Consumer complaint received 2018-04-19
Company: TCF NATIONAL BANK
State: MN
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low
Sub-issue: Non-sufficient funds and associated fees

Complaint:
In late XX/XX/XXXX or Early XX/XX/XXXX, TCF was contacted in regards to needing to temporarily needing to freeze my account due to undergoing a home mortgage in which I needed to consolidate funds into a single account for closing. 

I requested no transactions be allowed to post so that I could ensure no overdraft fees were incurred. What occurred without my knowledge is that although the account was update to not allow overdrafts, I would still be charged 'non-sufficient funds ' for items which attempted to go through, even though the funds were not being paid by the bank. 

I closed on my new home on XX/XX/XXXX, and did mail servicing through USPS. I did not receive notice of my account being charged these fees and falling into the negative until the evening of XX/XX/XXXX ( being told of the amount being - {$180.00} ). Due to this, the next day, Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX, I visited my local TCF branch in XXXX, MN. At this time the lady who helped me was kind and understanding, and when I explained the situation, she encouraged me to contact the customer service line versus paying the fees as she agreed that they were excessive, I was not overdrawn, and most should be refunded. 

I was provided the customer service number that evening in which I immediate called and was unable to connect through their customer service line due to excessive wait periods ( at one point it told me my estimated wait time was 60 minutes ). 

Due to work obligations, I could not remain on hold for such extensive periods of time and called every morning, lunch period, and evening trying to get through to the customer service line, each time waiting at least 15-30 minutes. 

On Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, after remaining on hold for 30 minutes, again, I finally connected through to a customer service representative who promptly told me that unfortunately I could not settle my fees as they sent it to collections on Friday the XX/XX/XXXX and was told further information was not available on the terms of the transfer, I was only given a contact number and was told that they'd contact me as well and I could await their inquiry. 

Today, I received communication from the collection company advising me that onXX/XX/XXXX ( not the XX/XX/XXXX ), they received notice of my debt and I could settle with them in the owed amount of {$210.00}. 

I am filing this complaint, not against the collection company, but to the bank. I have been an upstanding account holder since at least XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXXand was not given ample notice of the situation, was misled on what an account freeze consisted of, never agreed to the non-sufficient funds charges, which were also raised to {$37.00} for each occurrence, without my notice. 

Additionally, when I did try to reconcile, I was pursued not to by a bank employee, who never notated my file to advise that I was making an effort in good-faith to resolve the situation. When I tried resolving the situation, the banks lack of adequate employee staffing on their customer service phone line and the practice of not allowing dispute in-person, led to additional days and efforts in trying to resolve the matter. I was misinformed on the transfer date of the debt to a collections agency, and was not given notice of it being sent in advance either. 

Finally, due to what appears to be a very limited time for an outstanding debt to be sent to collections, I feel that not only was I quickly taken advantage of by what I believe to be a unfair banking practice, but I am quite sure countless other individuals may be getting taken advantage of as well. 

Not allowing ample time to resolve and quickly pushing any bank-imposed debts to collection agency appears to be a banking scheme to drive-up profits and to not have to deal with the repercussions or dissatisfied customers and leaves individuals out in the cold, even when they want to amicably resolve the situation.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation