Woodforest National Bank review: massive overdrafts 98

Money was taken from my Bank Account and I don't even know what this company is.

urgent i am a sub contruction company that built four of your banks in PA the GC ECLIPS BUILDERS DID NOT PAY WHAT WAS OWED TO MY COMPANY AND I AM GOING TO HAVE TO PUT LEANS IN THE WALMARTS THAT IT HAPPENED IN IF PAYMENT IS NOT MADE IN A DAY

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URGENT URGENT

Woodforest National Bank has got to be most ignorant bank in the US. I actaually use to work for the company so I have had the opportunity to see how Woodforest functions from the inside.
(They don't)
If some body at the branch level can not help you NO ONE on any other level has a clue how to help you..
Upper management may assist you and give you what you want, but the reality is that they only gave you what you want because they didnt know how to deal with the problem.
My suggestion would be to take your money out of this bank because if this bank fails it is taking your money with it!

I do have to admit that I feel very much the same way!
I once worked for woodforest as well.
This bank is built on individuals with poor banking backgrounds including check fraud, yet this insitution wonders why they experience so many members involved in fraud. DUH!
Fraudulant customers are their number one #1 customers
As for the managers, I have no words for how ignorant and unknowledgable they seem to be.
Not just the managers mind you. All upper management and corporate employees seem to walk around in a trance and seem to be stunned at the though that you may need their aasistance.

Unless you want to be involved with a bank where corporate has no knowledge of banking as far as I could tell and primaraly serves fellons and illigal imigrants I would suggest banking elsewere.

"urgent i am a sub contruction company that built four of your banks in PA the GC ECLIPS BUILDERS DID NOT PAY WHAT WAS OWED TO MY COMPANY AND I AM GOING TO HAVE TO PUT LEANS IN THE WALMARTS THAT IT HAPPENED IN IF PAYMENT IS NOT MADE IN A DAY"

First of all, you are an idiot. Second, Its LIEN, and third, are you serious with this?

WOW this bank is something else! I told the Branch Manager yesterday that if I had wanted to deal with the mafia I would gone directly to them! Their strong arm tactics are not just stupidity -- I beleive they are trained this way! Because it seems to be consistent with everyone I have dealt with. They prey on the individuals that have had problems in the past for whatever reason -- they count on us being uneducated -- and willing to take whatever they dish out.

Here is my experience -- I opened an account last year -- had my check directly deposited weekly -- like clock work -- never had over drafts etc --- I was working hard to build a new financial history. Well about one month ago I was out of my home state and was in an accident that landed me in the hospital for weeks. I did not get any pay at all for I work contract -- the pay stops immediately -- well nothing was going into my account -- but WoodForest kept the account open and charged me DAILY -- I now have charges tolalling $900 and NSF crap! I faxed them a notarized statement yesterday demanding they close the account -- their policy is to not close accounts that are overdrawn! They plan on letting the charges keep piling up! Amazing! Strong arm tactics! This bank is a sham! I would run the other way if you are thinking of using them! Do not! Second chance my ###!

I told the Branch Manager yesterday go ahead do whatever you need to -- Life has kicked my ### this year --so he needs to stand in line for his chance to kick my ###!

To the woman who owes 900 dollars... how exactly was the bank supposed to know you were injured? They don't charge you money unless you overdraft your account. To rack up 900 in dollars in fees, I'm sure you're responsible for the majority of it. If your account is negative for seven days, on the eighth you start getting charged 3.00 per day, which is far less than most other banks. It was your fault for spending money you didn't have that made you negative in the first place. Here are the FACTS:

In most cases, Woodforests overdraft fees are a few dollars less than the local competition (don't believe me? Call around)

Their continuous overdraft fees in most cases are also less.

There is no minimum balance requirement on basic checking accounts. As long as you don't spend money you don't have and don't overdraft your account, you won't see any fees.

The 900 fees the woman was charged was her own fault. A NSF fee is charged when you write a check that you don't have money in your account to pay for (which is very illegal by the way) and the bank doesn't pay it. Tough luck. You think you're "sticking it to the bank"? Well honey, let me tell you who is sticking it to who. You will be sent to collections. It will go on your credit report. You will never be able to open another bank account anywhere. Ever. Learn how to balance your checkbook and stop whining. You're not getting away with this. I hate people like you. Buying things they can't afford and then whining at the bank for not charging you fees. You honey are a criminal. A thief. So don't run and blame the bank. Live within your means.

