I opened an electronic account with $100 several months ago. I did not receive a debit card. The bank's website was down in subsequent months when I attempted to access my account. I was unable to access my account. I called the bank several times for assistance. The online banking access continued to generate errors. The bank charged my account monthly service fees and eventually closed my account due to a negative balance. I did not use the account once. Essentially the bank did not provide me with what I needed to access my online-only account (there are no branches in my area).
Due to suspicious activity on my account and sudden continual phone calls stating I have been approved for a loan to be deposited into my account, I believe that my bank account was compromised on March 8, 2016. I called the lcoal bank where I physically opened my account at First Citizens Bank, 301 W Broad Street, Elizabethtown, NC 28337.
Sadly, it turned out that I should have been more frightened of the incompetence and negligence of the ET Branch workers than the attempted phisher.
Manager - Faith Hudson - Neglected to tell me the branch name she was electronically opening my account, so I thought it was opeend in the local branch where I was physically standing as she processed the opening of my account on her computer in her office at the bank. This is a high security question to verify your identity by phone. If you give the wrong answer, you are red flagged. Faith never apologized for not giving me this information and it did cause me to be red flagged on March 8. 2016, when my account was compromised by phishers ... turned out First Citizens was even more of a threat to me than the phisher.
Faith refused to give me access to my new account even though she knew me so well that she agreed via text (I still have it for proof) from her personal cell to be my referral in my consideration of buying a camper at a local campground privately owened.
Stand in Manager -Toni Fisher. Refused to give me access to my account even though Faith admitted by phone (out of town, but accessible by phone, obviously ... frantic of losing the money in my account, I forgot that I had Faith's cell number on my old phone. When I remembered, it was the next day, but is being kept for proof that she knows me emphatically. By face and name. Yet refused to take a second to call me after speaking with Toni and give me access to my account by simply calling me and giving me the new account number that they moved my money to (thousands, not hundreds, of dollars).
Teller: Angela Peterson - Said she cancelled the old debit card and issued a new one and sent it to the address I gave her. I explained that I was not physically at the address on file, but working out of town. She said, "that will be no problem." She sent the card to the wrong address where I was not there to receive it at an unsecured mailbox. Never called to let me know otherwise. I found out by chance when I called and spoke with Shaniqua 91719 of Customer Service that the local bank was not allowed to mail the card to the po box I requested and told me ot call the branch back to make sure of where it was sent. I did. She also said to call Farud Central, The latter info was correct.
I called FC and they closed my old account and opened a new one. I did not have the number to the new account. Lamar (FC rep) said it would be disclosed as I followed the instructions he was emailing to me. The Instructions requested that I know my current 16 digit debit card number to proceed. Problem. I didn't have one, so I called local branch to get the new one as instructed from the FC (which I called after receiving the email).
Teller: Bonita Foster - told me that Angela was "not available." Convenient. She confirmed what Shaniqua shared. The card was scheduled to go to the wrong address. I had her cancel it. Since they could not send it to my current location, I opted to just get the new account number. Even after answering the security questions, one I answered wrong thanks to Faith Hudson not giving me the location hwere she opened my account. The high risk question was simply, "where did you open your account." My answer was "Elizabethown NC," which is where I physically was. Again, Faith neer clarified to me the brank number where she opened it. So I was "red flagged." Bonita refused to give me the number, but suggested that I have her cancel the new account and reinstate the old account so that I could have access to my money to pay my mortgage paymnet by phone using the routing and acct number. I agreed. I hung up thinking it was taken care of. To be sure, I called Customer Service back to update the situation. They told me to call Fraud Central again because their system showed that the old accont was already closed and the money moved to the ne account.
I called Fraud Central AGAIN. They confirmed what customer service said. They also shared that because my name was red flagged due to not knowing the location of the bank which my account was opened, both accounts were in process of being closed if the "rightful owner," (ME) didn't rectify it within a couple of days. Pressure of losing the my money and my house with everyone at this local refusing to help me even though ALL the blame lied within their own workers. All of it. In addition, Bonita NEVER called to let me know this vital information knowing it was urgent to get hold of my money to pay my bill. I found out by chance.
Bonita gave me the name of a FCB in VA (1 and a half hours away from where I was) and told me to go there in person to gain access to my account on file as though this bank was down the street. Very nonchalant and uncaring. I had on choice thouugh. However, before missing out on more work hours, I was giong to drive there on March 9 (it was too late to go at this time .. banks were closing). Morning of March 9, I decided to call the VA bank before driving to make sure they were aware of what was going on via the info they had on their system about my account. To my delight, FINALLY, someone with sense was helping me. They asked me many security questions that only I could possibly know the anwer to and gave me the accont number to my new account. NO HELP from the ET branch whatsoever. None. And no follow through to correct any part of their wrong doing. And no apology offered. Well, Faith said on Monday, March 14, "sorry for your trouble, but that's in the past, what can I do to help you furtther." No mention of reprimand to her tellers or having THEM call me to apologize. Just sweep it under the rug and move on. No. The public has a right to know what kind of people have control of their money.
