Recently active topics in Washington Mutual tagged with banking

I am going through a divorce and part of the temporary settlement was for my husband to give me 3000 to assist me in moving to a new home. I deposited 1500 in cash and a 30 check in the ATM because the branch was closed.

I was moving in the next morning, so I wrote two checks to the apartment complex for my security deposit and first month's rent. I also wrote a check to my cable company for installation. Over the past week and a half, I've had to write a few more checks for household goods, a doctor's visit and groceries.

I was informed that My two checks to my apartment complex were returned as NSF because Washington Mutual put all of my funds on hold. My direct Deposit went in last friday, and all but 100 of that was put on hold as well. I had two small checks that would be covered by the available balance that I checked before I wrote them.

Updated On: Monday, May 12, 2008

One of the ridiculous messages I got:

NSF Transaction Amount Action Fee Date
Check 0009 283.56 Returned 0.00 50808
Check 0010 30.64 Returned 0.00 50808

As of the time this notice was generated (which may be later than the time the transactions were presented), the available balance in your account was 533.33.

Even better:

Thanks for contacting WaMu. I'd be happy to assist you and apologize for
the delay in responding to your request.

I apologize for the inconvenience. Our records indicate there were four
checks returned. You did not receive any fee for each of these checks.
There was a check returned on May 6, 2008; one on May 7, 2008; and two
on May 8, 2008.

As you requested, the records for your account have been reviewed.
Unfortunately, the following items were returned unpaid:

- Check 6 in the amount of 750
- Check 7 in the amount of 931
- Check 9 in the amount of 283.56
- Check 10 in the amount of 30.64

The ledger balance in your account on May 6, 2008, was 1,417.21.
However, part of your deposit in the amount of 1,530 that posted on May
5, 2008 is due to expire as the date of May 12, 2008. The funds will be
available on May 13, 2008.

The original cash deposit was made on MAY 3rd. Another deposit was made on MAY 6th. A payroll direct deposit was made on MAY 9th. There were more than enough funds to cover all of these transactions.

I was informed that WaMu posts all debits prior to posting any credits. So if my payroll deposit goes in at midnight, any and all debits will be posted prior to the direct deposit. I have seen my direct deposit not get posted until 4PM.

Avoid this company at all costs.

I opened a savings account with them 2 yrs ago, put a bunch of money in there, and then used that money over a couple months to pay off bills, buy things, etc. The account dwindled to about $40. That $40 sat there for over a year and a half, doing nothing but earning the measly interest they pay. Recently, I was getting ready to go out of town on a 4 day weekend, and decided to balance my checking acct before I left. To my dismay, my balance was scary low, so I had the bright idea of transfering that $40 over to my checking just to give me a titch more padding. I open up my savings account online, only to see that it is now in the negative. What?! I look closer. Since May, they've been charging me a service fee of $10 a month for not maintaining a minimum balance. There was no warning, no email, no letter explaining that this was going to start happening.

I just got a letter from them stating that my account is now in the negative and that they will report me to credit agencies if I don't make a deposit soon.

Unbelievable.

Overall, I have been very happy with WaMu in the two years I have been using their banking services. One thing that I have never gotten over and still disappoints me to this day, however, is the fee they charge me to use another bank's ATM. It doesn't cost you anything for me to withdraw money from another ATM. That's not "free ATM use". If not for this, I would recommend your services to other people.