge that had not yet gone through, but was pending at the time of the rest of the charges. this too was recredited to my account. my balance was positive after that, and remained so. deciding that i was altogether fed up with bb&t and - what seems to me to be a form of fraud - when i returned i opened a new checking account at another bank. afraid to touch my bb&t account, i left it in hold until right before the holidays (near the end of december). however, i continuously called the phone 24 system, and was told that my balance was positive. the last time i called was 2 days prior to going to a local bb&t branch to have the one account closed and another opened, in order to get a new account number. at this time, the account manager at this branch told me that my account had been charged off and i could not open another account. i advised her that this was impossible as my account had been positive. looking at my account, she could not explain it to me and decided to call the person in corporate that closed it. of course, she was not there. what she (the a.m.) did say was that, in order for an account to be charged off, it has to be negative for at least 60 consecutive days. further, she observed that the only reason my account had been negative at all was because of fraudulent activity, which had been reported more than once. i was told that she would call me the monday before christmas, after talking to the woman from corporate. a week after hearing nothing, i called the account manager back. apparently she had forgotten about me (which really is true to the customer service level of bb&t) but she did say that she talked to the woman, who told her that i owed bb&t money and - therefore - not only was my account charged off, but i would not be receiving a check for the positive balance that had been in the account. my reaction was - if my account was positive, how could i owe bb&t money??? of course, quick to add that she had nothing to do with this, the account manager stated that she could explain no further. i asked for a number to contact the woman that closed the account at corporate and was told that this number could not be provided to me (i guess the people in corporate are demi-gods and mere mortals cannot converse with them?) i told the a.m. that she needed to call the woman back and have her call me. i have heard nothing and it's been almost another week. in the meantime, i contacted bb&t via email and told them that i wanted copies of my statements for the past 6months. of course they said my request had to be phoned in. and it's like my account never even existed. i have also ordered a report from checxsystems to see if i've been reported.
i have had many problems with bb&t including overdraft fees when the money was there (of course their "system" showed that it wasn't, yet the same system told me it was...etc...) but this one takes top prize.
can anyone explain why an account, that was reported to have fraudulent activity by the account holder, and was negative not even close to 60 days, would be charged off while it was (and had been) positive? i am really wanting to take action against this bank that seriously lacks any kind of customer service. i mean, they can't even call me back to try to explain! :evil:

sorry for the novella...


Wow! Sounds frustrating. I would definitely stay in touch with the account manager at your branch and make sure she gets this person at corporate to call you back. Maybe, also try going in to the branch as often as possible and sit at her desk until this gets resolved. They have "escalation" procedures in place for things like this. It sounds like it needs to be escalated. Also, if they really cannot get a hold of anyone in corporate, ask to speak to her manager, then their manager, then on and on. Eventually, they will get you to the person that cares enough to get this resolved. If you go in screaming legal issues...they will turn you right over to their legal department. We were always trained in banking that as soon as anyone even says the word lawsuit or legal...you end the conversation there and get their name and number for the legal department to call. But, maybe that would work too in your case. Hmm...


Submitted by swedishgirl on Wed, 01/02/2008 - 10:40

swedishgirl

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I don't get it either...charged off means ONE thing and ONE thing ONLY ..that you OWED money when the account was closed.

Chances are they reported you to chexsystems as well. Make sure you keep a paper trail of everything that has happened up until now and in he future. I would get in touch with the corporate office for the bank and bypass the local managers. Please keep us updated to your situation. We are here to help if we can


Submitted by Mary Adkins Matthews on Wed, 01/02/2008 - 11:33

Mary Adkins Matthews

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I would put this woman on your speed dial. Call her and let her know that if you do not hear from anyone you will call back. There is no reason why they can't get back to you within 24 hours on normal business days. However try to be as polite as you can, considering the circumstances. No one will call you back if you appear to be hostile.
This is a tough one???????I wish you luck


Submitted by mommontoya on Wed, 01/02/2008 - 11:50

mommontoya

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thank you all for your suggestions. i would love to keep a paper trail but, as of this date, i have yet to receive anything from bb&t even advising that my account has been closed, charged off, etc... i think i will call and leave a message for my local branch manager and research contact information for corporate. of course, i have still received no call from the phantom woman that closed my account...


Submitted by cmvenable on Wed, 01/02/2008 - 17:10

cmvenable

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they are now telling me that i owe them $215 on this account that was closed 2 months ago and which has had a hold on it since november due to fraudulent activity because they JUST paid something that came in on this account (which no longer exists.)
this is like saying "my house is on fire. i don't have a house, but it's on fire." because they are basically saying "you don't have an account, but you owe us money because the nonexistent account is overdrawn..."
wtf - if something doesn't exist how can it be in the negative?


Submitted by cmvenable on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 18:43

cmvenable

( Posts: 19 | Credits: )


my biggest problem is that bb&t closed my account and have NEVER been able to offer a why. the person in coporate that was supposed to call me never did. and no branch manager (i've spoken to two at two different branches) have ever been able to even offer a suggestion.
to me, if i am told that i no longer have an account there, then i no longer have an account. i can't check the account online because it's no longer there. so, i do not understand how something can be put through a) on an account that was closed, and has been for months and b) on an account that things were not able to be put through when it was still open due to a hold i placed.
further, they cannot tell me why it was put through. i placed a hold - a complete freeze on the account - so, if the account does still exist, this should have been turned away anyway.
if it's not CLOSED as in completely closed, inaccessible, etc... then this may never be over for me.
but, thanks, i have filed a complaint against this bank before, and will do so again... and, from my research, i am far from the only one.


Submitted by cmvenable on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 00:14

cmvenable

( Posts: 19 | Credits: )


One more thing..any time you have any kind of charges on your account that are questionable....ALWAYS dispute them right away. Check your accounts DAILY

Also, these suspicious "activities" and charges could very well cause your auto. bill pays to bounce. Overdrawn accounts so be it your error, a thief accessing your account, or banking errors, are YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

Deposited counterfeit checks, bad checks, and any other "bad" deposits are the account holders responsibility.

Bottom Line: No matter what the problem is with your account, the sooner you contact your bank the better chance you have of staying out of Chex, racking up charges, and/or having your account closed. Banks really seem to want to help if you ask for it. Banking problems grow, not just "Go Away".


Submitted by Mary Adkins Matthews on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 18:32

Mary Adkins Matthews

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right... i did dispute and i am no longer even with this bank and haven't been for MONTHS. i am not able to check the accounts via phone or online because they no longer show as existing. that's sort of my point...
everything was done - i had given up hope of ever finding out why it was closed with a positive balance - and then months later, they put something through on a a) frozen (by me) and b) closed (inexplicably, by them) account...
but, thanks...


Submitted by cmvenable on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 21:13

cmvenable

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Had the same thing happen to me at BB&T in West Virginia. In my case it was a identity thief... except that this identity thief WORKED at the bank. I find out one thing. Bank employees cashing in your checks and keeping the money for themselves will A) get them fired and B) get them arrested. The Home Loan side of BB&T had contacted me, asking why I hadn't paid my last three morgage payments. Well... I had, except the money never made it there. So you might want to get a chexsystems report and check all your loan accounts.

Also, if you have any other bank account with any other bank... DO NOT CLOSE THEM. I couldn't open a bank account for awhile because I was reported to chexsystems.


Submitted by on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 07:13

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