In recent months, the banks have belly-ached about being in financial straits, selfishly grabbed for hand-outs from the Government at the expense of the American tax-payer, then continued on their merry way with their excessive perks, disheartening disregard for financially-strapped account-holders, and shameless bold-faced ploys (which amount to embezzlement of funds) to pad their profit-margins by bilking millions of consumers out of their cold hard cash by virtue of excessive bank fees that border on the criminal.
"Bank of the West" is the worst offender when it comes to this kind of highway robbery!
The Bank (with no heart to speak of) is a greedy corporate giant manned by staff who are not only rude and insulting but totally devoid of any compassion or understanding.
In fact, their reprehensible conduct should never be tolerated in a civilized society.
For example, when a customer strode into a local branch to sort out excessive bank charges, the manager not only failed to lend a sympathetic ear to the account-holder (who had never questioned their fee structures in the past) but proceeded to talk down to the upset individual.
"You need to take responsibility for your finances and monitor your accounts regularly on the checking line," he pompously lashed out at the account-holder who sat there in total disbelief.
Rather than work with their client - whose financial obligations had always been met over the course of the past year when most struggled to do the same - the manager was inclined to smugly insult the client rather than budge a little and work in a cooperative spirit in respect to sorting out the excessive surcharges which were dinged on the account.
At one point, when the individual noted they intended to file a complaint with the President of the Bank, the manager relented a little and agreed to give a $35.00 credit back, but was adamant that he would not comply with the request to credit back two $35.00 fees (totalling $70.00).
When the miffed client noted he intended to file a complaint with the White House and request an investigation of excessive fees at Bank of the West, the manager tried to coerce the customer into foregoing on filing the complaint by subtly inferring he'd retaliate.
For instance, at this juncture, he pointedly asked (with a slightly-raised eyebrow) if the account-holder wanted the $35.00 credit offered or not.
Since he had already promised the credit twice during the course of the ongoing conversation, clearly, he was subtly inferring that if the customer filed the complaint (as promised) he would not issue the $35.00 credit.
What low disgusting unprofessional conduct!
It was obvious to me, as I witnessed the events, that the Bank employee was a real snake!
When that attempt at coercion failed, he snottily responded from out of left field.
"The White House is already investigating bank fees."
So, there!
Talk about petty.
By the way, in addition to the illegal $35.00 fees imposed on the account, the bank began to charge the customer a $5.00 fee for an overdraft which occurred due to the charges they billed the account without legal notice or fair warning.
Is there no end to their larceny?
The Bank Manager's conduct persisted after that.
At the request of the account-holder, he scribbled down his name - but did so in an illegible script - so that it was difficult to determine the exact spelling of his last name.
In addition, he refused to locate the name and address of the President of Bank of the West.
Does this sound like the kind of conduct that an up-front bank employee engages in?
I think not!
Clearly, Mr. Howerton (?) at the Beverly Hills branch (9401 Wilshire) was keenly aware that his unprofessional mean-spirited conduct was highly irregular and inappropriate.
Subsequently, he was trying to hide his identity to avoid recrimination from his superiors (and prevent his true legal name from being posted on the Internet in this consumer alert).
In closing, it should also be noted that Bank of the West also engages in other deceptive and dishonest business behaviour.
On the customer service hotline, operators often promise credits to customers, which fail to materialzie in their actual bank account.
In retrospect, it's obvious that the promise is just a clever ploy to get disgruntled customers off the line, so they can move on to the next unhappy customer waiting with similar complaints of embezzelement, unethical banking procedures, violtations of the rights of bank customers, and so forth and so on.
At a time when Banks are failing, and their integrity is placed in doubt, Bank of the West is obviously one financial institution that should be avoided like the plague (even if they do entice you with a cheap teddy bear purchased at the 99 cent store to open an account).
After all, they'll simply raid the account (embezzle funds) until the customer gets fed up and closes the account in disgust.
Bank of the West, is more aptly titled, Bank of the Worst.
Those slimy worms at the Beverly Hills branch can take credit for the appropriate moniker folks!
Bank of West rip-offs U.S. account-holders!
Footnote
*Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BancWest Corporation
*BancWest is wholly owned by the French Universal Bank
*Yes, folks, the Frenchies are sticking it to the Yankees!
