Not sure if I should post here, or r/legaladvice. Am small business owner who travels a lot. Three weeks ago, I tried to log on to my bank to check balances, pay credit card. Log in didn't work, tried again. Thought I'd forgotten the password. Tried to access account at ATM with bank card, access denied. Received notice via email that a check from my biggest client had been late, then received notice via mail my checking account had been over drafted ($14) and then closed. Thing is, I have a credit card with the bank with a balance of $1200. Couldn't access the account and see it online. Called in to the main number and was told they couldn't process payment from another bank by phone.
Fast forward three weeks, am back in town, call in again for advice on how to access/check balance/pay. Am told balance is now $1600. I ask about the $400 increase, and am told all the service agent can see is that the total amount due is "old charges." He advises I go into my local branch Monday morning - no shit, thanks a lot.
Is it legal in the US for a bank to block access to an open account, not accept payment via phone, and then increase account amount and blame it on old charges? I can't find anything online.
This is not the first issue I've had and to be honest I'm glad to be done with the bank. Last year there was another issue with payment on the card where payment was posted somehow to my parents' credit account (our accounts are not linked) and then a summons was sent to me for failure to pay.
Any advice would be very much appreciated. Not interested in paying $400 in fines for not having access to my own account.
Submitted September 16, 2017 at 10:34AM by probably_jelly http://ift.tt/2jz0Yq4
