How does one by-pass the gatekeepers (the poor people who actually see and talk to customers but have learned double-talk and have no power to actually affect policy) to air complaints to policy makers at this or any big company? I suspect the answer is that one doesn't.

One of my latest problems with Bank of America is that despite being told by a person who handled my equity loan a couple of years ago that I was part of a "linked" system of accounts and would therefore receive benefits such as not have to pay fees for online checking. Many months later, I was scanning my online accounts history and noticed $25 being debited monthly. I called the customer service line to ask about the charge. The representative replied that it was a mistake - that she would remove the charge. I asked if she would be sure to also remove any such prior charges; she said that she would. At that point, I trusted the problem was taken care of.

In the last month, I again found a $25 charge. This time I e-mailed customer service and was told that in order to avoid the charge, I had to have $25,000 in my checking account. I went into the bank to talk to a live person. She pleasantly, explained to me that I was lucky to be "an advantage customer" (??what does that mean?) - then pulled up my account on her computer and said, "Here's the problem. The person who originally linked your accounts neglected to include your checking account in the linked accounts. I asked if she would be sure that all past charges were reimbursed.

"I can only do that for 3 months, but I can connect you to Customer Solutions (on the phone)."

I told her that I didn't want to talk to anyone else on the phone given my past experiences with "customer service" and asked for the name of someone at a level to be accountable for company policy. She went in to speak to her boss; he said he'd talk to me. After 1/2 hour of cooling my heels, I left.

During my time of waiting, another unhappy customer arrived. His complaint was about the double talk; apparently he hadn't chosen the right designation to be given optimum interest on an account. I don't know what the representative said, but he responded, "what do you mean by "relationship customer?!!" I've been coming to this bank for 20 years, and I don't have a relationship???... I DO have $30,000 in accounts!"

I think he should feel lucky he wasn't an "advantage customer" like me. The big banks are pulling scams like the credit card companies, I guess. Bank of America gives out lollipops and asks about your day, but if you don't know their language - don't know the right questions to ask, they are definitely not there to help people make the best money decisions.

People I work with suggested I find a smaller, more personal bank. I used to go to smaller banks, but they all get gobbled up by the bigger, meaner banks.

I've over stayed my talking time, I'm sure. Thanks for the venting space.

Bank of America - www.bankofamerica.com

I've been ripped off by Bank of America charging my checking account overdraft fees several times. It is terrible how they can get away with charging these fees with no recourse from the consumer. My most recent story goes like this: My daughter, who was out of town, deposited $400.00 cash into my Bank of America Checking Account at a Bank of America branch office inside at a teller station. She did this so I could withdrawal the money to pay her car payment since she was out of town. When she deposited the cash the teller assured her that the cash would be immediately available for withdrawal. My daughter deposited the cash on a Thursday, and so after being assured by the teller that the money was available; I withdrew the cash and paid my daughters car payment. I also used my ATM card to make 2 other transactions from my checking account that night. On Friday evening I checked my account status online, and noticed that the cash withdrawal and the 2 ATM card transactions that had been done AFTER the $400.00 cash DEPOSIT transaction had occurred, were debited from my checking account but the cash deposit had a "Counter Credit Hold" placed on it, so conveniently the bank had manipulated my daughter;s cash deposit and my withdrawal activity so that the cash deposit that was placed on hold put my checking account in a negative balance, hence the 3 overdraft fees. I went to my local bank office in person on Saturday to inquire about these charges and after I explained my issue, the bank employee did refund one of the charges out of the goodness of her heart. I am thankful for that refund. However, the bank representatives advised me that the reason I was charged these fees in the first place was because my overdraft protection was not listed as being active on my checking account. I had never cancelled this overdraft protection. I have had my credit card account linked to my checking account providing overdraft protection for over 10 years and the protection has been utilized by Bank of America in other incidents. I am still being charged 2 $35.00 fees. I have written 3 emails to their "customer service" and I have been told that they will not refund these 2 remaining charges. It's a big racket with this bank and their fees. Too bad the answer couldn't be to switch banks, they pretty much all are crooks with poor service and unreasonable bank fees.

To Whom it may Concern, I had a couple months of financial difficulty on my credit card and this wonderful bank put me past a 30% interest. I eventually paid the Credit card off except for 90 dollars. When I went to pay that and close the account They told me I would be charged 30 % interest for everyday until the check came and was posted. I tried to do quick over the phone payment but was told they would not close the account for thirty days and I would be charged the High interest on the 15 dollar quick payment fee till the next closing month date of the account. When I called to confirm that the check had arrives through the mail and was posted, I found out that they had over charged me 91 cents and was going to continue charging 30percent for everyday until the closing month date on the account. I was hung up on by two of their Guest specialist customer service employees. Just has been a nightmare getting this account closed. I have never used any colorful mediphors either. I hope no one else goes through this nightmare. STAY CLEAR OF BANK OF A AMERICA. Thanks for reading, Ron Curtis

I canceled my account with BOA several months ago and withdrew my money from the account. 2 weeks later they charged my empty account for the Privacy Source which is a BOA program. This of course put my supposed-to-be-closed account into the negative numbers. I don't get paper notices for the account so on a whim a few weeks later I looked at the account and had a huge negative balance. After making several phone calls over the next few weeks they canceled the charges and closed the account again. Somehow the account has been reopened again and I am back into a negative balance. I don't even have a card or checkbook for that account so how does it keep getting opened?! Service is also terrible- the original reason for closing the account.

We have an acct with our names & our childrens names. My daughter has her own acct at this bank. Due to an internet loan scam her acct went in the negative. She called cooperate and they agree it is a scam but won't freeze the acct so her acct gets accessed and more overdraft charges occur. They took money from my acct to the tune f $396 without authorization and put it in her acct. They wouldn't let me take her name off my acct unless everyone was there to sign a stupid signature card. So they have the opportunity to keep taking my money. This is a way to rip poor folks off. My daughter can't keep up. Let's face it , a $7 an hour job is only $200 a week. It would be a struggle under normal circumstances but absolutely impossible under these rip off conditions.