Being charged a $2 bank fee for just calling Wells Fargo only pushes me to endorse an online company like EverBank more. For yet another time, I was caught by surprised with “hidden fees”.
Some of you may remember the monthly bank fees my original business checking account incurred a while back. At the time, the banker definitely helped by waiving about $25 worth of charges. All was good. In fact, I found a different type of account which requires no monthly fees a few weeks later, so I called my banker up to switch me over. (It’s strange that I wasn’t put in that type of account to begin with, but that’s another story for a later time…) I thought I did well on the call, but apparently I had to pay for the privilege of talking to him!
Geez.
I can only scratch my head on this one, because the only advantage of traditional banks vs online banks are the actual relationships that you can build with the bankers of the brick and mortar type institutions. If they are going to charge you for it, what’s the point? Worst of all, I actually called the number listed on my banker’s business card. Perhaps they should write on the back of the card, “Solid Financials, Because We Charge By the Minute”.
At this point, there isn’t much I can do. I can either:
- Just ignore the charge and categorize it as “lesson learned”
- Drive over there (since calling wouldn’t work) and try to get it waived, but that probably will cost me more than $2
I understand that banks are in trouble and need as much capital as they can get, but at a time when other banks like Chase are offering $100 for me to switch my checking account, it’s really tempting to just say good bye to the bank that I started with.
Wells Fargo. Please give all your customers a break. We actually deserve “no hidden bank fees”.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Well I guess it is cheaper than the Wells Fargo $4 teller fee. What’s next, $1 walk through the door fee? Probably.
Steve
@GetOutOfDebtGuy
Maybe they are installing those ticket booths at the doors as we speak! Hopefully they take credit cards because I usually don’t have cash when I go to the bank!
I switched from Wells Fargo to WaMu (now Chase) for all my accounts — total well into 5 figures — because I was tired of Wells’s fees. I’m happy with Chase and would recommend them! Plus, their savings account interest is 6x higher than Wells’s.
It’s worth it to make the switch!
-Erica
I stick with smaller, regional banks. You can still reason with them somewhat.
‘Hidden charges’ are really a head-ache for customers. Banks should clearly show their hidden charges on its website.
I’ve been this situation several times, and you know what? It feels like I’d been robbed, as the bankers didn’t really state out the hidden charges in black and white!
I am not surprised by this post at all– the next fee will be a “deposit fee” the fee they will charge to take your deposit!