I've had a bank account in one form or another since the age of five. That's since 1952 when my parents opened up a savings account for me. In the years since then, I've had banking relationships as simple as a single checking account, and as complicated as private banking with the First National Bank of Boston. There have been an occasion or two when I've made an error, and overdrawn my account.
Very sadly, I did just that with my account locally here at Wachovia Bank this last week. I wrote a check to the IRS for $28.31. and forgot about it. On the day it was posted for payment, I used my debit Visa card to pay a number of recurring monthly bills. That check to the IRS resulted in a overdraft charge of $35.00 because I was overdrawn (by less than $10.00). No problem, it was my error.
However, what happened next has me "seeing red". I had a "healthy" balance immediately after this returned check, with a wire transfer or two coming in so I continued to use the debit card. Deposits were being credited. However, each subsequent use of the debit card resulted in additional overdrafts. Wachovia says it was because of "holds". I show a positive balance. They say "no, there is a big negative balance". What has begun as a simple single overdraft has snowballed into a nightmare, with no rational explanation from Wachovia. Well, "No mas, Wachovia, I'm taking my business elsewhere".
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