The overdraft fee was horrible I make some purchases in the mooring and in the afternoon and overdraft ok supposed is just one time fee for $35 but they take 5 overdraft fee to all my transactions in all day. I have money to cover the transactions in the day just in the night I thinking I have my deposit check in my account and overdraft one time but they want money of my pocket. They take $170 to my account in overdraft fee it is not a good bank and the customer service was terrible did not help in anything.

I've had a checking account there for about a year or so with no problems. Then I asked a cashier to withdraw a certain amount of money from my debit card - this is where my Social Security goes to - and she wasn't able to. Okay, so I came back in a couple of days and tried again, with the same result. I don't know why, maybe she pushed a wrong button or something? I have no problem using this card at the grocery stores, etc., but here at the First Merit bank it was no good? Therefore, I was unable to make a deposit.

Subsequently my account was closed, and the remaining balance of $21 was withheld allegedly for the bank fees. How do you calculate the bank fees to be exactly $21, beats me. When I contacted the headquarters (in downtown, I think) for an explanation, I was given none and was referred back to the branch in question. Excuse me?? Any reputable bank headquarters would have dealt with the issue, but not this one.

I don't recommend anyone to trust their money to this bank. JMO

I have never in my life experienced such a bank. Fee crazy and they are very sly about it. Once they fee you beyond your wildest dreams (even if it is their error, which it was) they will not help you at all. I couldn't believe a bank could or would do business like this. And i should know... I was a personal banker for almost 7 years. I made a 2 youtube videos about my experience with firstmerit to help others. I would not recommend this bank to anyone for any reason. â?? My experience video #1 = http://youtu. Be/bwou4s3mabq

â?? My firstmerit experince #2 = http://youtu. Be/ialbjjwvbqs

as consumers we do have protections / options:

#1 filing a complaint with bbb or better business bureau

#2 filing a complaint with the ftc. Gov via thier online portal

#3 writing local congress men (it does work :)

#4 writing state rep

if anyone is reading this and you don't know what to do please follow steps #1 and #2. You can do it all online by just going to the bbb website and the ftc website. As stated i used to be a banker and when banks receive these compalints in multiples the bbb and ftc both with investigate and work to help you for free. Heads up the bbb will be the fastest result i would start with them first. Bbb link: http://www. Bbb. Org/us/bbb-online-business/

ftc link: https://www. Ftccomplaintassistant. Gov/

I have a joint checking acct with my son who is a student. I have had accts at 1st Merit for many years. Several times when he was out of the country the account was overdrawn due to timing issues of money coming in and out as he was living in South America at that time and had to rely on machines and online for balances. I was out of the country in South America and due to the fact I was not able to access the accounts as normal and had the same problem these overdraft charges occurred. While I feel somewhat responsible, it is also a timing thing. My accts have always been in good standing and as soon as I realized the status I would transfer money from savings to checking. I called and spoke to a Sherry from the 800 number who was not very helpful and not sympathetic to my plight. She said why did I not have the service attached to the acct that would automatically have transferred the money from savings to checking and when I told her I was unaware of it because no one informed me of it and of course I would have used it if I knew about it, who wants to pay $490 in overdraft charges. She said she could take off 4 but that was all. I called my branch and spoke with the branch manager Debbie, who more or less said it was my responsibility and she would not forgive more than 2. So for a bank with a motto of "How can we put you first today", I felt belittled and that my financial difficulties were not there concern. She said she would mail me the form to change it so that the funds would in the future transfer automatically. This service has been available for 7 mos ! I have advised her that I am cancelling my accounts for a bank that is not so punitive. My financial hardship of paying $250 (after removal of some charges) is nothing to a mutimillion dollar profit bank. They could have excused the charges and set it up so it would not happen again. They were unwilling to do that.

We secured a dealer financed 20 year loan in 2003 and made the decision to sell our boat and improve our personal expense line. We knew that the economic environment would make this difficult and without some additional out of pocket monies since most likely our offers would put us upside down on the deal.

We did find a buyer and secured funds from another bank since First Merit told us they couldn't help until we had the first loan satisfied plus they wanted significant collateral. I should mention that my wife and I have credit scores near 800 and never were late or missed a payment in 10 years but somehow First Merit wasn't able to help.

