Consumer complaint received 2017-08-02
Company: HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK, THE
State: OH
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low
Sub-issue: Overdrafts and overdraft fees

Complaint:
I have a checking account I opened about a year ago at Huntington National Bank, XXXX Branch at XXXX XXXX XXXX./XXXX XXXX location ) that I intended to use for a second job. I only recently started working at the second job in XXXX 2017 and began having the funds directly deposited into that account and spending on a debit card. I am not very good with online banking and did not recall my password or user name in XXXX when I began using the account frequently. Everything was fine until XXXX 2017.
I thought I had enough money in my account, and if I did n't, my debit card would be denied. I made a series of 7 small purchases on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX ( {$28.00}, {$9.00}, {$9.00}, {$5.00}, {$22.00}, {$17.00}, {$24.00} ) that put my account into the negative. I was then charged 2 overdraft fees of {$37.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. I never received a text or call from the bank to let me know about my account being overdrawn. I did receive an email saying generically that there I a message in my account, but nothing suggesting there was a problem. And because I could n't log in, and I needed my daughter to help me figure out how to get in, I did n't address it right away. Had I known there was a problem with my account I would have called immediately to remedy the situation.
On XX/XX/XXXX, I made three more small transactions ( {$9.00}, {$16.00}, {$22.00} ) and was immediately charged 4 overdraft fees of {$37.00} each the same day. The next day I received a paycheck for {$240.00}, which would have brought my account into the positive, if it were not for the 6 overdraft fees occurred in 5 days totaling {$220.00}. Again, no call or text or any communication from the bank except a generic email saying I have a message, which I assume the Bank can tell if I accessed or not.
Believing I had more money in the account after I got paid, I then spent {$16.00} in one transaction on XX/XX/XXXX, and immediately that day received 3 overdraft fees of {$37.00}, then 1 more on XX/XX/XXXX of {$37.00}, despite no transactions even occurring that day, and then a {$25.00} extended overdraft fee on XX/XX/XXXX.
That is a total of 10 overdraft fees and 1 extended overdraft fee between XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX totaling {$400.00}! I overspent by about {$160.00}. Again, no call or anything from the bank. No freeze on my debit card. Nothing.
On XX/XX/XXXX, I went into the Branch to cash a check, not knowing anything about my now - {$330.00} balance. Because I still could not access my account, they printed out a recent transactions list for me, which is the first time I saw any overdraft fees. That night I had my daughter help me log into my account, and saw the excessive amount of fees. I was shocked. I immediately set up a transfer from my bill account at XXXX XXXX, but am not sure that I can actually afford to have those funds used for such an absurd purpose.
OnXX/XX/XXXX, I called Huntington Bank customer service to talk about the fees and requested that all or most of them be waived. As I can not afford {$400.00} in fees. I got the second job because I could barely afford to live on my first job, and was only making maybe $ XX/XX/XXXX- {$250.00} a week in my second job. The manager XX/XX/XXXX told me the best they could do was waive {$120.00} in fees, a bit more than only a quarter of the fees. When I asked why the bank didnt call me, she told me the bank doesnt have the resources to call customers for every overdraft. She then told me to visit the bank branch because they could help me more, as this was the first time I ever had such a problem. She also told me to opt out of any future overdraft protection.
I immediately went to the branch ( XXXX XXXX XXXX./XXXX XXXX location ) and spoke to XXXX XXXX ( NLMS ID XXXX ). There, XXXX XXXX refused to assist me with the fees in any way, telling me simply No multiple times and that in the future I should be more careful to monitor my spending, and offered me a ledger. I was very frustrated. I then asked to opt out of future overdraft protections and asked that no credit transactions be approved if I did not have the funds. I pay no bills automatically from this account, so I do not need this protection. He told me that he could opt me out, but the bank has full decision to approve any charge presented and could not guarantee that the bank wont approve a transaction and then charge me a fee. I asked multiple questions as to how that could be the case ( pointing out I dont use checks, so this would only be credit ) and what sort of charges would the bank approve. XXXX XXXX was very curt and just said the bank would approve anything it wanted and if I didnt want a fee, I shouldnt try to spend money I dont have. He would only say the bank looks at factors like the size of the transaction. He said that if the bank denied any overdraft charge I would then get a {$37.00} return payment fee and so I should be better at monitoring my transactions. He then told me that he couldnt possibly explain how overdraft fees all work to me today as if I were a XXXX. My daughter was there to witness the whole thing. I was embarrassed and upset and ashamed, and now in a very deep financial pit. I asked that my account be closed, but he refused because I had not brought the account current yet. I will not bank with Huntington again.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief