Not-So-Free Checking Account (wamu)

[tags]account, bank, bank account, bank checking account, Chase Credit Card, Checking Account, checking bank account, citi, fee, helpdesk, interest, monthly interest, savings account, service, statement, wamu,online bank account,online cd,Online Credit Card,online credit card processing,online money,market,online payment processing,online saving,online shopping [/tags]

I signed up to Washington mutual after a friend of mine suggested I give the online regestration a try. I was really impressed with how easy it was to set up my account. My friend did not have a current back account for some reason or another so he had to go to a wamu in person and do his first deposit in person. I on the other hand have an account at another bank and it was a snap to use routing numbers blah blah yadda, and transfer funds to the wamu account. If I would have used a credit card, the least I could have transfered would have been $50. Since this is something I am “trying out” I do not want to flop around fifty freakin bucks. Ya know? really that is no issue at all, I completely (almost) understand .

So I go to my local Washington mutual and swing by to set up my atm card and deposit a little bit of money into my checking account, I did have a couple bills to pay and they where kinda on my way so I was going to just make a few rounds and get some stuff done. I handed the little blinky eyed dude my check and he suddenly bloated up on my and before I could say how much I wanted deposited and how much cash I needed he informed me they would be hanging on to my check for a week to verify that it is a legit check. I tell him and assure him that it is not a personal and point the difference… lol that ticked him off. :P

Well after a little bit of huffing we decided it would be in my best interest if I just went to my current bank and cash my check there and come back to wamu deposit what ever I want to, in cash. Ok he decided he was not going to help me and I suggested that I come back with cash for his ghetto bank.

What ever.

So that is what I did. I put a little in the free online checking and a little in the free online savings.

Now we all have seen teh commercials with a skinny dude and the butt load of snotty bankers who want to charge atm fees and check fees and all of that, right ?

Well now the story gets really good. I decide to go a month or so and not touch that account I was already ticked off pretty good. Before I leave work one I look into my account information at an atm… Just a balance inquiry, not a withdrawal. Should be no fees if there are NO atm fees. . hmmm $2 less than what I put into my account, why is this like this on my statement ?

I go home and check my balance and low and behold, Tadda, washington mutual charged me for a balance inquiry. How do I know this? well I use that same atm who is through citibank, and not through my other bank, well I have used that atm for years on my other bank never a fee for just a balance inquiry, hell one of my friends from work uses wells Fargo and is never charged a fee. So I call Washington utual and see what the deal was, I call my wamu . The guy on the other end informs me he is not capable of helping me and that I need to call the help desk for the online. ok I call the 1800 or 188 number. after going through this endless circle of pressing one for english and two to speak to a human and getting forced into a f.a.q. section repeatedly I finally talk to a human, the lady on the other end tells me that it was the atm carrier that charged the fee.. nfw! I explain to her that I do and did my research before I do and did anything.. Ever. and she responds with ” you must be wrong” So I ask her for email address so I can send her a copy of my bank statement from the other bank. She told me that would not be necessary and I asked her “with that kind of response you do not care how right or wrong you might be, you are just certain that you are correct because you are saying what you are supposed to”. lol, she flipped out. I asked her if she was supposed to go ” all robot with pride” on me lol and she responded with “you’re an idiot’ and hung up on me. Ok maybe that was overboard of me but I was frustrated with thier whole set up.

I call my buddy back and begin to tell him about the way I got charge an inquiry fee, I got all the way up to “hey man I went to check my balance” and he jumped all over the conversation with “I know man I checked mine and got charged 14.95 to look at my balance”

Now why in the blue hell did they charge him $14.95 and me $2 ? well what ever.

Yes the fee carried over and is still there , yes it has been longer than a month and no they did not refund it after the statement and balance was complete. No there where no strange circumstances that would leave them a reason to penalize me or my friend for any activity. If I was suposed to do a chicken dance or bite the head off a bat or something I was not informed of this . I just know that the commercials are false and missleading.

Watch yourself on the fees.

The savings account is rocking though, I like the way you can just chunk your change in there and all is good in the world. that part is smooth and pretty. so if you get an account there , go for , may as well sign up for the savings, the interest is better than most bank’s c.d. accounts and does not penalize you for changing by withdrawal or deposits.

I have no idea how well they are with building business credit, business bank account, business checking account, business credit card , business money market. So good luck with that.

it’s kinda cool.

GLHF!

I did just talk to a representitive and she explaine dthat it is free checking with no atm fees….. for using atm at a wamu bank..

doesn’t every bank do that for you?