Consumer complaint received 2025-12-01 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low — Overdrafts and overdraft fees
Company: BANK OF HAWAII CORPORATION
State: HI

Complaint narrative:
I have been trying to stop Bank of Hawaii from charging me overdraft fees for close to a decade now, enough is enough. 

If I remember correctly, XXXX has already been subject to a class action lawsuit for this very same behavior not too long ago. 
Clearly they did not stop doing it, and lets be clear. They are aware theyre doing it, theyre aware that what it is, is STEALING. 

I have repeatedly told the bank that if my account balance is EVER insufficient for ANY transaction, I do NOT want overdraft coverage! I do NOT want you to cover the missing XXXX, and then charge me {$30.00} for it!!! Obviously!! Yet they have been stealing from going back as far as XXXX, when I opened my account. 

Opting out is made unnecessarily difficult ( in-person, paperwork ) and even after doing this successfully, XXXX continued treating my account as if I were opted in. 

Over the years I when I saw an nsf charge, Id call the bank ( long waits on the phone, or go to the bank in person ) but the way XXXX  has this set up ( by design ) is to discourage people from contesting illegitimate fees by making the process as uncomfortable as possible. The effort to get the stolen money back, is not worth the money that was taken. 

Despite Bank of Hawaiis best efforts to make it as difficult as possible, I officially opted out in XX/XX/XXXX, and this is clearly shown in my XXXX account. 

Since opting out in XXXX XXXX has continuously charged ( stolen ) overdraft fees, and are still actively doing so. ( The last overdraft fee I see in my count is from XX/XX/XXXX ). 

Under Regulation E, banks can not charge overdraft fees on debit/ATM transactions without an affirmative opt-in. I NEVER opted in I opted OUT.

This is another example of the of Bank of Hawaiis dishonesty, and disregard for their customers.

A service that youre charged for ( covering for transactions if account is insufficient ) is NOT something you can just charge without permission.

Why do XXXX  DEFAULT everyone to OPT IN? Very very dishonest. 

This does not appear to be an isolated mistake but an ongoing pattern. XXXX has a history of issues with dishonest overdraft practices, and what I experienced seems consistent with systemic or even criminal misconduct. 

I have all supporting documents, which will be presented when appropriate. 

This has been a constant nagging XXXX  for me for TEN YEARS, always worrying if something unexpected would charge to my account, the countless hours wasted trying to talk to customer service, the domino effect several of those fees had, its not just a {$30.00} fee when it sets off a chain of events that ends up costing thousands. This is not simply some accidental overdraft fees. 
This is clearly a deliberate scheme, which is working exactly the way it was designed to. 

Aside from the return of my stolen money, I anticipate an offer of compensation, that reflects the years of mental and financial XXXX  this has had on me. 

My decision of whether or not to file a lawsuit will be determined by Bank of Hawaiis response to this, by how their tone is, what they offer as compensation, what they have to say for themselves about still doing this despite being caught doing it before.

Im aware that a lawsuit will be extremely costly, however, this has become about much more than the money they stole.. This is personal for me. I trusted them, and they literally stole from me ( along with what must be tens of thousands of other customers Im sure, please do a search in your transactions for NSF FEE, you may be shocked at how much money has been stolen from you too.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation