Fifth Third Bank / 53.com
reviews and complaints

We refinanced our house with 5/3 Bank a couple of weeks ago. At the close there was a document to authorize automatic withdrawl from our checking account for the monthly mortgage payment. Since our 5/3 checking account is only used for our line of credit that we have with them we declined to have our mortgage payments automatically withdrawn from our checking account. That seemed fine and the close went through.
A couple of days ago we received a form from 5/3's post close department asking us to sign the authorization to make automatic withdrawls from our 5/3 checking account for the mortgage payments. I called that department and they; as did the lawyer, said it was no problem not to authorize the withdrawls.
Yesterday I received a very curt email from our loan originator saying our rate was based on having automatic withdrawls for the payment and if we did not authorize it we would have to pay close to $800 in penalty. Keep in mind that we did not get the loan for free. We paid $3.7K in settlement charges, $2.2K of which was to 5/3 for the loan. Now they say we got a special rate bound to the automatic payment withdrawls.

I have not even had my checking account open for a year and they found a way to screw me over. I opened up an account with 5/3 to take up their promotion of receiving $100 if you open up a checking account with them, big mistake. The promotion had some stipulations that you had to keep the account active for a certain amount of months to receive the promotional benefit. I made the appropriate transactions and nothing. So I had to call customer service just to get the promotion they had and they acted like they didn't even know it existed. So they took care of it and that was fine after a long drawn out conversation and I thought everything would be fine, but I was wrong. I have another bank I primarily use and because I didn't use my checking account with 5/3 over a period of 3 months I was charged the $7 maintenance fee that put my account into overdraft so I was charged an additional $30. Since it was the maintenance fee that put my account in overdraft, no notice was sent so I had no idea at all. I didn't have but only enough to keep the account open so when I got charged the maintenance fee and overdraft 5/3 CLOSED my account AND sent it to collections WITHOUT any notification! I also have a savings account with them that has enough to cover the maintenance fee if 5/3 cared enough to take care of their people. They told me that they have features through text or online for me to keep up with my account, but why would I need to if I don't primarily use it? It's not like I over drafted my account through my own doing. I had no clue about the maintenance fee. I am appalled and highly recommend not banking with 5/3 at all.

Fifth Third Bank needs to be pressured with Imminent (BK) Threats or Mediation Law and Procedures.
They are basically a giant collection agency. They purchase the distressed mortgage at Extreme Discounts from various key players in the sub-prime arena. They collect aggressively on this paper. They do not play by the rules and need to be pressed hard.

We have completed successful loan restructuring cases with Fifth Third Bank. They are all long run and brutal battles.

Feel free to visit our website for further details on avoiding a Pending Sale Date.
www.freshstart-mortgagesolutions.com or www.freshstart-legalnetwork.com
You may also call 1.877.297.7011

Good Luck Homeowners.

I had called about my account from the total loss department and spoke with a woman named Kelly. My insurance company sent a check to fifth third and it has been not processed yet. During this period a monthly payment on my old car was due at the beginning of the month. I was told I had a grace period of 10 days and not owing any money on the account. Kelly told me that money has been accruing on my account that I will need to pay. I told her that I should not have to pay any late fees because a check was sent from my insurance company. I asked to speak to a manager and Kelly said no. I continued to ask for a manager and she refused to transfer me and hung up on me. I have never been treated with such disrespect and if I want to speak to a manger I should be able to! Kelly deserves to be treated how she treated me.

I purchased a used car in November, 2011 and the car dealer neglected to enclose my loan documents in the packet I received. I've called 5/3 Bank five times since November and still have not received a copy of my documents! I've even talked to managers who said they would get the documents faxed to them and then personally mail them to me. Apparently, the manager never got the documents either. I am so fed up with this bank that I borrowed the money from someone else and paid off the loan today after two months. And then I got hit with a $195.00 early pay-off fee which the car dealer loan officer conveniently forgot to mention! My advice - get a loan from a credit union instead! And don't buy a car from Kerry Ford either!

I'm in the final year of a 5 year finance agreement with Fifth Third Bank. They financed my car. My husband just called to get a payoff amount and they told him that we owe exactly DOUBLE our actual balance. Nobody can provide a payment history or explain how this is possible. When I calm down I will have to seek a resolution. Any ideals on where to start?

