paydlcs.com withdrew monies from my account without my consent.

I believe Bank of America is manipulating "available balance" on deposit accounts as an unethical business practice to generate and collect fees. I had a direct deposit post on my account as a "pending" transaction on 3/28/2008, and also reflected the deposit amount in my "available balance" via their online banking. Thinking these funds were available, my wife and I made numerous purchases over the weekend. It was to our surprise to see that Bank of America charged a $175 in NSF fees stating we had overdrawn our account. Given the deposit was $2, 000+ greater than the transactions in question, the root of this issue is the status of "available balance". Per the information on their own web site, "available balance" can be a combination of both posted and pending transactions. As I found myself engaged in an email exchange with customer service trying to explain my concern, they pretty much ignored my position. They stated that the direct deposit didn't post until 3/31; hence, that's what caused the overdrafts. However, the direct deposit was reflected in the available balance on 3/28 as a pending transaction. It seems they took this opportunity to generate fees by manipulating the available balance, and then claiming the deposit didn't post until 3/31. I of course can't prove what happened because the pending transaction has now posted; hence, we find ourselves in a he said/she said scenario. They over course take no responsibility or consider the possibility of what I said. In other words, they say I'm lying. My point is that if the "available balance" didn't reflect the direct deposit on 3/28, my wife and I would have made our purchases on a different card to cover the purchases. Bank of America misleads us by manipulating the "available balance" between 3/28 and 3/31. My advice to anyone banking at Bank of America, "BE CAREFUL". You are nothing but a number with a bull’s eye on your back for a fee. It's no longer about the $175 in fees they charge, but a matter of principle in how they handle a customer complaint. Very non-human. My advice is to bank at a smaller community bank or credit union where they do treat you with respect and like a human. I'm in the process of re-financing my home and currently engaged with Churchill Mortgage. I thought I'd compare rates with Bank of America given I'm a long-time loyal customer, but the $175 fee negotiated them out of consideration. Terrible customer service and perspective. Has anyone else had this issue with Bank of America? I'm considering legal action to expose the unethical practice of manipulating "available balance".

Last year, after remodeling our home, we were appraised by BofA and they approved a home equity line of credit based on the valuation of our home. Two days ago, we received a letter stating that our line of credit was canceled. The bank has randomly devalued our home by 67% based on a 'desktop model."

Iowa never has had a housing bubble and is very secure for debt, our family is financially responsible with excellent credit, no late payments and a great debt/ income ratio. Arbitrary devaluations to protect Bank of America from their own bad banking decisions should never be allowed! Think what this will do to the economy!

We are closing every account and credit card we have with them, along with moving our home loan!

Bank of America has just put a hold on my home equity line of credit account without notifying me. My credit score remains a solid 700-plus with no recent changes. My payment history is absolutely perfect. I have never had a late or missed payment on anything my entire life. I have been doing business with BofA since 1993. They have my first mortgage, my home equity line, 2 personnel checking accounts, my corporate checking, corporate savings, and a corporate SBA express line of credit. They say they canceled my home equity line simply because the recession and mortgage crisis have lowered my property value and the loan to value is now to high. I asked why they didn't notify me and they said that a letter was just put in the mail yesterday. Yesterday doesn't cut it! Why not just pick up the phone? It just so happened that I was in the bank trying make a transfer from equity to cover a business improvement that I already made, and I thought I was using money that I could count on. It also happened to be payday for my employees and the business account was not OK. Not a nice feeling when the teller says your account is frozen in front of other tellers and customers. I also had to race to stop my contractor from continuing a structural change on my home add-on that we were financing through this line.I lost a half of a day during business hours trying to shake down accounts receivables and basically embarrassing myself in front of my customers. I had to tell them that they were not late but I needed the money. All the while my business was running at half rate with the boss gone. The amount of financial stress I went through was indescribable. I have plenty of financial resources but everything takes planning. I should not have been put on the spot like that. The last point I need to make is that my home value has not dropped as much as they think. They never gave me a chance to re-appraise. Since the last time they appraised me I have completely landscaped, redwood fenced, planted 5 large trees and 20 shrubs, installed auto sprinklers, completely remodeled the mother in-law suite (top of the line), and added on a cathedral ceiling/ glassed in patio room. My home value has not dropped nearly as much as they think. They just never asked.

A new policy. A manipulation of your funds.

