ComplaintsforFirst Interstate Bank

• Initial Complaint

  09/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In May 2022, when 1st Interstate bank took over ******************* my 16 year old daughter got a direct deposit from her employer which posted to her bank account. My name is on her bank account because she is a minor. The bank called us out of the blue and told us that they were shutting down our internet banking because they thought her employer was a fraud but had not proof of it and could not give us any proof. My daughter called customer service to make sure everything was ok and she could purchase her senior pictures with her direct deposit. After being transferred 4 times and being on hold for awhile she finally spoke to someone who told her that the money was hers and she could spend it. My daughter paid for her senior pictures and purchased another item spending a total of $1,100. The next day, my daughter checked her account because even thought I couldn't access internet banking she still could just for her account. She discovered that her account was **** dollars negative and when we went into the bank to talk to them and maybe even close our accounts, we were treated very rudely by the personal banker. The personal banker basically shamed my daughter and told her she was irresponsible with her spending and she has to pay the money back and if she didn't than I did. They told us that they put her direct deposit in a hold due to fraud but once again gave no explanation or proof of it being fraud. After 6 days of being on hold, the bank put the direct deposit into my daughter's account after deducting the $**** they said that she owed. The next day, once again, her account was negative and they told her that they had decided to send the money back to her employer. At this time, my daughter had ended her employment due to being told her employer was fraud although we later found out this was not true and this employer was not fraud. According to the bank, we still owe them $**** which is now in collections although they had already taken the $**** out

  Business response

  09/27/2022

  Please see the attached letter, thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  08/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am beyond furious at how absolutely awful this bank is. As a small business owner you have absolutely ****** me. This is beyond outrageous what this bank has become. I want Great Western back. Who is running this god **** bank? Let's see where to start! I have requested MULTIPLE times that my online banking account be upgraded so I can have all of the features as my business partner. You have disabled on the online banking; such features as viewing THE **** ACCOUNT NUMBER. I have to call him and get him to send me this information, I cannot transfer money, all I can do is view it. Second, you have disabled my debit card which was a GW card. The only issue is YOU NEVER SENT ME A NEW F****** CARD. It is 7:20pm, all of your staff is off work and I have no way to pay for the bills and services I need to. I cannot contact anyone. You also NEVER SENT ME A NEW DEBIT CARD FOR MY PERSONAL CHECKING ACCOUNT EITHER. This is without a doubt the absolute worst I have ever been treated by a bank, the sheer level of negligence is insane. I have no way to access MY MONEY and run MY BUSINESS. Not only that, you have sent a total of 0 NOTICES TO ME ABOUT THE DISABLING OF MY CARD AND THE SWITCH TO A NEW CARD. So here I am stuck without a way to access my funds and operate my business, because of your complete and utter stupidity and incompetence. Not only did you not send me my new business card, you also didn't send my business partner one either. So we have literally 0 ways to spend our money.Onto point 3, when I attempted to use the "secure support" from within the online banking. I get a wonderful little error "Internal error FMIS-****/ ******************* Please try again. If the problem persists, please contact your Financial Institution" Does anything at this f****** bank work?

  Business response

  08/19/2022

  Please see the attached letter. Thank you for allowing me to help.

• Initial Complaint

  05/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have not had access to my bank funds, it took 4 or five days to get ahold of someone to unlock my account, they were unable to provide a new bank card for me or even order one the day I asked and they were extremely rude to me when I went in to find a solution to my problem. I am closing my account tomorrow, but I am not the only one frustrated.

  Business response

  06/09/2022

  Please see the attached letter. 

• Initial Complaint

  05/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My bank, ******************* was bought out by First Interstate Bank. I had been with ****************** for a long time and was assured by the representative that the conversion would be smooth and I would get accounts comparable to the type of accounts I had previously. The weekend before the conversion, I had zero access to my accounts. I hadnt even been notified that my debit card wouldnt work. Additionally, the branch was closed and I couldnt get my money out. Monday, the day everything got switched to First Interstate Bank, became a nightmare. I had enough and went to the local branch to close all my accounts. I was just told that all I had to do was put in a request and my accounts would be closed. Again, not so. I wasnt told I had a 24 hour waiting period. I had several transactions that posted that I didnt authorize. I put in a dispute, but my accounts still didnt close until those transactions cleared. Now I am in the hole and never had such problems with a bank.

  Business response

  06/09/2022

  Please see attachment, thank you.

  Customer response

  06/09/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I appreciate First Interstate reaching out to me. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Customer response

  09/08/2022

   
  Complaint: 17250526
  
  I am rejecting this response because: This is the second complaint I have with this company. I closed my account with them in March and I am still having issues. Believe me, I would rather move on with my life. Ever since they bought out ******************* it has been nothing but issues. Customer support has no clue what is going on and I continuously get re-directed to phone lines that have nothing to do what I need. I was supposed to be issued 2 checks for credits posted to my accounts after my account closed in March, 2022. August, 2022 and I still dont have any checks. I was assured that I would be getting the checks any day. I also verified my mailing address, so that isnt the issue. I was told by one representative a check was mailed June, 2022 and if I didnt get a check I would need to contact my local branch. My local branch has nothing to do with it. I received notices from the *** division in ********,**. I have tried every number given to me and I am at my wits end. I just want my money. This shouldnt be so difficult.
  

  
  

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  09/28/2022

  We would love to connect with ****************** but have been unable to do so after several phone calls and emails. The contact at the bank is *****, our Retail Hub Manager, who can be reached at ************. We believe we understand the issue but need some more information. Thank you!!