Legal Dept in Raleigh NC - John Fleming called. I called him back during work break and greeter answered with, an attitude right off the bat with, "Yes sir??!!" Evidently, thought it was someone else. I told her I was returning a phone call to John Fleming and that he already had my number. Mr. Fleming called back 5 minutes later. No help. He saw no reason each needed to apologize for causing their client anguish and almost cost their client her house and thousands of dollars. When I asked if he spoke with Angela (the second one to have the immediate urgent need to retrieve my debit card from going to the wrong address), his response was, "I don't feel a need to talk with everyone involved..." He also said, "Why do you want an apology directly from them?" My response, "I deserve one." He went on to say, "when you talk to the media, do not tell them the workers wer not apologetic." He believed that they were even though no one called me to apologize. To him, his apology for them was sufficient. Unbelievable. If they record the conversations as they say they do, then they have the recording for proof of exactly what was said by both parties.
March 19, I receive a call from Brenda Clark of Elizabethtwon Town Halll stating that a $2 (two dollar) check came back NSF that I made out to United States Post Office for forwarding my mail. She said that Barbara of the White Lake Post Office deposited it at the First Bank (NOT First Citizens Bank) on February 29, 2016. There was over $1000 in the account at that time.
The First Citizens statement shows that an attempt to pay a $2 check was made on March 9, 2016. Even then, my money was still in my account and should have paid the $2 check. Now First bank is charging me $27 NSF fee. I am demanding that First Citizens pay it and remove the NSF from my file and have Fiirst Bank notate that the fault was not mine, but First Citizens.
Do not entrust your hard earned income to First Citizens Bank in Elizabethtown NC. It is not worth the hassle when you have need of your own money. You need to be assured your bank treats you and your money with the respect deserved.
Grueling two days of keeping my money to pay my mortgage. Now I have to take more time away from work to be on a phone call to ensure that First Citizens takes care of the NSF charge and label on my account. The $2 I will resend to the White Lake PO by another means.
First Citizens Bank Reviews
I opened an electronic account with $100 several months ago. I did not receive a debit card. The bank's website was down in subsequent months when I attempted to access my account. I was unable to access my account. I called the bank several times for assistance. The online banking access continued to generate errors. The bank charged my account monthly service fees and eventually closed my account due to a negative balance. I did not use the account once. Essentially the bank did not provide me with what I needed to access my online-only account (there are no branches in my area).
Due to suspicious activity on my account and sudden continual phone calls stating I have been approved for a loan to be deposited into my account, I believe that my bank account was compromised on March 8, 2016. I called the lcoal bank where I physically opened my account at First Citizens Bank, 301 W Broad Street, Elizabethtown, NC 28337.
Sadly, it turned out that I should have been more frightened of the incompetence and negligence of the ET Branch workers than the attempted phisher.
Manager - Faith Hudson - Neglected to tell me the branch name she was electronically opening my account, so I thought it was opeend in the local branch where I was physically standing as she processed the opening of my account on her computer in her office at the bank. This is a high security question to verify your identity by phone. If you give the wrong answer, you are red flagged. Faith never apologized for not giving me this information and it did cause me to be red flagged on March 8. 2016, when my account was compromised by phishers ... turned out First Citizens was even more of a threat to me than the phisher.
Faith refused to give me access to my new account even though she knew me so well that she agreed via text (I still have it for proof) from her personal cell to be my referral in my consideration of buying a camper at a local campground privately owened.
Stand in Manager -Toni Fisher. Refused to give me access to my account even though Faith admitted by phone (out of town, but accessible by phone, obviously ... frantic of losing the money in my account, I forgot that I had Faith's cell number on my old phone. When I remembered, it was the next day, but is being kept for proof that she knows me emphatically. By face and name. Yet refused to take a second to call me after speaking with Toni and give me access to my account by simply calling me and giving me the new account number that they moved my money to (thousands, not hundreds, of dollars).
Teller: Angela Peterson - Said she cancelled the old debit card and issued a new one and sent it to the address I gave her. I explained that I was not physically at the address on file, but working out of town. She said, "that will be no problem." She sent the card to the wrong address where I was not there to receive it at an unsecured mailbox. Never called to let me know otherwise. I found out by chance when I called and spoke with Shaniqua 91719 of Customer Service that the local bank was not allowed to mail the card to the po box I requested and told me ot call the branch back to make sure of where it was sent. I did. She also said to call Farud Central, The latter info was correct.
I called FC and they closed my old account and opened a new one. I did not have the number to the new account. Lamar (FC rep) said it would be disclosed as I followed the instructions he was emailing to me. The Instructions requested that I know my current 16 digit debit card number to proceed. Problem. I didn't have one, so I called local branch to get the new one as instructed from the FC (which I called after receiving the email).
Teller: Bonita Foster - told me that Angela was "not available." Convenient. She confirmed what Shaniqua shared. The card was scheduled to go to the wrong address. I had her cancel it. Since they could not send it to my current location, I opted to just get the new account number. Even after answering the security questions, one I answered wrong thanks to Faith Hudson not giving me the location hwere she opened my account. The high risk question was simply, "where did you open your account." My answer was "Elizabethown NC," which is where I physically was. Again, Faith neer clarified to me the brank number where she opened it. So I was "red flagged." Bonita refused to give me the number, but suggested that I have her cancel the new account and reinstate the old account so that I could have access to my money to pay my mortgage paymnet by phone using the routing and acct number. I agreed. I hung up thinking it was taken care of. To be sure, I called Customer Service back to update the situation. They told me to call Fraud Central again because their system showed that the old accont was already closed and the money moved to the ne account.
I called Fraud Central AGAIN. They confirmed what customer service said. They also shared that because my name was red flagged due to not knowing the location of the bank which my account was opened, both accounts were in process of being closed if the "rightful owner," (ME) didn't rectify it within a couple of days. Pressure of losing the my money and my house with everyone at this local refusing to help me even though ALL the blame lied within their own workers. All of it. In addition, Bonita NEVER called to let me know this vital information knowing it was urgent to get hold of my money to pay my bill. I found out by chance.
Bonita gave me the name of a FCB in VA (1 and a half hours away from where I was) and told me to go there in person to gain access to my account on file as though this bank was down the street. Very nonchalant and uncaring. I had on choice thouugh. However, before missing out on more work hours, I was giong to drive there on March 9 (it was too late to go at this time .. banks were closing). Morning of March 9, I decided to call the VA bank before driving to make sure they were aware of what was going on via the info they had on their system about my account. To my delight, FINALLY, someone with sense was helping me. They asked me many security questions that only I could possibly know the anwer to and gave me the accont number to my new account. NO HELP from the ET branch whatsoever. None. And no follow through to correct any part of their wrong doing. And no apology offered. Well, Faith said on Monday, March 14, "sorry for your trouble, but that's in the past, what can I do to help you furtther." No mention of reprimand to her tellers or having THEM call me to apologize. Just sweep it under the rug and move on. No. The public has a right to know what kind of people have control of their money.
Legal Dept in Raleigh NC - John Fleming called. I called him back during work break and greeter answered with, an attitude right off the bat with, "Yes sir??!!" Evidently, thought it was someone else. I told her I was returning a phone call to John Fleming and that he already had my number. Mr. Fleming called back 5 minutes later. No help. He saw no reason each needed to apologize for causing their client anguish and almost cost their client her house and thousands of dollars. When I asked if he spoke with Angela (the second one to have the immediate urgent need to retrieve my debit card from going to the wrong address), his response was, "I don't feel a need to talk with everyone involved..." He also said, "Why do you want an apology directly from them?" My response, "I deserve one." He went on to say, "when you talk to the media, do not tell them the workers wer not apologetic." He believed that they were even though no one called me to apologize. To him, his apology for them was sufficient. Unbelievable. If they record the conversations as they say they do, then they have the recording for proof of exactly what was said by both parties.
March 19, I receive a call from Brenda Clark of Elizabethtwon Town Halll stating that a $2 (two dollar) check came back NSF that I made out to United States Post Office for forwarding my mail. She said that Barbara of the White Lake Post Office deposited it at the First Bank (NOT First Citizens Bank) on February 29, 2016. There was over $1000 in the account at that time.
The First Citizens statement shows that an attempt to pay a $2 check was made on March 9, 2016. Even then, my money was still in my account and should have paid the $2 check. Now First bank is charging me $27 NSF fee. I am demanding that First Citizens pay it and remove the NSF from my file and have Fiirst Bank notate that the fault was not mine, but First Citizens.
Do not entrust your hard earned income to First Citizens Bank in Elizabethtown NC. It is not worth the hassle when you have need of your own money. You need to be assured your bank treats you and your money with the respect deserved.
Grueling two days of keeping my money to pay my mortgage. Now I have to take more time away from work to be on a phone call to ensure that First Citizens takes care of the NSF charge and label on my account. The $2 I will resend to the White Lake PO by another means.