I have had an auto loan with Sovereign Bank since June 2007 and I can not wait to get out from under this loan. This has been the worst experience I have ever had with any banking center. You wait on hold forever to be told you need to call a different number. You can not make a payment over the phone or with a credit or debit card and if you mail in the payment it takes over 15-20 days for them to post it to your account. If they even receive the payment.

I currently am in dispute with this bank over two payments they say the did not receive. It is October 29, 2008 and I currently am trying refinance my auto loan (due to this situation) with my bank. I have been told that I am not approved because Sovereign bank says I am 3 months behind on my other car note. Remind you I have not received any collection notices, any phone calls, nothing from this bank, not even a bill or statement.

I contacted Sovereign bank and was told on 10/26 that they did not receive Sept. 08 payment. I told them I mailed the payment on 9/25 in two money orders. They said they did not receive it. I called back the next day after I was panicing and talked to a supervisor who then said that they did receive the payment and they posted it the account 10/18/2008. She then proceeds to tell me that I am three months behind. I told her I spoke to a lady the other day who said Septembers payment was not received and she just told me they did get it, what is going on? I also told her that on 10/25 I sent her October's payment.

After 45 minutes of going through the account and a constant argument of her raising her voice and calling me liar I asked her to please fax me a statement of my account and a payment history so I could compare her records with my receipts and bank account. She told me she could not due that and if they could I would have to pay for it. I told her that would be fine. If this is how we can get to the bottom of this issue I would pay for the fax. That was until she told me she was going to send someone to repossess my car and that she would do whatever she could to not allow me to refinance my loan.

It was at this point that I lost my temper and had a few choice words to say to her. After I calmed down I once again told her that I would fax her the bank statements that show where and when the money orders were purchased and that I would pay the fee's and track the money orders. I gave her the money order numbers of the payments that were sent in the mail for the month of October, that she should receive within 3-5 days, but may not post right away since it takes them 15-20 days to post anything that comes in thier office. (And they do charge you outrageous late fee's for holding your payment past the grace period.) She told me NO. She did not care what proof I had and she was not going to accept any proof of purchase or proof of money orders. She said no matter what she is coming to get my vehicle.

I reminded her about certain laws and letters that have to be received in order to repo my vehicle. I have also tried to get in contact with a Vice President of collections, but no luck yet. I have not received any letters or phone calls about past due payment. She stated that collections has left messages on my home phone in August 2008. I have not had a home phone in over 4 years. They have my cell phone number and my work number as well as my fathers (co-signer) information and numbers. Neither one of us have been contacted by Sovereign Bank. I have been called a liar and some other choice words and have gotten no where. I have been denied credit due to this account and Sovereign Bank is making no effort to contact me, to see my proof of payment, or to help resolve this very serious issue. These are very nasty people.

All I have asked this bank for is a print out of payment history and to accept my proof of payment until the money orders are tracked (takes 4-6 weeks) to get the account current and to be on the same page.

I have not asked for the hard time, rude and nasty customer service, or to be placed on hold forever and hung up on. I am still fighting this with Sovereign and am waiting to see what happens. Not only have I been denied credit based on this one account but so has my father since he co-signed. I have tried everything to get this matter resolved quickly without the name calling and childlike behavior, but at this point I am running out of options. By the way, after all the yelling and telling me they are coming to get my vehicle, I still have not received a collection call or letter, nothing.

Anybody who may have had this happen or knows what to do at this point please let me know..

I warn anybody opening an account with this bank to be very careful and to look elsewhere for financing. I would never recommend this bank. I advise you to stay away.

My youngest son opened his first checking account after getting his first real job. He went to Sovereign Bank because it was right up the street. He had his check direct deposited to the bank and received his Gold Card.

Can you imagine our surprise when his second check to the bank was completely consumed by $33.00 insufficient funds fees. We were shocked. Anyone else in the family would have been declined at the atm. When I spoke to the Manager at the bank I was also told that it was a 'COURTESY'.

I have been to affairs where they offered 'Courtesy Valet Parking'. After the affair they brought my car and I gave then a tip thanking them for the courtesy. I can imagine how it would feel if they brought me my car and then handed me a bill for $33.00 after telling me that it was a courtesy.

When speaking to the bank rep. on the phone She told me that, and I quote ' They didn't know if he was somewhere and needed gas or something'. I told her that it wasn't her job to figure those things out, just to be a bank and don't give him anything if he doesn't have the money.

This amounts to a one week $120. loan with with $112. interest. They used to have a name for a person who did that. He was called a 'Loan Shark'. And it was Illegal. I asked the bank rep. to furnish me with the address of where is could send a letter of complaint. She said there was no one there at that time who knew but she would take my number and have someone with the address contact me within a day. That was a week ago.

Is there anyone out there who knows who I can contact with a formal complaint against this bank?

My husband's checking acct. was hit with 3 overdraft fees that shouldn't have happened. He asked that i check to see if the rent check had cleared yet so, i called and it said he still had $176 in his acct. I double checked and went online, sure enough the $176 was still there, nothing pending. He asked for me to go to ATM and withdraw $40, figuring his direct deposit will hit at midnight and cover the check along with whatever was left in the bank. I went and got the $40 and some stuff totaling $5.22. Later on that evening i checked the acct. online and saw the $40 and $5.22 pending but no check yet, fine. This morning, i checked the acct. online and saw it was overdrawn by $209. We went down to the neighborhood bank branch and was told that the check cleared at midnight causing the other items to bounce. HELLO, my husband's direct deposit goes in at the sametime! I also asked why would the ATM give out money if it was overdrawn anyway, from what they said. I never had a bank that allowed that! After blowing smoke up our butts and trying to get up to swallow their excuse, i'm fuming. At Bank of America, they show checks pending, Sovereign is telling us that there is no system that does that! Not to mention that the ATM's are 48-72 hours behind along with the online banking system! I don't by that! I think it's their way to make money off of fees.
Paulette