Consumer complaint received 2016-07-08
Company: SANTANDER BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: PA
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Account opening, closing, or management

Complaint:
This has to do with Santander Bank. My wife closed our account on XXXX/XXXX/16 and was given no written documentation or verbal conditions of closing the account. On XXXX/XXXX/16 we received a phone call after XXXX from the XXXX XXXX Santander Branch in XXXX, PA saying that our account was overdrawn due to XXXX transactions, XXXX of which were dated XXXX/XXXX/16 and the XXXX others dated XXXX/XXXX/16. I went immediately the next day on XXXX/XXXX/16 in good faith to pay the {$67.00} that I owed them for the XXXX transactions by paypal and asked how these transactions could go through 2 days and 5 days after an account was closed with a {$0.00} and negative balance. I was told that if transactions are made before the account was closed within 24-48 hours the account will reopen and transactions will continue even with a negative balance. They could not provide any written policy when asked. I paid the {$67.00} for the XXXX charges and asked them to dispute the {$140.00} in overdraft charges. At the same time they had informed me that the savings account was n't properly closed because there was still {$0.00} left in the account so I am not even sure the Branch closed the account properly and just did a withdrawal versus closing. On XXXX/XXXX/16 I received a call from XXXX at the Santander Bank collections department trying to collect the {$140.00} and I told them the account was being disputed and she did n't even realize the account was closed making me more skeptical if the account was closed. She then forwarded me to XXXX at the customer service department. After explaining my situation he kept me on hold several times for 30 minutes saying they were speaking about it and said they could n't help me and I have to go back to the branch. I asked for the supervisors name and he said the calls are recorded if I was going to file a complaint. I asked him to forward me to his supervisor which he did.She then told me that the bank will allow transactions up to 30 days on closed accounts not the 24-48 hours the branch told me. When I asked if they had a written policy she admitted they did n't. At this point it seems like the bank is acting recklessly with no written policy on how to handle closed accounts and how long they accept charges. As recommended by customer service I contacted the XXXX XXXX branch in XXXX, PA on XXXX/XXXX/16 hoping to speak the branch manager. I spoke to XXXX who told me that the branch manager was n't available today or on Saturday and I could try back next week if I wanted to. She told me he told her to tell me to contact customer service. When I told them I spoke to customer service and they told me to contact the branch manager she told me that is what he told me and I can try back next week if I wanted to. At this point I told XXXX that no one can give me a straight answer and told her I was contacting the Consumer Finance Bureau she said go ahead and hung up. I called back trying to speak to XXXX who I spoke to on XXXX/XXXX/2016 at XXXX and was told she was with a customer and she never called me back. I feel that the bank is taking advantage of us and trying to corner us into paying the overdraft fees by sending me to branch to customer service and back and forth in a wild goose chase. I think the bank is acting recklessly and committing fraud by closing accounts and accepting debits on the accounts with {$0.00} or negative balances to collect overdraft fees and not notifying the account holder until a week later. I work for a bank and have spoken to a former Santander Branch Manager, a lender at the bank, a branch manager at my bank and they have all agreed that they are not right and not acting in good faith and should return our fees after I already paid the debited amounts in full. I am hoping by contacting this bureau to get my overdraft fees reversed and to notify any other customers who have been taking advantage of with no written policy. Class action lawsuit?

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief