Thanks to a Bank of America customer service rep’s incompetence, Travis got hit with $280 in overdraft fees.

When he moved from Chicago to California, a Bank of America rep told him his accounts would move with him, when really he needed to call a special number to set this up.

He left $100 in the old account, paid $3,000 in bills online, and got whacked for the $280. When he complained to the manager at his new bank, “Pierre” told him that since the account was closed and out of state, there was nothing he could do.

Because of this, Travis is moving all his banking business to Washington Mutual, including the home loan he was planning on taking.

Travis wrote a letter, posted inside, to the CEO of Bank of America explaining all this, and asking for his money back. We’ll see what happens.

(Photo: Son of Groucho)

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Here is Travis’ letter. Writing to the CEO is an excellent move. However, Travis would have been better off making the letter shorter and more to the point. Maybe hand it off to the wife for some edits. You’re trying to attract the attention of a busy individual, make it easy on them by writing clearly and effectively.

April 16, 2007

Mr. Kenneth D. Lewis
100 N. Tryon Street.
Mail Code NC-1-007-18-01
Charlotte, NC 28255

Dear Mr. Lewis:

I am a long time customer of your bank but after recent events in which I was charged over $280.00 in fees, I am taking my business from your bank. As CEO, I thought you should know about how I was treated by some of your employees in the Marina Del Rey branch in Southern California.

I recently moved from Illinois and went into the branch to close out my old account and to open a new one with them. My main concern was that my online banking information would be transferred over and if I needed to do anything. I spoke with Miyesheia Owens, who opened my account, and she assured me it would transfer right over to my new account and that there was nothing I needed to do.

A week later I logged into my online banking and paid my bills as normal. The problem is that my new account information was never assigned to my online banking as I was assured it would be. My wife and I asked this specific question twice and we were told by Miyeshea that we didn’t need to do anything. We had left only $100 in the account to handle and last minute small items. When I paid over $3000 in bills, they money was charged to the old account with only $100 in it. They took money from my savings to cover the bills but I was then charged 8 Overdraft Fees which totaled $280.00.

Once I realized what happened I called the Marina Del Rey branch and asked to speak to a Manager so he could explain what happened. Pierre Schustz, the Manager on duty told me he would look into it and would get back to me. I called later in the day and he told me he was still looking into it and would get back to me. Fast forward to a week later when I had to call again since Pierre didn’t have the courtesy to get back to me as he had promised to do so. I left a message for him to call me as he was in a meeting at the time. 4 days later…still no call from Pierre. When I called back and finally spoke to him he told me there was nothing he could do and I needed to speak to the branch manager and she could help me get the refund on the fees charged to my account. I cannot tell you how completely unhelpful he was in this whole process. I called today and spoke with her and she told me since the account was closed and out of state there was nothing she could do. I was out of luck and they were, “sorry”.

Mr. Lewis, the only reason I was charged those fees is due to information given to me by one of your Bank of America employees. If she had told me I needed to call Online Banking (which I later discovered I had to do) I would have done so ASAP. I believe that your company should reimburse me for the $280.00 that it charged me in fees as it was not my fault.

My wife and I are in the beginning stages of buying our first home, I would have liked to have secured my mortgage with Bank of America as it is a trusted and stable lending organization. Because of this incident, you are losing a customer, a long time customer at that. You’re losing all my accounts as well as a possible home loan. I’ll be taking my business to Washington Mutual effective May 1, 2007.

If you could help me get the $280 that was charged to me back, I would appreciate it. I can be reached at [redacted] (cell) or [redacted] (work). I am sending a copy of this letter to the Consumerist website (www.consumerist.com) to be published.

Sincerely,

Travis G

Cc: http://www.consumerist.com
Cc: MDR Branch

— BEN POPKEN

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