FirstMerit Bank Bank Account Or Service Complaint

FirstMerit Bank Bank account or service department,

Checking account Account opening, closing, or management Oklahoma

First Merit Bank and its employee - - - committed fraud by lying to me on more than one occasion. On - -, 2015, in response to the Bank 's advertisement for free checking, I inquired in person at its - -, Ohio branch. The ad stated " no minimum balance '' and " no monthly maintenance fee ''. I asked about transfer of money and was told by - that I could transfer the money anywhere without a fee. I and my husband, - -, spent considerable time asking questions, including " whether there were any hidden fees ''. - repeatedly stated that the account was totally free. He also told me that I would be given a $150.00 bonus if I set up direct deposit. Based on his extensive information and answers, I opened a checking account. The person who handled the opening, under the direction of -, is identified on the receipt as " - ''. I was given a receipt for the deposit, but NO schedule of fees, which I did not expect because - told me that there were no fees.


Shortly afterwards, when I tried to transfer money from this account, I learned that there would be a fee. I complained in person to -. He then told me that only transfers to another account at First Merit Bank are free ( which he knew I did not have ) and that transfers to other institutions required payment of fees. I, with my husband present during this discussion, requested that my account be closed because he, -, had given me wrong information at the time I opened the account. To cover his earlier lies, he said that there would be a fee if I closed the account within 90 days. I was never informed of this when I opened the account, being told that there were no fees whatsoever. He refused to give me the full balance in my account. So, based on his advice to " wait at least three months to get ALL of your money back '', I did not withdraw any money. -, never told me that by waiting I would be charged an inactivity fee. Again, - committed fraud by misleading me. Shortly afterwards because I could not transfer my money out to another institution without being charged a fee on the " free '' checking promised by -, I went through additional effort to change my direct deposit of salary from First Merit Bank back to my previous bank. I was never credited $150.00 for setting up direct deposit with First Merit Bank. Today, I went to the same branch to withdraw the balance of my money and close the not useful account. - failed to give me the full amount I had deposited, but kept $28.00 of my money. When I asked him why he had not given me the full amount of my deposit, he stated that there was an inactive account fee. I was never informed of this, either at the time of opening the account or when I complained about his lying about free transfers. When my husband complained to him about the lousy service and asked to have the branch manager informed, - with a mean look on his face and a shouted voice, threatened to " escort ( him ) outside '', saying that he, -, did not want any other customer to hear a complaint. First Merit Bank employee - repeatedly misled me and lied to me. He did not once indicate that there were any fees, but repeatedly stated that there were none. - should be fired for purposely deceiving a consumer and First Merit Bank should both be fined for its fraud upon the public and institute a mandatory retraining of all its employees regarding not lying to, but informing, potential and actual customers of fees. Furthermore, First Merit Bank should refund to me $28.00 plus interest and pay me $150.00 for setting up direct deposit based upon its fraud.