With as badly as ING Direct handled the NetBank customers, and with as huge the number of NetBank customers is I am surprised that so far I haven't been able to find a class action lawsuit against them.
What laws did they break? Well besides the THREE LAWS OF ROBOTICS (see prev. post) where they, through inaction, let a human being come to harm, they also purchased a million checking accounts and converted them to NON checking accounts. Who APPROVED that deal? I mean come on. The FDIC could have just written checks for the account balances of the NetBank customers which would have given a lot of us a heads up that "Hey it's time to go find another checking account..." which is a lot better than finding out little by little that they aren't providing the BASIC FEATURES required to use an Electric Orange account as one's sole account and then, just as you are about to reach the epiphany that you should start looking for some other financial provider, they pull the rug out from under you and say "Oh you have a bunch of bills that need to be paid, well better fill the CAR UP WITH GAS and start paying them IN CASH"...
And then they start laughing... that thin robotic laugh of theirs... how can we help you save today... how can we help you save today... how can we help you save today
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Stumbled upon you blog when I just searched the internet for "ING complaints." I just found out this past Friday that they decided to close my checking and savings account without any notice. Oh, they sent me something in the mail they said--but obviously I didn't receive it as I have my payroll and my bills linked to the ING account still.
ReplyDeleteThe reason they gave for closing my checking AND savings was dubious: my using the measly $25 overdraft a few times recently (which I hate to do--but it's always paid back in a few days when my payroll hits) paired with a few supposedly declined transfers into my ING savings back in 2005--this is why they closed it. I opened the checking account in 2007, so if the 2005 savings transactions were a bad thing, why let me have the checking account? Also, I'm not sure what these supposed declined savings deposits were as I've only deposited into my savings when I had extra money lying around. I never transfered to the savings without available funds. I asked their employee for more info and proof of the declined savings transactions and she couldn't provide me with any further details. My credit has actually been improving since I've had the account, but now I'm afraid that their unfairly deciding to close this account is going to be a black eye on my credit report.
In addition to not being able to access my paycheck until at least next Wednesday (which I need for gas, food, and just basically LIVING)--I also have credit cards scheduled to be debited from that ING account, so I'm looking at being hit with about $100+ in non-sufficient funds fees since I had no notice about this and no other funds that I can use to pay them in time.
It should be illegal for them to close accounts and hold customers' money without any proper notice (14 days, 30 days, etc.). They have my phone, email and mailing address, but did not make any effort to contact me about this important change. Hundreds if not thousands have seemed to have the same problem recently, so I'm very surprised that I couldn't find an active lawsuit against them yet. It's a nightmare and in this current economic mess having banks hold people's paychecks for dubious reasons should be illegal.
Feel free to email me at abracadancer@yahoo.com if you are interested in collecting stories of ING nightmares.
Just before the final closeout, I closed out my CD's and transfered the money to FNBO direct. I opened a checking account with a local bank and transfered the rest of the checking account money there. Called ING to close the Netbank account with $0 balance. I wouldn't let ING touch my money with a ten foot pole.
ReplyDeleteING Direct is one of the worst companies I have ever had deal with. I received a call today that our account is being closed due to "security reasons". They said that calls to customer service were suspect and that they use a voice tracking measure to determine if the call is from the account holder. This is a more valid approach than all the security questions I answered correctly?
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, this is an upsetting bit of information to receive on a Friday afternoon. Not having access to our money until it is transfered back to our "feeder account" until Tuesday.
I have heard (via searches today) that ING unilaterally closes accounts when they are no longer profitable (too many customer service calls, low balances, etc...). With the banking industry in its current condition, ING's policies and poor customer service seems counterintuitive.
I was also told that I could never open an account there again (not that I intended to return for more poor treatment), but I can't help but feel as though I am being treated like a criminal for doing nothing more than giving them business.
Perhaps there is some consolation in knowing that near-sighted behavior to save a few dollars at the expense of customers, ultimately results in a destruction of reputation.
That being said, I look forward to having MY money in a far more stable institution (next week).
Best of luck to you all.
Wow, if you actually paid attention to your money and checked your account on a regular basis like a normal saver then things like this wouldn't happen. ING DIRECT is a sound company that, if you read the terms and conditions to the account you opened, reserves the right to close your account at their discretion. Complain all you want and talk about a law suit but the bottom line is you agreed to these conditions. Don't hold someone else responsible for your mistakes.
ReplyDeleteBravely said, Anonymous.
ReplyDeletePeople work multiple jobs just to keep their head above water and then they go home to take care of kids or other responsibilities. The fine print on any contract uses language that not even an American born college graduate can understand. They don't want you to read it or to understand it. That is deliberate. The person that blamed the victims, sounds like a puppy straight out of school. No other responsibilities except to look at the fine print on the only legal document he/she has. In the real world, people are too overwhelmed and too busy. They are easy prey for these big corporations. Consumers need to stick together and fight back against them. ING Direct needs to have a class action law suit against them. They closed my account too. They are liers and theives. Don't bother defending them because we the victims do not want to here from you.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't like the service, go somewhere else. If your account was closed against your wishes, I don't think that warrants a class action lawsuit. Stop whining like you're being held hostage.
ReplyDeleteGutless Anonymous, who apparently didn't take the time to read the full situation where tens of thousands of accounts were forced from a checking to a non-checking account and then penalized for it in various ways should go suck a bag of dicks. Thank you Louis C.K.
ReplyDeleteING direct states you cant call on your loved ones account. Closed account and wouldn't pay bonus account openings for $50.00 a piece. ING direct is a big joke. Promises referral bonuses and other bonuses but you never get them. Tried to charge me $75.00 for sending my own money to another retirement account even though its not stated in any of their fees.
ReplyDelete