Consumer complaint received 2020-01-12
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: OH
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Fee problem

Complaint:
After many years of banking with Fifth Third Bank I am completely disheartened to have to file this complaint and to be going through this situation while I am XXXX  in XXXX. I am currently dealing with stress from their unethical business practices ; while have the inability to empathize with a XXXX XXXX member fighting for everyones freedom. About a year ago ; I went into branch in XXXX, Ohio to set up my bank accounts and ensure I would have no problems when I was XXXX in XX/XX/2019. I worked with XXXX at that branch. I told him I have a XXXX- year old child in XXXX that I must ensure money gets to every month while I am XXXX for child support. I told him I need an account that I or my wife can transfer money to electronically but set up like a gift card. If I put {$300.00} in the account every month then you can only get {$300.00} out of it. Once you take the {$300.00} there can be NO overdraft fees, PERIOD! I did not know what type of access I would have to the internet, if any, and would not be able to monitor activity on my accounts. XXXX knew my intent for the account and even mentioned international fees that would apply. He told me the account he set up could not incur overdraft fees. I was not given any paperwork either. Additionally, even though I authorized my wife to access my accounts so she could move the money over each month ; after being XXXX we realized they did not even give her access to the account xXXXX. My cell phone does not work in XXXX and I have minimal if any access to a land-line. Fast forward to XX/XX/2019, my child got on her mothers phone in XXXX and accidently used that account to order a handful of {$3.00} games. Which, she should not have been able to do, because I did not put any money in the account. Guess what, overdraft fees and now charges up to {$450.00}. They have been sending letters to a home I am not living in, because I am XXXX and they are calling a phone number that does not work, because I am XXXX! They deceived me from the very beginning and gave me an account that I specified would not work for me! If they would have told me upfront that an account, such as that does not exist then I would have sought other avenues. I have been contacting them since XX/XX/2019, whenever I can get access to a land-line. They give me the run-around, promise to follow-up in emails, and they have NOT done so one time. I now have no way to get money to my child and my XX/XX/XXXX is not completed until the end of XX/XX/XXXX. They refuse to talk to my wife ( even though I set her up on the accounts ) because she doesnt have a POA. I asked them to waive the overdraft fees and they refused. The account just keeps sitting there accumulating fees every three days. I asked them to place a legal hold on the account until we could sort it out. They refused and told me it wasnt possible. One of their unprofessional responses was Sorry, when you allow a XXXX- year old child to use your card then you will have to deal with the ramifications. I did not allow or give my child access to the account. If they would not have lied to from the beginning about the account, then we wouldnt be in this situation. I would have found another route to get child support to XXXX! They also threatened me by telling me if I didnt pay then the account will be sold and go against my credit. They told me this the day after the XXXX XXXX I am at in XXXX was hit by missiles from XXXX. I am under so much stress and should not have to deal with this while I am fighting for everyones freedom. I have never been treated and talked to so poorly by any business in my life. XXXX was promoted and no longer in that position at the bank, so I spoke with XXXX and XXXX XXXX. They told me I should have read my papers regardless of what XXXX told me. The papers that were not given to me. They were very rude and condescending. They also told my wife they could not talk to her or assist ; while dropping the line Sorry you have to go through this and it isnt even your child, and you are JUST the step-mom. XXXX mislead me in XX/XX/XXXX and now the bank wants to XXXX me over and allow the account to continue to accumulate fees when I can not do anything from XXXX. I feel so helpless and they do not care. Now have no way of getting money to XXXX for child support. Every promise of a return email has NOT happened. To date there have been four calls to the XXXX, Ohio branch and not one return communication. I have limited access to any type of internet connection as well and there is almost always a poor connection. There was never any I am sorry you are dealing with this and/or I am sorry if that is what you were told, or if there was some type of miscommunication I demand contact to the email address : XXXX. I do not have access to my cell phone number or any type of communication sent to the home address. I insist you complete the following actions to remedy your practices that caused the incident. 1. Admit when your employees mess up and fix the problem. 2. Convey compassion and empathy for your customers especially XXXX military 3. Waive all over-draft fees and fees that have been accumulating every three days for the account xXXXX. If this account continues to accumulate fees and thus is closed and sold off to a collection agency. This can prevent me from obtaining or retaining security clearance! I will initiate litigation and will publish the results in as many media outlets as possible to include : online, video and print. I will also report Fifth Third to the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General for inclusion on the Restricted vendor list that prohibits XXXX XXXX   military and Civilian personnel from engaging in business with businesses that have questionable business practices, or who do not provide adequate problem resolution in a timely manner. I will report this unethical and unprofessional business practice to the CFPB as well as the Attorney General. The refusal to place a legal hold on the account to cause fees to only continue is a federal violation of the SCRA. My next stop is to the Federal Trade Commission for unfair and deceptive business practices against customers, but also against XXXX  military members who have limited access to any means of real communication. I feel helpless and should not have to go through this, and furthermore, I should not have been treated in such a poor manner by the bank employees. It is causing me undue stress as well as undue stress on my wife when she receives the harassing letters in the mail, but they will not speak to her on that matter. I will be reporting this matter to Washington as my immediate Commander and Chief is the President of the United States as well as contacting the local military counsel. I demand immediate action and demand an immediate response from XXXX XXXX XXXX, Senior Vice President, as well as : Mr. XXXX XXXX, Chairperson/CEO Ms. XXXX XXXX, Retail Risk Manager Mr. XXXX XXXX, Regional President Mr. XXXX XXXX, COO/Executive VP Mr. XXXX XXXX, Regional President Thank you!

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief