Fifth Third Bank / 53.com
Reviews and Complaints

Do not bank at Fifth Third! I opened a CD and the banker told me I had to open a checking account with it so I did. I said I did not want a bank account there and specifically asked if I would be charged fees if I did not use the account. He told me no. I even told him not to issue me checks on this account as I would not be using it. It was clear to him that I was not using this account. He said that was fine. Well- suddenly I received a statement in the mail indicating I have been getting charged "dorman account" fees for the last 6 months. Yes- the last six months and this is the first they're telling me about it...after 6 months. I spoke to the branch manager at the Woodridge, IL branch. He told me that he cannot credit back the fees as "this money is not kept by the bank- it it paid to the government". He also told me that I have been getting notices in the mail each month from the bank telling me that they have been charging me this fee each month. I did some research and found out that this branch manager is either an outright liar or he doesn't have the slightest clue what he is doing- I think it's a combination of both. The fees they were hitting me with are collected by the bank and kept by the bank. (I believe if the account is dormant for a year or so the government collects some of that money but he SHOULD know the rules and NOT LIE). Also- the bank DOES NOT send out monthly notifications stating they are hitting me with a "dormant account fee" each month. No such notifications are sent out by the bank at all. So again- either he has no idea what he is talking about or he is a liar. Fifth Third clearly dropped the ball from the getgo when the banker told me there would be no fees and refuses to take any responsibility for what their employees including the branch manager say or do. The icing on the cake was the branch managers complete ignorance and failure to take any responsibility and lies he told me. Ridiculous. Really ridiculous and unethical to say the least.

I became a customer of 5/3 bank afer they purchased Old Kent Bank back in 2017 or 2017. I must say the only reason I bank there is becuase it is a hassle to change banks. Service when visiting a branch is always slow, has they are understaffed, and staffed by people who are very slow in performing their duties. I undertsand that the inept need jobs too, and an inept bank is as good of place as any.

5/3 bank has failed every time I have required them to do much of anything, from ordering checks to clearing deposits, to processing online requests 5/3 bank is slow and inept. They love to charge fees (I understand when you are an inept bank, run by inept bankers, and make alot of bad loans and lose a lot of money, you need to get make the money back, but is feeing the average to death the only way? Weill I guess inept is as inept does.

The best way to describe dealing with 5/3 bank goes like this: You must protect yourself and your money from this place if you choose to bank here. A bank makes money off its customers, so always expect 5/3 bank to act on behalf of 5/3 bank and not you. This bank survives by seperating you from your money, and will look to do so whenever it can legally or illgeally.

Remember it is YOUR money and YOU are granting them the honor of holding your money, they are there to serve you, and if they don't, you have choices and can move your money elsewhere.

Starting 11/8/10 when my employer failed to direct deposit my pay check, I had to take a live check to the bank ASAP to cover my bills. My rent had not come out yet, but amazing enough, the day after I deposited the check, the account was already in the negative collecting fees galore! Between the dates of 11/9/10 until 11/17/10, Fifth Third had taken over $1100 in fees. Of course, when I went in the bank, after I had borrowed money out of my future check to get it out of the negative, the man in the bank stated that he was "just a Peon" and the bank manager was on vacation. He also told me "matter of factly" that I would be incurring another $200 in fees at midnight. He couldn't do anything! Yea Right! He never showed me a list of what all charges were individually, just a statement of lumped together fees that made no sense. The manager was "supposed" to call me when she got back from the vacation I probably paid for. That didn't happen either. Well, I won't be having Christmas thanks to Fifth Third Bank. They are nothing more than thieves!

Kimberly the manager was very rude when trying to explain a problem I had and not willing to take further steps to help me in the problem I currently have with 5/3 bank. I have been with5/3 bank over 10 years. I recently found out that I have been charged $5 a month in my savings account. I had no idea that a $5 charge was given for a savings account that was less than a $200 balance. I was recently told that there is a higher interest savings account that does not give a charge at all. I do not understand why this was never offered when I have been a good customer for so long. I would like all the money returned to me that was taken out for a so called "maintenance" fee. I was not aware of this charge and do not agree with these charges. I can be reached at [protected]. My name is Greg Phipps. Thank you for your time.

I took out a loan with 5/3 and had nothing but problems with them hounding me for additional information during the first few weeks. The whole thing made me want to go somewhere else and get a loan to payoff that loan. However, there is a prepayment penalty until 6 months before payoff.

I always made my payment early or on the due date. When I finally got to the 6 month mark, I called and got a payoff then went directly to the bank to payoff the loan. I asked the teller if there was any per diem, she told me no. She took the money and gave me a receipt.

Then, instead of getting the release of lein, I got a late notice in the mail. I called the customer service department. After going through the telephone maze and pushing what seemed like a thousand buttons, I finally got a live person. He was nice enough but could not understand why there was a late charge assessed when it showed that a large payment had been received. He then transferred me to his supervisor Charles who was rude and condesending. He said the teller was incompetent and did not do her job right. He refused to resolve the issue and send my release of lein stating I owed more money. He refused to let me talk to his supervisor and kept telling me "this is how it is going to be". I was absolutely livid by the time I hung up on him.

I called back, went through the telephone maze again trying to contact the senior vice president's office that signed the late notice I received. They refused to put my call through or give me his office number. I left a message but don't hold out much hope of ever hearing from him - especially after reading all the internet complaints today.

I will NEVER do business with this bank again. All I want is a relase of lein.

My son a student at Indiana State University went to McDonalds and used his card... it was declined. Puzzled, he checked his online account to find that $1000.00 was removed from his account. He called me in dispair. We assumed that he had an idenity theft issue. We were wrong. It seems that a bank teller in another state withdrew the funds and entered the wrong account (using my son's instead.) The bank removed the funds and after 2 days returned my son's missing money. He used his account 2 days. On the 3rd day his account was frozen again. It was the weekend. My son could not use his card for meals AND it seems he came down with a bad case of Poison Oak and could not pay to go to the clinic. His account was available after a wait of 5 days.
My question... we are fined from banks for our errors. Is there compensation for errors that are the bank's fault? Waiting for justice. Sharon Stewart Fort Wayne, Indiana

I received a credit card application that offered a 0% APR on balance transfers and mailed it to 5th/3rd in the enclosed postage paid envelope on August 20, 2010. Having not heard anything from 5th/3rd, I became increasingly concerned, considering it has my social security number as well as other personal information and today is September 14, 2010.

I called today only to be treated as though I had done something wrong. The customer service person told me if the offer period expired, the application would be shredded and I would not receive any notification. I then told her I was extremely worried about my personal information being in the wrong hands and she told me, "You should have applied online if you are concerned".

I then explained that the website was down on the night before it was mailed (as it still is www.apply53.com) and I was of the impression that a postage paid preprinted envelope would make it to its destination.

She responded with "You should have called, we are open until 8PM Eastern Time". There was absolutely no concern as to the security of my personal information, contrary to what the website states. Furthermore, when I asked her advice as to what I should do next, I was told I could call back everyday until it comes in.

In twenty-five days I would think an envelope could make it to Australia and back. I am thoroughly displeased with 5th/3rd, will NEVER do business with them, and will ALWAYS recommend another financial institution over 5th/3rd.

I am a first time home buyer. Since I "did" all my banking at 5/3 I thought why not get a home loan through them..what a nitemare! Promised me the world and couldn't deliver. The agent that was helping me was completely incompitent. Never got back to me when he said he would. Ran me around for a month in a half with NO answers. The interest rate and "deal" he was getting me never even existed. Needless to say I pulled ALL my money out of my savings and checking and closed both accounts without hesitation. I will NEVER step foot in this rancid bank again. Also, I have told everyone I know this story so they won't ever bank here either!

I took out a car loan 2 years ago knowing I would pay it off early so when I did I was charged $150 prepayment penalty - I never sign for loans if there is a prepayment penalty and the dealer said there was not a prepayment penalty I called the bank and was refused to be able to talk to anyone in management as the customer service rep said that was not possible. As a customer of the bank I should be allowed to talk to the president of the company! They kept apologizing like I was stupid! Take your money elsewhere.

we were told when we opened up our business accounts 10 years ago that the accounts have a matrix affixed to them. The matrix is cash set aside up to a certain amount to cover checks one would write, but the fee of $37.00 will apply. Out of thin air they pulled the matrix and never told us. This resulted in some checks being charged $37.00 up to 8 times, and a total in less than a month, $1321.00 in charges. They also would switch a large amount check ahead of many small ones, thus more bounces, more charges. They really are crooks.

I have a Fifth Third bank hsa account that I access online. The site has had ongoing problems at least all this year that I know of. Today is June 5, 2010. Listed below are some of the problems but not all. These are just the main one's.

1. You try to get account information and all you can get is the
Error message: System error. I do not know how long this
has actually been going on. It has affected me personally for
several months and has never been resolved. I have spent
endless hours on the phone with customer service and was
passed from one customer service rep to another. I finally
ended up with a top supervisor who had no answers other
than sorry for your inconvenience or other canned responses.
There was never any resolution to the problem by 5/3.
The final rep I talked to said there was noone left to transfer
me to.
2. They double paid a healthcare provider and it took me
over a month and endless calls to get my money back.
All the time losing interest which was never repaid. They
kept blaming the provider which after many hours of
research I found out that was not true. In the end it was
admitted by a 5/3 rep that it was a system error. Before
that happened I had been threatened by collections of
various health care provider because there was such
difficulty and delay in 5/3ds responibility of getting the
account set up in the first place.
3. The only adjective I can think of for the customer service
dept is incompetance. I suspect the problem goes deeper
than the customer service dept. Even so good luck on
getting a call back from them.
4. Account information is only updated once a month and your
lucky if it is updated within 2 months. There is no means of
contacting them on the site itself. It must be done by phone
and you are put on a merry-go-round for hours by their reps.
At the end of the ride you come up with no resolution of any
kind.

I am a business man with well over 100, 000 dollars in deposits with 5/3 in general. That money is soon to leave 5/3. I suggest
to all you do the same. I have not yet found a listing for 5/3 at
the better business bureau. A search of the better business
bureau site turns up empty for a search of Fifth third bank.
I suggest to all having problems with them to speak out with
your money by putting it elseware.

5/3 compromised my debt card so we were told a new card would be shipping out. My husband and I did not receive our cards. They could not take my husband word that I did not receive mine, so I had to call in. They confirmed my address and said they would active my current card until I received the new one. They asked for me to call in and cancel my card as soon as I received the new one. Two weeks later, I still haven't received my new card and when I go to use my current debit/credit card it is declined.

When I call back in, they have a 2 year old address on file and they act like it is my fault that they had the old address. By the way, they can re-active my card. I ask to speech to a manager and she was of not help. I asked for her manager and was told I could leave a message and she would probably get back to me in 2-3 days.

In the meantime, it is the weekend and I have no debt/credit card. So, if you are shopping for a bank, stay away from 5/3! They compromise your account, turn off your card, can't update your account properly and act like it is your fault when it was all theirs!
Dissatisfied Customer
Caledonia, MI

This bank does not know what they are doing. when I opened an account, I was very clear that I did not want transaction approved unless there was money in the account. This was how the account worked for a few months and then a "computer" decided to start approving transactions without regard to having money in the account. Then I set up external transfer for paying my rent. They did this one month and then decided that since my name was not on the receiving account, I could not do this. Yet another feature sold to me that does not work. Never mind that fact that it took me a month to get my billing address and physical address corrected. This many it very hard for me to purchased items on line for my business.

I also enjoyed the call chastising me for depositing a $25 third party check in the ATM when there was $2, 000 in my account.

I am trying to get away from these people. It is going to cost me some bucks.

STAY AWAY FROM THIS BANK!

5/3 bank changed the way their debit cards are categorized and after their change to separate the debit card from the over-draft card they began to zing me with overdraft fees totaling almost $900 in a one week period. They then sent me a letter notifying me of the change after the fees had been assessed. no warning just fees and a cavalier attitude that we are the bank and can do what we want. I called a consumer finance show tonight and the guy suggested filing a suit against them in small claims court. He said it would be the best $45 you ever spent as 5/3 will now have to have one of their lawyers review the case and burn up their $$$. He also said that more than likely someone with a brain will realize that they should refund the charges versus tying up their lawyers in the suit. If you are a customer I suggest leaving them as the only way they can make money is via fees - just look at the millions we (taxpayers) had to put up due to their fabulous investments in Florida...

My husband died in 2007, he had a truck loan in his name only with 5 / 3 bank, i went into bank a couple of week after his death with a death certificate in hand, explained to them he had died and his loan was in his name only but that i wanted to keep truck, what i need to do, i was told by the bank manager that as long as it was paid and on time nothing needed to be done, i left and made payments on time. In 2009 when the vehicle was almost paid for, i have the repo man coming to my house, stalking out my place, i call the bank, they say the payment was late that month and that's why the repo was sent. The truck is not in my care, my husband's son has this vehicle and they continue to harress me. If there is anyone who read this that will be filing a class action suit please let me no, you can reach me at : [protected]@yahoo.com. Thanks

I was a faithful customer of Fifth Third Bank for years, always paying my loan payment on time. I am no longer a customer. I feel this is hands-down the WORST BANK EVER! I have dealt with many banks and creditors, and none of have shown more poor customer service than that of Fifth Third bank. They harass you by phone over piddly things related to your account, fraudulently slam you with interest-first loans without your knowledge, and much more. When you phone customer service, their reps are EXTREMELY rude and refuse to allow you to speak to supervisors. They say they care for their customers, yet treat them this way and offer no access to speak with supervisors or make any complaints about service. I would STRONGLY reccommend that people STAY AWAY from this bank or from getting anything financed through this bank. My family is now somehow in debt over $10, 000.00 to this bank and have made numerous efforts to resolve this, only to get ill-mannered trash reps who have no sense of common courtesy. FIFTH THIRD BANK IS HOOORRRIIIBBLLLEEE!

I recently filed a lawsuit against Fifth Third Bank in Cook County, Illinois, which alleges violations of the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act and the Illinois Electronic Funds Transfer Act. I now know that many of Fifth Third 's customers are complaining of large overdraft fees which Fifth Third charges its customers which are based upon theoretical overdrafts that Fifth Third''s computer program creates to enable Fifth Third to charge its customers. I also am a victim of Fifth Third's scheme to charge overdraft fees based upon a theoretical overdraft which recently cost me $198.00 If you are a victim of Fifth Third's scheme to charge overdraft fees which are based upon theoretical computer generated overdrafts, e-mail me if you would like to join a class action lawsuit against Fifth Third Bank.

On the same day, I received two mail items from Fifth Third Bank. The first is a letter stating that they are reducing my credit line. The reasons given are 1) Time since most recent account opening is too short (I don't even know what that means!) 2) Lenth of revolving accounts have been established (again, makes no sense. My account was open too long or not long enough?) 3) number of established accounts (I have one account with them, which is a credit card I never even use.) 4) Current deposit balances (I have no balances with them, because I don't use their bank!) Ok, who cares. So, they lowered my credit line on a card I don't use. The second piece of mail is a statement for $39. It says I didn't pay $19 previous balance, so they are adding a $20 late fee. Not only have I NOT used that credit card for many, many months, so their is NO way I had a $19 balance, but I DID NOT RECIEVE A BILL LAST MONTH WITH THAT $19 MYSTERY CHARGE ON IT! Basically, they are reducing my credit line and trying to screw me out of $39 for nothing to boot. I will be calling tomorrow to discuss this, since their "customer service" line is not available now. I don't expect a resonable explanation or resolution. In fact, I remember that I quit using the card, because their online payment system was a joke. They would NOT allow payments to be made from any bank account other than with THEIR bank! I talked to them about how unreasonable that is and how ALL other credit cards allow online payments from ANY bank. I was told "They may allow that in the future." So, basically, I quit using the card, because the company sucks. Months later, they are proving AGAIN to me now much they suck!