Sovereign Bank Customer Service

Scam... AI, not human assistance. tried to speak to a representative three different times, and each time was given a link to a page asking for my credit card number, and then was not able to chat with anyone. Transcript of my conversation with the last AI representative below.

WTF is the problem here? I'm trying to find out why I missed two phone calls from this phone number today and I keep getting it sent to a page that requires a credit card, which I will not use. Please connect me with an agent who does not require payment.


Pearl, AI Assistant
I understand that you're frustrated about missing phone calls from a specific phone number. Can you please let me know if you're using a landline or a mobile phone?

You
A MobilePhone

Pearl, AI Assistant
Have you checked your call history or voicemail to see if there are any records of the missed calls?

You
(I{middle finger emoji} it won't let me post in review)

Pearl, AI Assistant
Is there anything else the Computer Technician should know before I connect you? Rest assured that they'll be able to help you.

You
no and if I get this page, one more time, I will find your company track you down and destroy your entire life. I will not rest assured of anything that wants my credit card number without knowing WTF it's about.

Pearl, AI Assistant
OK. Got it. I'm sending you to a secure page to join JustAnswer for only $1 (fully-refundable). While you're filling out that form, I'll tell the Computer Technician about your situation and then connect you two.
Continue >>

You He|| no

Pearl, AI Assistant
Chat is completed

worst customer service ever! I had to call about 5 times to get a new card!!!!

Worst Customer Service I have ever received (rather NOT received). My account was switched to Santander from another bank. I would never do business with Santander willingly. I want to pay off loan, biggest has-ell I have ever been through in my life.-

I have been customer of Sovereign bank (now Santander) since 1997. In 2013 I moved out of state to Texas. Before moving, on a trip for buying home in Texas, I saw a Sovereign bank sign near where I live. So decide continue using this bank after moving. The finally I found out (too late!) that they are not affiliated.
I have been using my sovereign bank for 18 months after moving for only auto pay all my utilities bill of my rental property there. On 10/2014, I attempted to close the account and canceled all ACH, told to bring my balance to 0 to close, done that. up until I write this moment, 1/13/2015, my account still not closed and got a penalty charge extra $141 for over draft. I had the confirmation from ACH that account close. I also have confirmation from the bank branch that the account will be closed since my husband (lucky he is still there) run to the brand to hand them the check of overdraft penalty charge just to close the headache and discontinue our loyalty relationship for 17 years. I still receive another warning letter from collection agency asking $35 for another overdraft fee after receiving my final pay 4 weeks earlier.
I definitely do not recommend anyone using this bank.
They are unprofessional handling my issue. Their attitude is rude, especially when they know you will not longer stay with them. Run away from Sovereign/Santander Bank.

Today I transferred money from savings to checking. The latest changes to your system are so stupid, it's pitiful. After I submitted a signed withdrawal form I was asked to sign another withdrawal form. I was asked for two means of identification and the credit card I offered was not acceptable. If I remember correctly, it had to be Mastercard, which I don't have. It took over 15 minutes to complete my transaction. Right now I'm contemplating moving to another bank. Even though I have just purchased a whole pile of checks, I'm willing to kiss you guys goodby.

The Brooklyn Bayridge branch helped a man open a fake checking account in my mothers name, and refuse to talk to me. plus this man stole checks and deposited them in his own account. horrible customer service. the employee should be fired and the bank should pay my family bank. DO NOT GO TO THIS BANK>. TAKE YOUR $ else where.

I have no idea why there is a customer service department...they're completely useless, antagonizing and unhelpful.

Horrible Customer Service. My ATM Card was going to expire so I called the 800 # advising of them of this. I was told they mailed out my card, however to my old address, which I changed with the bank 3 years ago. Now the Bank must block my card so I can't use it and reissue another one. Well that was 3 weeks ago and I haven't received it yet. The Bank tells me it's the Postal Service. I have no access to my checking account other than cashing a check at the bank to get money out and this I have been doing for here weeks now. I AM NOW CLOSING MY ACCOUNT AND USING ANOTHER BANK.

Worst customer service I've ever encountered in my entire life. I applied for a checking account over the phone, and they said it would be opened within one business day. It's been three weeks already that I'm waiting for my account. I've called them tons of times, and no one can tell me what's going on. I live outside the US, and after I complained to them, they started telling me it's all due to the fact that I'm not a US citizen. All my funds are on my savings account, and the ATMs in Europe do not allow to withdraw money from the savings account. I have no money to live, because these people are treating me with not a single bit of respect. Were else can I complain so that they finally give me my money back???

