Do not launch an Executive Email Carpet Bomb against your own company or it will explode in your face. Reader E discovered this the hard way when he tried to use an E.E.C.B. to convince the bank where he worked to reverse $300 worth of overdraft fees.

E. writes:

I’ve been an avid reader of this site for several months now and I find a lot of the advice helpful, or at least interesting. But I do have a word of warning regarding the EECB practice.

I work for a major, national bank with whom I also have my accounts. During the month of February I had an incident occur where I incurred multiple overdraft fees totaling almost $300 due to the policy of clearing items from largest to smallest. I tried to resolve the issue through the main customer service line, but got little help. I was extremely frustrated and decided to take my next move out of the Consumerist playbook and launch an EECB to several of the higher ups to try to get some money refunded.

Well, about a week later I have the district president call me into my manager’s office who sits me down and tells me that what I did was inappropriate and put me in a negative light with the company. I was mortified. The president continues to tell me that I breached the code of ethics of the company and should have gone to my manager first (neither of which I was aware of).

EECBs can be a great technique for a regular consumer, but if that person happens to be an employee as well as a customer, it can get him/her in hot water.

(I won’t name the bank, because it will likely get me in even more trouble; I just wanted to put the warning out there)

If you have an issue with your employer, take advantage of your insider status and escalate your complaint properly through normal channels.

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