Here's an issue for everyone to read about my situation at Woodforest National Bank and the problem I had encountered. I am a nice guy I paid a bill for a friend at the dentist office, mistake 1, Mistake 2 was paying the bill the second time for an extraction and because I was busy working I let her pay with my bank card, I know already stupid me, well this individual took care of her tooth and then decided to get everything else at my expense which was unknown to me, when I had called her for my card I didn't get her on the phone I had to leave a message on voicemail. This all took place on a thursday, I left the msg on a friday and was out of town for the weekend but low and behold this woman went shopping when I thought she was home resting, when I came back to town I tried calling but the cellphone was temporarily disconnected. Monday morning I go to the bank to check my balance to withdraw some money and yes your right my account was in the negative almost $300 with transactions pending, I hit the roof my positive account of over $400 on friday was in the neg on monday, okay here's where the bank comes in, I was informed by the branch manager personally that since I tried to contact the female who had my card and didn't get through because the phone was disconnected then it is consided theft, he also informed me that I could dispute the transactions because they were not authorized and I had to file a Police Report, which I did, I get the shaft by Woodforest without grease because the dispute dept tells me it's not an illegal transaction if you know who had your card and they even wiped my other accounts to a zero balance before my disputes are even settled stating that they are recovering funds to offset an overdraft account, They ###s at Woodforest in Texas told me that I was screwed and they was keeping my moneyand not give it back and I HAD A LARGE CHECK RETURN BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO SCREW ME ROYALLY and said to bad go after the girl and try to get your money because they wasn't going to do charge backs at 23 locations even though I stated this was illegal transactions they told me I was lying about it and pursue another but the bank was not helping me recover lost funds and this comment was made today by 3 ###s in texas dispute dept, I will be contacting an attorney because Woodforest quoted alot of rules of their bank which is not in writing and I couldn't get a straight answer.

I don't know where to start.
I've never seen a bank where the branch manager was promoted from the shoe dept!
Anyway, our daughter just turned 18 and received a fairly large settlement check (30K) from the courts from an auto accident injury 4 years ago. She starts college in the fall and her we wanted to setup an account for her that would be easy to access, Wal Mart hours ect.
So, we went into the local Walmart to WF to open two accounts. My wifes a kindergarten teacher and had taught everyone of the 3 employees working that day (small town) and they all knew us.
I explained I wanted to open two accounts, one in our daughters name with debit card only and one in our name. I told them I wanted to be able to transfer funds at will from and into the two accounts on line, no problem.
We filled out all the paperwork and I handed them two checks, the 30K one drawn on a local bank from the clerk of court made out to our daughter and another check I had just received made out to me for 200.00. I told them to deposit the funds in our account and they could take 400.00 of it and deposit it into our daughters. Simple, right...wrong.
I was told no can do because they had to put a 21 day hold on the check because it was a large amount and a new account. I said I understood the hold but the 21 days was fairly excessive since the check was on a local bank and from a local government office as well, not to mention every person there knew us personally. The three employees huddled in the back corner and each one of them got on their cell phones trying to call a district manager to find out what to do. Why did they have to use their cell phones?
They came back with a response that the hold would only be 7 days since everything was local and they were 100 percents positive everything was legit, gee that's a relief.
So, we walked out with a deposit slip showing the funds and availability 7 days out and a starter check book for our account. We and our daughter even got courtesy phones calls a couple days later thanking us for opening up an account. That was nice.
With vacation week and everything else going on, I didn't even attempt to setup the online part yet. Flash forward two weeks later, we had to pay the university 1200.00 for the fall housing. I told my wife to just write them a check out of our credit union account and we would deposit 1200.00 out of the WF account into that. My wife used her personal account instead and just deposited a blank 1200.00 starter check from WF into her account, sounds good so far.
A week later we got a NSF check notice in the mail from WF showing the 1200.00 check had been returned for insufficient funds. I look at the notice and it said account balance, .01. Last deposit, .01.
We immediately went to the WF branch and handed them the notice and asked "Why has this bounced?"
The girl, one of the three that worked on it when we opened it, started to explain, then another girl came and took over to explain, her nametag said "Branch Manager".
She informed us that after we had opened the account, the district manager informed them the next day that they could not deposit a check not made out to us (the check was made out to our daughter, but she was present, opened her own account and endorsed the check to us in their presence) because it was a new account so they took the money back out of our account and placed it in our daughters account.
What? I asked them why didn't they call us and let us know? Her explanation was that they tried and left a voice message on our home phone. This couldn't have happened because if you call our home an no one is home, the call rolls into my cell phone which I can always answer. If I can't, it goes to my cell voice mail. I then asked them why they didn't try any other of the four phone numbers they had for us that were on the account. Her reply, they can only call the home number because they can't call any of the other numbers, work. cell ect. because of the "Privacy Act", you know, they could never be sure of who they were talking to. After she said that the only thing I was sure of is I was talking to an idiot! I then asked her why couldn't they have sent a notice by mail of the deposit correction. Same answer, because of the "Privacy Act", they really can't be sure we live where we say we live and they don't want to give any account information to someone other than us. I thought I was in the twilight zone!
I replied that they didn't have any trouble mailing us the bounced check notice, she said that was different.
I realized we were going nowhere with this so I told them the following.
First, they were going to reverse the transaction. Second, they were going to waive any NSF charges they may have or will charge us. Third, they were going to notify my wifes banks and tell them it was an error, no fault of ours, and cover any NSF charges they may charge.
Her reply was that they would waive the NSf Charge, they would cover any NSF charge out bank charge when we brought in the statement. They WOULD NOT call anybody and discuss our account because of the privacy laws, even if i gave them permission, and, they could not reverse the transaction they made without our daughter permission since the funds were in her account now. I tod them they had our daughters permission since they watched her give us the check and endorse it and they knew who she was because they checked hers and ours ID's and even made copies of them.
No can do. I then asked her who was above her, the district manger was her reply. I asked for her name and number. She gave me her name but told me they were not allowed to give out the phone numbers and I had to call customer service, ask for her and they would forward me to her voice mail. She could then get back to me if she wanted to.
I asked for the Corp Office number and she was not allowed to give that out either.

When you have a bank where all the employees have probably not had any banking experience before, have no authority to handle a problem or even the slightest clue how to resolve it, you have a train wreck waiting to happen for every customer.

Confused must work for the bank. I have the same general experiances with Woodforest National Bank as everyone else. They always, always hold a check, debit or credit until the overdraft can take place. I just had an experiance with them were a check was written on May 5th, depostited May 9th, presented for payment on May 15th, bounced due to two weeks of debits coming through at once. We paid the party with cash to cover the check amont of $600.00, the party that the check was written to said that she would give the check back to us when she received it, the check never went back to her or her back, the check disappeard until June 27th when it was presented to Woodforest, they didn't pay the check with "Privilage Pay on May15th, but they paid it this time. They caused a massive overdraft on my account, sucked up my entire paycheck for that week. thanks woodforest, i love you.

Woodforest Bank inside Walmart of Katy is by far the worst overall. Overall, basically covers everything from customer service, knowledge and accuracy. What is the hirging process, really? Is the only requirement that one can stand and pretend to be attentive. Apparently they do shipment for USPS (mail shipment), realistically, if you CAN NOT perform a miminal task such as shipping/sending out mail how confident do you think I am in opening an account with you? Are you people serious? Please KNOW your material when a customer as for anything relating to the bank or USPS. Don't act like USPS is beneath you and act as if you don what the questions is. You people can't even answer the simplest questions. Don't you question why you are joined with another business. I honestly can say I WILL NEVER GO to WOODFOREST BANK for anything.

Nope Don't work for the bank, I just am around ignorant people who complain a lot about things. The bank doesn't hold your stuff just to collect overdraft fees. It posts to your account when the company you purchased the item with submits it for the final posting. Woodforest is not to blame for overdrafts. I just don't get it. I was in college. I saw my friends do this crap. They spend more than they have then get upset because they are charged fees. If all you want to do is complain about banking practices in general that's fine, but what you are complaining about is no different than what any other bank in the country does. It's not like there's some big evil man sitting behind a computer figuring out what order to post things in in order to make the most off of you. If you want, the bank has to provide you with the list the items will post to your account. You'd probably be surprised to know it's in a set order - not a random order most suited to charging you the most overdraft fees. As to the guy who had two weeks worth of charges hit his account at once and blames that... that's nuts. It doesn't matter how long a charge takes to hit your account really, because if you're keeping a checkbook register, you would know how much you'd spent and how much money you have left. If you had enough money to cover what you spent in your account, it wouldn't matter if it took 2 months to actually come out. This isn't a matter of the bank being bad, it's a matter of people not knowing how to balance a checkbook (and yes, you can write down debit transactions in a checkbook register, since it comes out of your checking account) and also about people not knowing how to do simple math.

I don't work for the bank, I just happen to love the bank. As I mentioned, their fees are less than most other banks, they're more willing to work with you, and their hours are better. Nothing really to complain about there. I just think both sides of the story need to be told, so people aren't just basing their opinion on someones ignorant experience.

The reason that I am neutral is that I had unti today found that the bank had for the most part delivered good service. My recent incident was so aggregious to me that I closed the account in protest to what I considered to be indifferent behavior on the part of the Branch Manager (Mr. Ricky Currie) at the Morehead City, NC location. Funds available the same day is an advertising gimmick offered by this Bank, As a former member of the Federal Reserve of St. Louis, Small business advisory board and a trainer in sensitivity for the Mortgage Bankers Association I am disapointed at the customer service levels of it's staff, who I must say were not RUDE but rather, indifferent. I ran into the old 11 day hold on a check from out of state dispite the fact that my deposits (Normally Wire Transfers) usaully meet and most often exceed the amount of the check. Most Branch Managers use the authority given to them and sign off of checks of this size as a courtesy to customers who make sustancial deposits. Thus I closed my account and will urge all those to whom I recommended the bank to do the same. Further, should Woodforest attempt a Merger in the future I will endevor to stand against them for their failure to provide access to a reasonable complaint proceedure without having to process thru the perpetrating local Branch.

I found Woodforest to be extremely difficult to work with, and their policies, practices and procedures frustrated me every time I dealt with personnel at the Wal Mart, St. Clair PA location. I first opened a savings account to become established at the bank, thinking to perhaps go with checking as well a few months later. Due to wildly erratic hours at work, having an account at Woodforest seemed handy for cashing paychecks when other banks were closed. I learned I had to have a minimum $200 balance in order to avoid service charges, so I put $200 in and proceeded to make deposits of paychecks and withdrawals as needed, but mostly stuck with cashing paychecks and taking the money home. Being busy, I backslid on checking my monthly statements for a time, and awhile later I discovered I had been charged a monthly service fee for several months. When I went into the bank for an explanation, they said 3-4 months back I dropped below the $200 minimum for two days between deposits which triggered the service charges, and after that my balance was always below $200 at some time during the month, so they kept charging me the service fee each and every month until I learned it was happening. Eventually I solved the problem by making sure my balance was about $206 for the entire 30 days of the accounting period, and putting my passbook in mothballs. I only go there to cash pay checks now, making certain to take the cash home with me and verifying the balance is indeed still over $200 to where NO fees are being charged. Open a checking account at Woodforest National Bank? Not in THIS lifetime! Is this mess my fault? I'm an extremely busy man, easily distracted by supervisory issues at work, so probably yes. But I have accounts at five other banks, and if push comes to shove I can still cash paychecks at WalMart's service desk. Let Woodforest BE Woodforest. I'll just sidestep the bullet because they serve a need. Oh, and BTW, I haven't needed to cash a paycheck there in the past 7 months, so I'm cool with it.

while my mom was in chicago visiting me she got a call from a detective that $50.000 from her checking account was gone from Woodforest National Bank in Houston. Someone had been going into the lobby asking for blank cashier checks and then cashed them all without the teller asking for ID.
It was only when a teller did her job and asked for ID did the theif turn around and left the bank that they became suspicious. Now the bank is avoiding and doing nothing to refund my mom her money. I have banking experience and can't believe a banks policies could be so rediculously lack...or in this case non existant! Anyone out there with advice is certainly appreciated.

Woodforest National Bank is like any bank in terms of overdraft fees, account fees etc. Anyone who opens an account receives disclosures, just like at any other bank. These disclosures explain any fee you could ever receive. Clearly Frank, above quote, doesn't even realize he has a savings account not a checking account...savings accounts require minimum balances. If someone has a question they should ask. Like all banks there are ignorant people who don't know that they have to balance their own checkbooks or they get fees for borrowing the banks money...

Clearly the person who keeps taking up for this bank is not very knowlegable in the wold of finace either. Checking accounts require minimum balances not to incure a monthly fee. Also, there is no "man behind the computer" some of these very large banks have recently been sued over the same practices, writing scripts to take larger transactions first, causing more over drafts. If you bounce a five dollar check, you could end up paying 100's because the bank completes the larger tranaction then the smaller ones. While keeping your account balanced is upto you, I agree that these practices are not fair to the consumer. Be carfull, I have been bitten by this a few times myself. The best deffence is to check your tranactions a few times a week online. If you see a potintal problem (yours or the banks) contact the branch as soon as possible to bring it to thier attention. Maybe you can avoid some large fees.

Tom -

Clearly you don't understand finance. Check out woodforest's accounts online. None of their basic checking accounts require a minimum balance. You do not incur a fee if your balance falls below a certain amount.

Also, the reason banks process larger ticket items first is because they assume you'd rather have your light bill paid rather than your smaller ticket items. True, it may cause you to incur more fees, however if you're balancing your checkbook properly to begin with this won't be a problem. There is an algorithm which processes the items that are pending based on when they are submitted in a day, and that algorithm is available on request. All these complainers, however, fail to mention that at Woodforest the first item processed is any deposits, so if you make sure your account is up to date by the end of the day, you won't incur any fees. You could go shopping, spend 100 dollars over what's in your account, and then that same day go deposit that money several hours later and you won't get an overdraft fee, which is different from most banks.

As far as I can tell, the practices at Woodforest are comparable to other banks, and where they're not, they're better. Sometimes people just need something to complain about.

I don't like practices at banks in general, but pointing out Woodforest and saying they suck because of practices that are shared among all banks, well that's silly.

Ask to opt out of the program. You can do that. Then your card will be rejected. Or just keep a checkbook register. It's your money. Keep track of it.

Woodforest, above, responded to Frank by saying he doesn't even realize he has a savings account, not a checking account. Woodforest, above, obviously has the mentality of a turnip and the reading skill of a passing cloud, since Frank clearly states he opened a SAVINGS account, not a CHECKING account, with thoughts of opening a checking account "a few months later." Woodforest then closes by advising "ignorant people" (how many depositors fall into that category, in Woodforest's collective aristocratic mind?) to closely monitor the balances in their checkbooks (which Frank doesn't have), or they'll "get fees for borrowing the bank's money, " which Frank didn't borrow a dime. Woodforest attempts to portray this complaint as a personal attack by Frank against individual people, when it is, in fact, fair and just criticism of a somewhat fouled up and often confusing operating system, aggravated by struggling ineptitude from well-meaning but inexperienced Woodforest employees, and his own issues of bad timing of deposits and withdrawals, as well as failure to CATCH Woodforest imposing those fees EARLIER by monitoring his monthly statements more closely. If someone is putting their hands in your pockets, month after month, and taking out money to benefit themselves at your expense, and you don't STOP them by whatever means you can, then yes, it can rightly be said the loss is your own fault (for "allowing" it to continue). But as an honest person, I have a BIG problem, explaining to myself, why the hand persists in digging into my pockets, month after month, in the first place? Woodforest cannot exonerate itself by saying that all depositors are forewarned that its right to pick pockets (and levy fees) is explained in its "disclosures." Let Woodforest BE Woodforest. Let the public be forewarned that it IS what it IS. Deposit your money where you wish.

Yes, but any other bank operates the same ways, with the same fees.

In response to Annoyed, above, no, NOT "...any other bank operates the same ways, with the same fees." Sounds like the sort of notion that would be preached at an indoctrination or orientation session for new employees, and perhaps it isn't in this case, but this much is certain. Woodforest National Bank certainly IS NOT "user friendly." New depositors need to watch them like a hawk to familiarize themselves with the numerous loopholes they have that trigger fees of some sort or another, and just learn to dance around them. It takes time, and the caveat is that Woodforest does seem to operate legally. New depositors should also get used to going in with a check and coming home with the same check, as there are many reasons they will decline cashing one on the spot. Depositors should know this, in the event they REALLY need to walk away with cash. Some banks may do as Woodforest does, perhaps, but my other banks don't. They just aren't open as late as Woodforest, so Woodforest serves a need. I guess for me, they all serve a need and the need is different with each. As I became/become familiar with Woodforest's operating peculiarities, I'm learning to sidestep the fees. Let Woodforest BE Woodforest. Not ALL banks are like Woodforest.

We opened a credit card acceptance account for our small business with Woodforest Bank. I told their sales rep that under NO CIRCUMSTANCES would I sign a contract for more than 6 months. We opened the account in Oct. 2007. I closed the account in Sept. 2008 and they charged me a $375.00 early termination fee. Even after their sales rep agreed that my contract would not be for more than 6 months! I am so angry that I will complain to every governmental office, BBB, that I can find. On our contract it does not say anywhere that we have a 2 year agreement, they told me that I should have read the "Terms and Conditions" on their website. That the 2 year agreement was not on their contract.

Why are you using your debit card/writing checks if you don't have the money to cover it? Learn some personal financial responsibility and stop blaming the bank!

It really cracks me up to see these complaints... Woodforest National Bank is no different than any other banks...NSF charges are $32 there, where almost all other banks are $35.. If you overdraft your account, then it is your falt, not the banks... When you open an account it is explained to you that if a check is out of state or a large amount, there can be an 11 day hold... This is because people try to cash checks where the funds are not available very often, and it isnt very smart to just cash checks without verifying the funds... Most of the Woodforest banks are new, so the tellers must get an override from the managment, bc they have a $500.00 limit to start with... I havent read a good complaint yet. It sounds like everyone is not paying attention to their accounts, and then blaming it on the bank..One last thing..It is not the banks responsibility to watch over everyone's account...I have an account there and they are very convenient, and all seem pretty nice, I havent had any problems..

YES, other banks operate the same way. Actually, most other banks have raised their overdraft fees to at least $35 while WF has kept there's at $32. No bank closes an overdrawn account just because you tell them to. The wait on that is usually 30-60 days. Advice to the lady that let her friend borrow her card, go to small claims, because as far as I know the bank does not have to give you your money back when you LET someone dishonest borrow your card. The ignorance is yours.
Most other banks have the same hold policy on large checks as well. It's policy, to keep themselves from getting screwed. Which I would say is admirable. Look at all the other financial institutions going under. While Woodforest, only a couple months ago was named one of the best by FOX BUSINESS along side Wells Fargo.
My husband and I have been with WF for almost 3 years. The bank staff has always been nice and knowledgeable. The only screw up we've had to deal with was when I re-ordered my debit card to say my new last name, the main branch kept sending me one with my maiden. But I can honestly say after watching them order it 3 times, it wasn't the local crew, it was the main office.

Do you people not realize that a bank is not there to give you a loan just because you have an account with them. You are only allowed to spend what you have put in. Not more.
I agree with Josh.

I do not like these practices and have been victimized by them at several banks in the past. What was described regarding Woodforest happened to me at Wells Fargo and SouthTrust (now BoA). So I must give Confused acknowledgement that a lot of these complaints are not specific to any bank, but rather general practices throughout the industry.
I *completely* understand the concept of banks holding out for the NSF charges. I part ways with Confused on that point. I have seen it many times and even been told such by a branch manager of an institution I formerly banked with. The banks are in business to make money. A few extra NSFs may bury one of us individually, but it's like skimming pennies off the top to these huge companies. And when they do it a few million times, it adds up to a tidy side income. (ala Superman 3)
I, for one, am just about fed up with these institutions who run so much of our lives, yet leave us with so little control. I am about ready to forgo the whole industry and work with cash and a reloadable debit card. But like everything else in this country, it is almost impossible to survive without them. It's almost like this years election, choosing between sticking your head in the toilet...or straight into the sewer...you get S%*& on either way, only one is a little less drastic.

You should keep a register but have you spoken to a Personal banker to see if you can get set up on a repayment program?
And you should cancel your debit card until you have learned to manage your money.

Keeping track of you ledger is the customers responsibility. It is not only Woodforest who gives you fees for going into the negative, every other bank does this and not only do they do it but they wont even work with you. You should be an adult and keep track of what you are spending.

Cathy Dailey, your banking experience must have been in the mail room. Blank cashier's checks aren't just handed to people who ask for them. Formal request for them must be completed. The check itself, being an official check of the bank, must be signed by an authorized employee of the bank. Sounds like your mom has other problems besides the bank involving theft of her identity.

I don't disagree with any of the previous statements...whether they agree or disagree. I would just like to add that Woddforest is not the only bank that has irresponsible, uneducated, and unprofessional people working for them. They may be in the top 5 but Wachovia fall surpasses them. The only difference is that Wachovia has a bit more man power to cover up their junk.

Molly,

I disagree with what you have wrote.
When I lived in California more than 3 Years ago I was a customer at Washington Mutual.

I went over draft several times for good reasons and always paid off my debts.
They only Charged me my over draft not any other fee's and I still have copies of my account ledgers to prove that.

I was stuck in Calgary AB, Canada and needed money I went negative 600+ in the hole it took me 2-3 months to pay it off and put my account back in the positive and never once did I occur a over draft fee.

Woodforest along with F&B, M&T and a few other banks are just money hungry people.

I had a money order from my parents signed by my mom and attempted to deposit or cash it at the above banks listed,
They told me that they would have to hold it for more than 7 days...IMO thats BS they just wanted to collect any interest that it may have generated while they were holding it.

I have never had a bank in California that held a money order period no matter the amount a money order is pretty much as good as cash.

Woodforest National Bank gives automatic overdraft protection to its clients. That's why they kept approvinig the charges, however, if you did not want to keep getting hit with the charges you should have STOPPED spending when you knew you had no more money available.

I LOVE WOODFOREST. I have 9 accounts with them and have had nothing but excellent service. My account got overdrafted during the recent hurricane bc i couldn't get internet to transfer money. I emailed them and the next day the money was in my account. I have my personal, business, savings, children's savings accounts and my merchant service account with them and have never, ever had one single complaint with them. I have been banking there for about 10 years. I refer/recommend them to everyone, and they are all satisfied. Usually any unfortunate incidents are usually the customer not paying attention to their own accounts or details. At one time I transferred my merchant account to chase bank bc of promises of lower rates...NOW THERE'S A SUCKY, SUCKY, SUCKY BANK/COMPANY. I would not recommend Chase to anyone. They are pitiful, pathetic, and a bunch of idiots. I do, however, LOVE WOODFOREST!

My husband started working at this bank as a career change, he had previously been prosperous in his last career. He was somewhat excited due to he had always wanted to pursue the banking industry and there was a management position open with this company and he was coming from a management position in a different field. The branch opening was the first in our area so we really had not much knowledge about the bank itself. I am here to tell you this bank is a nightmare. The branch manager that he was working under was the worst example of a manager I have even seen. The first time I met her she showed up 1 1/2 hour last for dinner and was dressed completely inappropriately. She would show up on most days at 1 and 3 pm when on the schedule for 9am. As assistant, my husband was told it wasn't any of his business what time she came in because she didn't answer to him. Things got really bad when he discovered the manager was having an affair with another employee there. It was at that time she wanted him out, she stated nothing was going to make her lose her job. So if this is how the manager is operating, can you imagine the branch. You're only as good as your leader. Not much else to say! She is still the manager!

Nichole? Are you kidding me? Seriously? That kind of comment is inappropriate and not called for on a site like this. If your husband had half a brain he would have gone over her head to the regional manager, and actually as assistant manager that would be his job. This has nothing to do with customer service, this is a personal issue within the employees at the bank, of which you aren't even one. Sounds to me like you're jealous of this manager. Think maybe she's having an affair with your husband too or something? Grow up. These kinds of slanderous posts are high school material. I can only hope your husband, as assistant manager, is not as childish and immature as you.

This bank is ran by totally incompetent people! I went to my Woodforest Branch in Brownsburg, Indiana Wal-Mart on Monday 11/24/2008 in order to make a deposit. The teller at the counter, Matthew Wittmer, took one look at the check which was for $11, 000.00 and said he didn't know how to do this so he got the Branch Manager, Nick Banks to help. It took 40 minutes to make this deposit. I was not trying to withdrawal one dime from my account only deposit the check. Mr. Banks actually asked me what the check was for! (It was an insurance settlement as if it was any of his business!) I actually had to produce a copy of the settlement agreement which he took "in order to verify funds". The check was drawn on Wachovia and was a computer generated check (still attached to the payment stub). Several minutes of these people typing into their computers, checking a microfiche computer and running into the back room with their cell phones while I continued to stand at the counter. Mr. Banks then informed me they could not "verify funds" and they would have to put an 11 day hold on the check (which was acutually 2 1/2 weeks!) They actually printed out a form that said they did not feel the check would clear since they couldn't verify funds! The next day I called the Customer Service line and first spoke with Andre and then Toni who assured me someone would get back to me within 24 hours. About 2 hours later Brandy Smith called telling me she was a regional manager and when I explained it had taken a ridiculously long time to just make a deposit - not to make any sort of withdrawl she promised she would counsel the employees and explained to me when the check clears the hold would be lifted from my account. She said the employees would continue to "try to verify funds" so the hold could be lifted and would follow up with me on Friday (Thursday was Thanksgiving). Friday afternoon at 4:06pm Nick Banks called and told me he was following up as his boss Brandy Smith had instructed and told me he and his employees have tried every number they have for Wachovia and could not "verify funds". When I asked how will they know if the check clears he said they wouldn't- they would just have to wait for the 11 days to see if Wachovia sends a notice the check will not clear so therefore they will not be able to release the hold. When I t0ld him that was ridiculous he told me I was welcome to try any of the numbers he had to try to see if I could do any better! When I hung up the phone I sat down at my computer and punched in Wachovia and got their home page which had their customer service number on it. I called their 800 number and spoke with a Michael who gave me the business accounts toll free number. I immediately called that number and since I was smart enough to have made a copy of the check before taking it to Woodforest I was able to give Rich the account number and the check number and he was able to "verify" the check actually cleared 11/25/2008 -24 HOURS AFTER I DEPOSITED IT IN WOODFOREST BANK! So I called Nick Banks back to tell him the information I was able to get in about 5 minutes and told him the telephone numbers etc to call so he could do his "verification". I gave him about 10 minutes and called back. He said he had talked to Michael at Wachovia and found out YES INDEED the check cleared Wachovia on Tuesday 11/25/2008 and he was going to put a call in to Brandy Smith to see about having the hold lifted from my account and assured me either he or Brandy would call me back. I actually had Brandy's number and left a message on her voicemail stating how quickly I could find out the check had cleared and it took her inept employees four days! Needless to say I still haven't heard back from either Nick Banks or Brandy Smith regarding the lifting of the hold from my account. Talk about poor customer service! Woodforest has $11, 000.00 of my money and refuses me access to it! If you hold people hostage you go to jail - shouldn't this be a crime as well?

Nope. It shouldn't. Any sane bank would put an 11, 000 dollar check on hold. Can I ask what your average collected balance is? Probably way less than 11k. It's just the way it goes. IF you wanted it cashed quicker you should have gone to wichovia. It's a very large check. Any bank would have put it on hold. That's how the business runs. All banking. Not just Woodforest.

A bank charging their customer to use their own ATM, is a bad sign!
for worst things to come.
A bank that charges you a fee to help you correct problems that are there fault, is definately a bad sign.
A bank that takes money from you by any means under-handed, is opportunistic!

Don't like them!, take the rest of your money out
& run like hell!