Webster Bank

Their Free Checking is free no more. Webster just came up with new fees - $8.95/month if you fall below the $1, 000 a month average daily balance. This will probably never happen to me but I don't intend on taking a chance. Just when Webster was starting to have their branches stay open later for customer convenience they change their fees. I guess it doesn't matter about the thousands of dollars you have in your savings account at their bank that is earning pennies while they use your money.

I went there and spoke to the branch manager and his assistant and their response was "the other banks are doing it also". You know what that ? That's a poor response. Remember telling mom "but Johnny does it". It didn't work then and it isn't working now. All banks are not doing it. Yes, some are but most aren't so I will go there and close my checking and savings and my children's savings accounts and go to a bank that has "Free Checking".

While I was at the bank today three people were closing their accounts and the letter just came out last week so I guess I am not alone.

You can also avoid this fee by using your debit card for purchases at lease 10 times in a month (which we never do). I don't plan on changing the way I make my purchases to satisfy Webster.

I have been a customer with Webster through two previous buyouts - New Bedford institute for Savings, then First Fed, then Webster. Shame on you, Webster, for poor customer appreciation. Maybe you will smarten up once you see all the accounts you will lose but then again maybe you don't care.

Pop Quiz: What does Transaction HISTORY mean? Answer: An itemized list of PAST transactions. Why are you frequent overdrafters so dense?

I have had the same problems with Webster Bank. I do not write checks. Ever. I only use my check card. I've been with them for years with no problems. Then over the last 6 months, I've been wacked for hundreds of dollars in fees...I will admit one was my fault. The rest?

On Monday I had $650 in my account, per online banking. Actual amount, no checks waiting to be cleared. I spent $160 at wallmart, 15 for gas, 10 at the card shop, 30 for lunch. Each withdrawal showed money left. Tuesday, I messed up and sent out an automatic deposit a day early. Yes, that was my fault. I expected to pay the overdraft for that. I forgot to change the date of withdrawal. But instead, they paid that one with no fee and charged me overdrafts on the transactions that took place and cleared on monday. Even m, y online transactions show that the money was available for those transactions and there was plenty left.

This is the 3rd time in 6 months they have done this to me. I'm reporting them to the banking commission and bringing with me copies of online banking that clearly show that those items were fully funded and should not have bounced. Then I'm leaving this bank, after over 20 years with them. I'm tired of excuses from managers and being robbed.

You are all angry because you refuse to take responsibility of your actions. If you don't learn your lesson at Webster, you're going to face the same problem at TD Bank, Bank of America, ABC Credit Union, etc. I have learned from my mistakes of youth and own accounts at several institutions. I'm not a rich person by any means and I had a good track record until a year ago when I incurred my first overdraft fee in 4 years. I realized it was my fault and I asked for a courtesy waiver which they thankfully granted. I have been careful with the bill pay ever since. If you overdrafted on your account, listen to the bank rep's suggestions on how to avoid any overdraft fees. If you are a repeat offender then SHAME ON YOU!

I agree and have had enough. I recently closed my account and opened an account with TD North. The funny thing is that the day I went to close my account, Webster tried to issue me a check in the amount of $ 2436.00. I explained that I was only entitled to 436.00 since I had withdrew $2000.00 in person at the same branch. After calling around for approximately 45 minutes their solution was to pretend to close my account by issuing me a $436.00 check and wait for the $2000.00 check to clear. This makes no sense but it does when you consider that they must have a software in place that scans any charges, applies it against your account in order to charge the over draft fees then clears your deposit. I can't tell you how many fees I have paid this bank over the years but they will not get one more penny from me. Imagine, i could have taken the check for 2436.00 and waited to give them back the money upon their request. But this would have been dishonest and i would have been playing the same game they play with consumers. Play with our hard earned money by holding deposits and hitting you with debits.

Wow! I just started in the last few months to go through the same thing. I have written to my federal representative and my senator. My next step is to go to the state level! I have about $1000 in charges for an overdraft of about 1/2 that, mind you the overdraft was covered through autodepositl.

Frankly I am astounded that there are not more complaints against Webster on this board since you posted in 2007. I have had similar issues. There is absolutely no doubt that they purposely manipulate transactions to realize maximum NSF fees from their consumer depositors. I doubt they would be ballsy, or stupid, enough to engage in such practices with their business depositors as too much cash would be at stake and this is most definitely a bank that is on the precipice of catastrophic failure.

Let me give you an example. I am a law student and had a measly $67 in my Webster checking. I made a purchased at a retail store and swiped my card in the electonic terminal only to be told that I swiped the wrong terminal and I should swipe again in another next to it. You guessed it, the first terminal was NOT cleared and somoine came up later and finished the transaction signing their name on my transaction. That move overdrew my account. It was fraud. A $2 debit from iTunes followed the same day. I realized $74.00 in NSF fees and it was fraud that caused the NSF. I called Webster to dispute the fraud and they said that I must either go back to the store, which was 45 miles away. and resolve with the mgmt or elect to have my debit card immediately cancelled and replaced 10-15 days later !Well I topk option A . Luckily the store actually kept a photo record of the sig on the bogus transaction and it was clearly NOT MINE. The store apologetically refunded my money. I then went to my Webster office shoiwng them the fraudulent sale and asked for a refund of the NSF. The assistant manager in the Westport office., a smug clown named Vincent Cuozzo(sp) told me to go back to the retailer and demand that the retailer refund the $37.00 as well because the retailer caused the overdraft. WHAT !. Hey, that argument would never fly, right?

The $37.00 refund of the NSF was denied by Cuozzo. Wait, I am not done. It gets even better. I then say, wait a minute. if the $2 iTunes charge was posted BEFORE the bogus retail charge, both hit on thesame day, then my account would not have been overdrawn by cauxse the the $2 debit. . So I am at least entitled to at least the $37.00 back from the $2 iTunes charge rght, I say to Cuozzo? Cuozzo says NO. He then fabricated the most ridiculous story that a customer poll ( hey when has Webster ever cared about customer opinion?) That was first clue. Cuozzo then said that customers want the higher amount posted on the same day to come first. WHAT? For what reason? Cuozzo says because if it is a mortgage payment it may not then bounce. What! What idiot could conjure that up? So I ask if that poll or policy is written anywhere? He stuttered and said that it is in the Disclosure that all depositors get (OH REALLLY? I ask for the Disclosure and then ask Cuozzo where to find the reference. He stutters again and says. "I don;t know but its in there"
So I take the hefty Disclosure home and read it. read it agtain. I ask a lawyer friend to read it. Guess what? It AIN'T there. Surprised? You shouldn't be. You see, Cuozzo also said " In this banking environment we never refund NSF'S" No doubt whether they are erroneous, mechanically manipulated or downright fraudulent. It simply does not matter to Webster Bank because obviously they need your $37.00 if they have any chance of staying afloat. So to all who are reading this, let's collectively come together and make sure they don't stand a chance of surviving. There is much steam rising from excessive credit card and bank charges foisted on consumers while banks are thrown a lifeline with OUR tax dollars. Let's stop this. Write the CT and MA State Banking Commission. Write a letter to Richard Blumenthal CT AG, he-s a straight up consumer advocate. ...and write in this site. Lets be heard

If you do not want to pay overdraft fees, do not overdraw your account. It's very simple

I would have to agree with you, They have horrible customer service, Ridiculous fees, bad all around. I got sapped about 300 dollars in the last week alone because of stuff with them and all they offered me back was 100 dollars. I have to go through 2 weeks of paychecks before I am in good standing with them and then I will have auto payments go through right after that, so I will just end up back at square 1. They offered to "investigate" but refuse to give me anything before 10 days, and say it could possibly be not resolved before 90 days! what is that! Very horrible Hours as well, I agree.

Rude service...inflexible hours..unneccessary fees