Compass Bank, Fort Collins, CO - bounced six checks - unhappy banking experience

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on January 29, 2003:

From: Climb Colorado [Email User] RE: Compass Bank, Fort Collins, CO - bounced six checks - unhappy banking experience

The following is my letter to Compass bank and explains everything. Use how you wish… Dear Compass Bank: I am writing to thank you for bouncing not one, but six of my checks and to enlighten you in regard to the representatives you have managing your Fort Collins, Colorado branch. By my calculations, thirty seconds must have elapsed between the premature emptying of the night deposit and the arrival of my deposit. I deposited sufficient funds in the night box at exactly 7:55 AM, Thursday morning, which I admit is only five minutes before the sign says the night drop is emptied. However, my deposit was not credited until Friday’s business day. You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity and debiting my account $180.00 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank. My thankfulness springs from the fact that this fee will inevitably cause my rent check to bounce this month. If I am lucky, this will cause a chain reaction of checks that are overdrawn which will hopefully boost your bank’s profits enough to hire new management in Fort Collins. Furthering the delight of being a Compass bank customer would be the service and attitude of your managers in charge of your Fort Collins, Colorado branch. During my first attempt to speak to your bank about this error I had the pleasure of speaking with Annette Jenkins who promptly dismissed my claims and concerns and told me there was nothing she could do to assist me.

When I brought up the fact that this was an insane amount of money to be charging me when funds were arguably available and I could not believe that Compass bank would do nothing to correct the situation, I was told to take my business elsewhere, which will soon be my intention. I proceeded to ask Ms. Jenkins for some sort of corporate customer service number and was told there was not any number I could call. Only after telling her that I found this extremely unlikely did she tell me to call 1-800-COMPASS. The Compass

bank corporate customer service was also of little help. I was told by them to take it up with the manager of your Fort Collins branch, Diane Bader. My first two phone calls to Ms. Bader were mysteriously hung up on when I was “on hold.” My third call finally got the attention of her voicemail. I finally received a call back after my message letting Ms. Bader know that if she did not want to speak with me via the phone, then I would be happy to come down to the branch right after work to speak with her in person. I tried to work things out with Ms. Bader but had no luck since I was wrong in her eyes before I even called. I simply requested that since I do not have a time stamped receipt that we take a look at the security camera for that day to see when I dropped my deposit in the night box and when it was really emptied.

I was told by Ms. Bader that this was not an option. Since your Customer Service department and bank manager left me no other option I told her that I would then dispute the NSF fees as fraudulent charges. I was in no way prepared for the threat that was made next by Ms. Bader. I was told that if I disputed the charges that she would send back all my checks that had been already paid by my funds. Intimidating as this was I must say I was still planning on visiting the branch after work to promptly close my account and to file my dispute. I do not understand how or why my checks, which I already have paid, would be sent back or why a company like Compass Bank would condone this behavior. However, I received a phone call from Donna Disparti from your Loveland, Colorado branch. I had accidentally called her in the beginning and she had given me the number to the Fort Collins branch. Ms. Disparti had taken it upon herself to follow up with me. Considering the treatment I had received from your other representatives I was delighted to hear from Donna. I promptly explained to her the entire situation from the initial error to the way I was being handled as a customer. Ms. Disparti was genuinely concerned

and sympathetic of my situation and saw how this might have been an error on the bank’s side. Although Donna could not assist me with the charges or the abrasive managers at your Fort Collins branch she may have saved Compass bank from losing my business. I say “may” because at this point I am still debating my course of action. Your Customer Service department has still left me little in the way of options. I am currently looking into the legality of the threat that was

made by Diane Bader of the Fort Collins branch. In light of the way my case has been handled, I fully intend to dispute these charges. During the investigation of my dispute I would receive my proof from review of the

surveillance tapes that my deposit was made prior to the alleged 8:00 AM empting of the night drop. However, knowing how this dispute could be long and ugly for your Fort Collins branch I have decided to compose this letter in one last attempt to let Compass Bank make amends. I also want to make just the same emphasis on how impressed I was with Donna Disparti’s attitude and commitment to customer satisfaction, even when the customer was one of the Fort Collins branch and not her responsibility. My only regret is that I did not initially open my account at your Loveland, Colorado branch with Ms. Disparti. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on these items I have brought to your attention and anticipate your prompt response.

I can be reached during the day by telephone at xxx and at night at xxx. You will notice that not only have I faxed this to you but I have also included my phone number instead of my address. This is due to the fact that by the time you receive this letter my account will have already been hit by more of your NSF charges since my account is $180.00 shy of my tally. Taking this into account and the amount of money it will cost me, I will be disputing all of the related charges to my account Friday, January 31, 2003 unless I hear from a representative of your bank before then. Thank you in advance for your time and immediate attention. Sincerely,