  Customer response

  10/03/2022

   
  Complaint: 17250526
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Contact wasnt initiated for several months after the fact. I contacted customer service and was told to contact several numbers. I was told at these numbers they didnt handle that type of inquiry. It took several attempts and several weeks and I still didnt get an answer.  The only reason I got was a resolution was when I made a compliant through Better Business Bureau or I will still be fighting this. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  05/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  01-04-2022 TRYED TO USE atm AT ***** BRANCH, MACHING MALFUNCTION. DEDUCTED $200 FROM ACCOUNT BUT DID NOT DISPERSE ANY MONEY.CONTACTED *********************** FROM FINANCIAL SERVICES REP. AT THE ***** SHE GAVE ME A ***** NUMBER TO CALL. ************. AS I BREATH THROUGH A TRACHIOSTAMY TUBE USING THE ***** IS VERY DIFFICULT.TRIED THE NUMBER, KEPT GETTING PUT ON HOLD.GAVE UP

  Business response

  05/09/2022

  Please see the attached letter. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  04/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Thursday, April 21, 2022, I entered the Branch in *******, ** in order to remove contents from a safety deposit box. Three to four minutes after the Attendant, who had begun helping with the process and who was focused on the computer in order to verifying me and the account, and then, prior to box access, print the signature page, a male staff member unexpectedly approached the/her desk and, surprisingly, interrupted our talking and attention and, rudely, in my opinion, but, in retrospect, by all indications, pointlessly, too, as it seemed and seems to me, walked up to the counter, stood between her and me, and unapologetically said to the account-assisting Attendant: "__(name)__, will you come over for just a sec." Her reply: "OK, just a sec; I'm helping him." The gentleman then walked back to his office, I signed the form that, a couple minutes after he departed, she printed, and, as normal, the box was then seamlessly accessed. Three-four minutes later and, at that point, ready to exit the facility, while by myself in the safety box room, I exited through the room's plexiglass door, then passed through the Bank lobby, and, without any further Banking interactions, exited the building. Five minutes later, I received a voice mail from the Bank, which, in summary, stated that, 1) I did not close the box, 2) the Bank does not have a key to the box, 3) the Bank is not allowed to close the box, either, 4) the Bank needs me to come back and close the box for the Bank ASAP, because 5) the Bank cannot let anyone else into the room until that is done.

  Business response

  05/04/2022

  Please see the attached letter and documentation. Thank you.

  Customer response

  05/06/2022

   
  Complaint: 17104043
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  1) This may be a question for BBB, but, either way: Why did FIB - a banking institution and regarding banking documentation - not offer to send to me the safety box lease, which has now, against my preference, been provided to the BBB - by US Mail or secure email, which are viable, and more private and secure options? I understand that I placed the request through the BBB and did not specify otherwise, but, at the same time, given the nature and contents of the documentation, does that mean, and maybe so, that such banking information must be, with no other option, delivered through the BBB or at least without checking with me first. I do have a mailing address and email address, both that FIB has utilized previously, but, do appreciate FIB not sending the other box leases through the BBB. What exactly is the rational or explanation for FIB's not sending the other leases? Please explain. Then, I hereby ask FIB to please send the other three (3) leases to me, but not through the BBB, to the personal address on file.

  2) The employee did call; that is correct, and left a VM, which is also correct. The reason that I did not call or return back is because of the immense discomfort from the entire experience, and, on a side note, not being advised or requested to return, but being commanded and required to return. Turns out, such policy turned out to not be true.

  3) "Employee tried to get my attention..." Really? The employee was not in the box room, because the employee initially left right away, then stayed out of the box room the entire time, and no one checked the box room as I exited, or, until the point at which I reached the front door; but, according to FIB: the employee "tried to get my attention..."? - When? How? What for? - I was not approached, or that I heard or recall, addressed. Even if a staff did "try to get my attention"...That does not mean anything. Plus, due to prior experiences and the interruptive staff, I had one thing on my mind: exit the premises as quickly as possible.

  4) Since the employee, who "tried to get my attention" apparently to FIB did so, then, FIB, I request FIB please explain what FIB or the employee needed or wished to say; because, it definitely was not about, and had nothing to do with, either an opened box or a closed lease: There was still a couple months left on the lease, as I recall.

  5) The employee tried to call, which was about an opened box. That is correct. But, the employee's "trying to get my attention" was not - no way - about an opened box. Thus, that is uncredible and has to be ruled out. However, I take this as bank policy now that if a customer leaves a safety box open, and is in a position to exit the bank with a safety box open, the extent to FIB adequately resolves the matter is just one phone call voice message, and not a second or even an email; just a phone call, which though I did receive the message, FIB had no assurance or verification that, until the BBB report was filed, that the message was successfully delivered to me.

  6) "With one employee and two witnesses present..." Wow. When - on what date and at what time - did this occur? I request a written statement from each party, please. Had FIB said three (3) employees, I would not ask for verification, but, since, apparently, it appears the other two (2) were not FIB staff, does this mean that the two (2) witnesses were not employees? Who then were they? The box, which, in principle, was closed at the time of building exit, but, without FIB being notified or aware, was, contractually, still my leased box. I request, therefore, to know: Who were the two (2) witnesses? Thank you; I look forward to FIB providing the information.

  7) Thank you for confirming the empty box; that was the intention.

  8) I am not comfortable with any private communicative contact with FIB, and that certainly includes stopping at the branch for a key return. Please proceed accordingly, as I believe the lease outlines key replacement fee(s). But, if not, and you view the keys as your property, please advise me of such.

  9) FIB shows no additional account relationships. When did the personal checking account and the business checking account, both which were opened in November, 2021, get closed?

   

  5) Aside from referring to the lease, does FIB offer a prorated credit towards early box lease terminations?

  Business response

  05/12/2022

  The client has requested we communicate with him via US Mail and not to post the response here so we will do that.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