I'm writing today about a bank that needs to be stopped, that bank is Fifth Third Bank of Ohio. On November 4th 2011 I purchased a 2006 Chrysler Pacifica financed with Fifth Third Bank. I thought everything was fine until I started getting the Denial Letters from banks that denied us, one of them was from Fifth Third Bank stating our credit rating was unacceptable. I contacted Humes Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Waterford PA where I bought the car and read the letter and they stated that everything was fine that the car was paid for that morning. On November 16 2011 I recieved a call from Santander Consumer USA congradulating me on the purchase of a 2006 Chrysler Pacifica. I had no idea what was going on, I've done business with Santander before and never had a problem but I was told the car was financed by Fifth Third Bank, I signed Fifth Third Bank contracts. As it turns out Fifth Third Bank sold my car to Santander Consumer USA right away, Fifth Third made no attempts to contact me to let me know. If Santander didn't call me I would have no idea about the purchase of the loan. To make matters worse Fifth Third bank even though they sold the car to Santander they kept themselves as beneficiaries on our insurance if the car was totaled. I'm not the only victim of Fifth Third Bank, check out reports online, many people have problems with them in regards to loans and there handling of car insurance. Fifth Third needs to be stopped, they never gave me a chance to show them I can pay my bills and I'm sure if I sent them a payment without knowing about the buyout Fifth Third would have kept the money. Thanks for your time.

Do not use 5/3 bank for any reason. I acquired a 5/3 bank account in columbus, ohio and have had problems with it for 5 years. If you like giving your money away, then 5/3 is right for you. I have had countless fees assesed to my account over the years, and each one is unwarrented. If you value your money, you will not get an account with 5/3.

Avoid Fifth Third Bank! Run as far away as you can from this terrible disgraceful Bank and its nasty employees. Took out a 5 year Auto Loan with them, have just 5 payments left til my 5 years of Terror with this horrible Bank ends. When the economy fell apart 3 years ago, I struggled with payments, running 5-25 days late. They terrorize you dailey on the phone, at home, place of employement and cell. When my payment reaches 10 days late, they then begin to call my neighbors every hour on the hour, starting at 8 am- 9 pm. They ask my neighbors if they know me or anything about me. They are just shameful and heartless. Close acccounts with this horrible Bank and tell your friends to do the same.

My husband accidentally used the wrong debit card to make a purchase, which caused our business account to be overdrawn by about $50. He only uses this account for small purchases normally ($1-$10 purchases like coffee and food) so we don't check the balance regularly and only keep $250 or so in it at any time. The account was only overdrawn by $50, but the $15 that was charged after the initial overdraft wound up costing us $185. $37 for EACH transaction (even though some were only about $1). We went to the bank, where the manager said there was nothing she could do about the fees, but that she would set it up so the debit card would not work if there were insufficient funds. She clicked around on her computer for about 30 minutes and finally said it was all set up and we wouldn't have any problems. Last week, a deposit that was supposed to go through was held up by a couple of days, and my husband continued to use the card, thinking it would stop working if there were insufficient funds. Not so. Apparently, the manager was wrong and you cannot 'freeze' a business debit card (so, what was she doing for 30 minutes was my first question, and my second question was what kind of bank manager doesn't know her own banks products and policies)? Of course, she failed to admit any wrongdoing and refused to refund the additional $111 in fees we incurred for 3 transactions that totalled less than $10. This bank and their employees are ridiculous and are making money by robbing their customers through unfair fees in my opinion. I have cancelled this account and will be moving all of my other accounts (that have substantially more than $250 in them) elsewhere.

I was told by 5/3 bank on October 2009 that I have up to 6 months to pay the Lock fee for $65.00 without any fees or penalties. I have paid the $65.00 on December, 2009 - 2 months from October. And now 5/3 bank are charging me another $65.00 stating that I was late in paying the $65.00 + they are charging me other late fees and their collection department are calling me at work and harassing me. Also was told by their customer service staff: Geoge, Janiva, Valzwell and wanda that my fees that I sent were not being allocated to the fees but to the interest.

My partner and I share a joint account to pay common household bills. We can both access it from our individual sign-on passwords and our individual accounts.
We found out this week if either of us make payments from the account it does not show in real time or now even 24 hours later what the other person has done. So in essence one of us could overdraw the account and the other not know it was overdrawn when going to pay bills out. The activity I do isn't showing on his sign in pages and the activity he has done isn't showing on mine. Formerly, before 5/3 implemented their new payment service it did. Now, it is essential that I confer with my partner before I use the account and he must confer with me. Once again the bank has figured out a way to potentially overdraft our accounts and cause fees. How Capitalistic of them! When will clients say, "Enough" and either demand this be repaired or change banks, although I doubt if that would help me in any way as I think they are all in it together.

Fifth third bank have been stealing my money. Every time I would mave a deposit they would withdraw the amount and take it to pay off an account that was settled years ago. I even have the settlement agreement and the “paid in full” statement.

But they are acting low and playing this game. I hired a lawyer and paying for his fees now to just let them know that I have settled my dues with the bank a long time ago.

I have been a customer of 5/3 bank since 2000 and always paid my payments, had loans with them, credit cards, etc. And now they have been doing this to me since 2010. If they are in trouble and trying to get themselves out of some big blunder some *** CEO did, then don’t let us (the common people) pay the price for their costly mistakes.

Maybe cut down on all those silly expenses that you spend left nd right, a nd pay more attention to agreements you have made with your customers, and HONOR them.

Fifth Third just implemented a revised automated bill pay system. When I called the customer service I was on hold for about 15 minutes. The answering rep asked about my complaint and when she found out it was about the new system asked me to hold a minute. Another 15 minutes went by. The customer service person recognized that the system was not intuitive if you received a new credit card with a new number, that change could not be made to the data record without changing the billing information (which you do not get with the card, only with the statement). When I asked to speak with a supervisor about the wait times, I was put on hold and then cut off. I have been a Fifth Third Customer for 20+ years. This is unacceptable. Having run a call center (as a part of a large corporation's IT department), I know how difficult it can be. I also know that there needs to be an escalation process that does not cut customers off.

My company is required by the US government to establish an account that will contain unused funds for the fiscal year (Taxpayers Money). A saving was open approximately 10 years ago. When this account was open it was explained to the bank that this account would be low activity and no fees could be withdrawn from it. About a year ago we stopped receiving monthly statements. When inquired as to why, it was explained low activity! Be able to live with this new surprised protocol we continued business always. July the 27 2011 we received a letter from Fifth Third Bank that they were going to give our funds to our state as unclaimed money citing escheatment laws. We were given an option to make a deposit or withdrawal to activate the account. We chose to withdraw all the funds and closed the account. Thus we were charged a $50.00 closure fee. In my opinion this criminal. We shall be filing a formal complaint with our state AG, "stay tuned".

Banking with 5/3 is one of the worst decisions I've ever made. If you're wise, you will do EVERYTHING you can to get away from this bank, as they WILL take money from you that they don't deserve. If you have complaints against 5/3, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT and submit it to the Federal Reserve.
https://www.federalreserveconsumerhelp.gov

They will investigate your issue if you have not had a matter solved and believe 5/3 is in the wrong, and will contact 5/3 on your behalf (and will involve attorneys if necessary).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epkw-OLxKYw&feature=channel_video_title
This video explains everything. You may need to pause a few parts to read the story. Basically, I animated a phone call I recorded when calling back Fifth Third Bank after getting harassing phone calls for almost a month. I called them three times and told them to remove me from their call list and they said they couldn't and wouldn't. The story is basically ridiculous. I urge you to watch the video if you have time. Their customer service is horrible. I have filed complaints here, with the BBB of Cincinnati, Consumer Affairs, The Federal Reserve, and the FTC Do Not Call Registry (many many times, every phone call they make). Ever since I told them to stop calling me and I would be closing my account due to their harassment, their call volume has increased. They call many times daily and it's sickening me.

The only bank I've been to that charges to cash personal checks. I've been to one bank that charges to cash business checks. I think it's all a big ripoff . If I pay my utility bill or phone bill with a check, does the utility company or phone company have to pay that fee? Somehow, I doubt it. This should be illegal. It defeats the purpose of paying by check. I suppose I could charge my customers a fee for paying by check. And alienate them.