Bank of America, apparently developed a new policy that will basically steal your money whenever they are short of funds. Complete bogus. Ive had other banking institutions and have friends who are Managers of banks, and have never heard of charging you overdrafts on funds that are pending, only when it is posted.

Heres what was explained to me and my situation.

They are still able to charge you overdraft charges when you swipe your card and you were short of xx amount, before anything was posted.

As to my understanding, when making a deposit $100.00 is available to you right away, even if it was going to take the next day to post. What was I suppose to understand, this was the system that I was used to. Never had an issue with it till now.

March 7th - -

I made a deposit through the ATM at 6:30pm. Yes, I missed the cut off time; but at least I knew I had $100 available to me through my debit card. I believe that those funds are available because it did show on my online banking that I had xx amount plus the $100.00 that was available to me through my deposit. I understand that my deposit wont post till the following Monday night.

Around 9:30pm I checked to see if my funds are available; and my online postings says that I had available funds. I made a purchase through paypal. Small funds, but a fund non the less.

At 10:30pm I went to buy food which costs $4.00 at Mcdonalds.

At 11:45pm I made a transaction for a drink for $13.00.

March 10th - - MEGA OVERCHARGE

Although those 3 charges above are at pending status; at the time of purchase I had the money available. Even on my online postings; there were no such negatives that had ever posted, but in the middle of the charges I was charged $35.00 for 3 transactions.

Theyve explained that the $100/ was only available for cash and not debit card transactions. Because when I had made the transactions, the funds were still pending. However, the charges that I made initially shows that it was in pendingstatus and not a posted status. I was being charge for the pending amounts; yet they were available to hold MY FUNDS AND DEPOSIT during pending, BUT COULD STILL CHARGE OVERDRAFTS FOR THEIR PENDING TRANSACTIONS.

So if you go to a restaurant an you were charged $34 on your debit card, and it was pending for $40.00 that have caused you for overdraft, even though that is not the actual amount that you authorized, you were overdrawn by 3 dollars for the pending; you WILL STILL BE CHARGED.. even if you did your calculations correct. SORRY NEW POLICY'¦ but when it posted, you were actually not overdraft. Oops, banks mistake but you'll be charged anyway because during the "pending" not posting amount was overdrawn. YOU WILL STILL BE CHARGED BECAUSE OF THE PENDING was over the amount.

Usually, in all banking institutions; you are not being charged until the amount is posted to your account without the available funds. However, this was not the case. Pending amounts are at times different when it is being posted. For instances, when buying gas, or at a restaurant; it will always shows as pending because the correct amount will post when they do their nightly postings. Reason for it being under pending.

However during the March 10th postings:

They posted my deposit, and then POSTED my transaction on the same day. Even if my posted deposit went through BEFORE the posted charges; therefore I had my funds there before any of my charges were being posted. Apparently the new policy is that they calculate the time that you made the transactions and then charge you.

For instance. We are use to seeing everything the next morning all together added the deposits and the charges. Now this is how they calculated.

Charges made at 5:24pm.. and you are negative of $3.00'¦ You made a deposit at 5:54pm of $600.00. THAT IS NORMALLY OK, BECAUSE EVERYTHING GETS PROCESSED AT THE SAME TIME, AND USUALLY YOUR DEPOSIT IS THE FIRST TO BE CREDITED. THIS IS NOT THE CASE HOWEVER.

Usually on normal circumstances and normal bankings; all of those we would see it as follows:

Current amount $1.25

Deposit credit: $ 600.00 = total: $601.25

Credit debit amount: $3.00 = total: $ 598.25

Above is normally what I see every night.

Now the new system.. you'll see the above on the same statement plus an overdraft charge of $35.. because you made a transaction 20 mins prior to your deposit.

How ridiculous is that???

Also my situation. Why even bother to let me see my $100.00 credit; when that isn't the case.. when in my 5 years of banking with them.. I had $100.00 available immediately AFTER WHATEVER TIME I MADE THE DEPOSIT. Why are they charging me for money I had in my account?

Does this makes sense to anyone?

Now I would understand that when it was actually posted to the account and my account was in negative status, I would understand my overdraft charges. But because I was actually NEVER overdrawn; how are you going to charge me the XX amounts?

A lot of people are going to close their accounts with them.. and probably open up with their competitors. I am one of them. I would rather invest on something that has the same system as all other bankings. Good going bank of America!