Our local bank stepped in and provided an unsecurred line of credit beyond our need and made the sale offer work. When requesting a payoff balance First Merit couldn't get it correct and provide 3 different payoffs and even suggested we had missed a payment which they soon correted as a error in looking at the account.

When we received our payoff an 1% early payment fee was added $890.00 and we were told it was on the contract we signed. The contract did say an early payoff "may or may not" be assesed this fee--but no one would explain how or what triggers the may or may not. On the back of the contract the possible "may or may not" statement appeared again with the terms OF 1% of the payoff balance or $50.00 whichever greater.

We objected and sent a letter to the bank that we did not agree but would not hold up or loose the sale opportunity while we disputed the early payment fee. Now that the sale is closed First Merit tells us there is nothing they can do since the loan is paid in full. First Merit again refuses to share how may or may not applies within their contract.

So with over 12 calls and being routed to 7 representatives including surpervisors there isn't a person at First Merit that ever anwered the hard questions--Why & How are these fees determined????

First Merit is last on our list!!!!!

My husband used first merit for an installment loan a few years ago. Years after the beginning of the installment loan my husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor, fell into a coma and was left a quadriplegic who was unable to speak. For months i tried to get first merit to at least give me an address to send his monthly payments to, but because i was not on the account, they would not even tell me what his payment amount was... Even with medical reports, doctors and nurses to speak for the situation at hand. Because of the delay endless late fees, penalties and inevitably a smack to my husbands credit score ensued. Prior to my husbands trauma, he had never been delinquent in any way in paying his obligation to first merit. After speaking with melinda (or some "supervisor" with a name similar to) she showed no amount of compassion at all, stating that she sees in her notes my attempts to call but it's not first merits fault that my husband had health issues. It was rude, disrespectful and plain inhuman how she treated our situation. So much to the point that i paid off the ~$35,000 loan the next day and vowed to never do business with them again. I will speak to anyone who will listen about my experience because it was incredibly hurtful to be treated with such disregard. If you have any other options, use them before you enter a relationship with first merit. They should be ashamed.

I have been banking with firstmerit for over a decade. I have never had many problems with their checking banking, and for the most part have been pleased. However I have gone through their mortgage dept 2 times now. the first time was was my first home i bought ,and was a pain in the rear. every time you turn around they need to have you do something, instead of telling you what you need all ahead of time or all at once. I ended up making the mistake in going through them with my second house because i bank there. It was just as bad probably worse this time. Iv been getting documents faxing them forms for about 3 months now. A week goes by i am the one who has to try and contact them to see what the status is, and everytime i do they ask for another document or something else which could have been asked for at the beginning of the process or even as soon as they knew it was needed. Regardless i am shutting down this loan and closing my banking accounts with firstmerit for good. They are unqualified and incompetant and very unwilling to go out of their way for valued customers. I would not recommend them to anyone

Bank employees are very rude, and do not provide quick service. Waiting in the drive through line, you can see them talking to each other in the window, but taking their sweet time helping customers. If you prefer to do online banking or online bill pay, watch out, they routinely made errors on payment dates that had set up on a standing basis, and despite admitting the error would not compensate me for the late fees generated as a result.

Also, they offer banking rewards for having direct deposit and making purchases with a debit card, but never actually pay the rewards - very shady. It seems like they lure people in with good offers up front, and very quickly lower the interest rates/rewards hoping that you'll be too busy to switch banks. Save yourself the time and hassel up front and don't bank with First Merit!!

My car loan was only 22 days past due and they sent two thugs to repo my car. Their repo thugs jumped into my car terrifying my children who were in the car at the time. I called first merit and they were rude and treated me like dirt.

The kicker is have been a customer for 4 years never missing a payment. I only have 12 payments left on my loan and they chose to repo my car. The only way I could get the car back was to pay it off.

I will never do business with first merit again. This is how they treat good paying customers.

they charge me a $10 service fee by accident for about 16 months but will only refund 4 months back even though it's a bank error. Branch manager says it's bank policy....very unfriendly ...