To some this will seem extremely trivial, but it could have been on a larger scale - it wasn't but I thank God for that....Last week Tracfone double dipped into my account after I had bought some extra minutes. I knew full well that I didn't have enough money in my account to buy more than 100 minutes. I am a 61 yr. old, slightly impaired, disabled woman who lives on $714.00 a month ! yes I said a month ,I was lead to believe I was covered by what they call "opt-in" overdraft protection . Yet they went right ahead + payed Tracfone ,which gave me a $2.00 deficit + a $35.00 charge.....they have since admitted it was a BANK ERROR + it would be corrected. Well , they replaced exactly half-$17.50 of the charge that was their error !!!!!! I get SS + SSDI so my checks will be direct deposited this week + of course they will rob me of the other $17.50 before I have a chance to close my account ...WHATEVER HAPPENED TO "INSUFFICIENT FUNDS" ?????

This bank is not for people of means. I have been doing business with them from when they were Independence Community Bank about a decade ago, where we were very happy. Sovereign bought them, now its Santander, an international bank from Spain. I have a small business account and three personal family accounts in Sovereign. The personal accounts have $200,000.00 to $250,000.00 in aggregate at all times. All I ask them to do is waive my fees on my small business account in exchange for leaving my $250K in their bank. I offered to add another $135,000.00 to our balance from a Chase account I don't need anymore; it didn't matter to them at all. They continue to charge me $35.00 for each check presented against uncollected or insufficient funds in my small business account. They refuse to honor the "relationship" and respect my substantial deposits ($250K), so I am planning to take my money elsewhere, to a bank who can appreciate my deposits. This culminated when I spoke to a young woman named Adrian in their "Service Quality Department" on 09/10/13 at their Boston headquarters where she explained the fees were correctly applied and not going to be refunded. Banking is a relationship business and they trashed any concept of a relationship continuing with Sovereign - Santander.

I am having a very big trouble with sovereign bank right now. I was not informed about this policy. So was very surprised when a month or two after closing my account, I started getting collection notices from Sovereign. I ignored them for a while. Now the penalties are many times the original withdrawal that they went ahead and paid after I closed the account. I mean, what's the point of closing an account if it is not closed?

Any suggestions where I can turn to? I do not want to pay this.

i banked at sovereign for about 10 years. i opted in for overdraft protection with a $500 deposit in a savings account just a few months ago. (don't ever do this!) the customer service rep here in lancaster, pa told me she needed to make sure the savings lined up with the checking account to make sure i had this overdraft protection and would not have to ever worry about overdraft fees ($35) sure enough i got charged an overdraft fee within a month. i went to the bank and told them about this and the branch manager said the wrong savings was opened up to the checking. she would have to talk to her supervisor. never heard a thing. so i took out my $500 savings and tried to close my checking account. she told me to wait because the payment to my sovereign credit card had not cleared yet. then my bank of america credit card that i had paid off was on an automatic bill pay and i went online to make sure sovereign was no longer listed on that account. they took out the $15 automatic payment after i took the balance down to $0 and charged me a $35 overdraft fee. i called bank of america, they credited the $15 back to my account. they told me to contact sovereign and have them credit the account back the $35. on my next day off i went back to the bank to tell them about all the trouble i was having closing this account and they said another $35 overdraft fee kicked in because it had been six days since the first one had kicked in. they now said it was up to bank of america to pay the $70 worth of overdraft fees. they said they had just changed this extra fee at the first of the year. no reimbursement for any of these fees. not even when their customer service rep made the mistake in the first place! i would still be a customer and would not have closed out my account if i had received better response and service. customer service has really gone down the tubes. one teller told my wife, who also closed out her account that a lot of people were closing their accounts. won't be long until they want the taxpayers to bail them out for their poor management and customer service. i am a manager and if we gave this kind of service we would be out of business in several years.

I go to puertorico and the bank united to Santander and every time I used the atm card charge me international charge like 100 dollars, or more im very mad, I call the bank and they say is not united come one they say in newys they united in 2011 any phone number I can fight this

HORRIBLE customer service.Will take your money easily but will offer no help when needed. Disgraceful!

DAY ONE
6/13/13

I have been a customer of this banks for some years and had my first big problem with them a couple of years ago when I got a shut off notice from my Electric company. I couldn't understand why because I had been using the BillPay feature with the bank and saw that the payments had gone out. I contacted the electric and they couldn't find the payments and thought that it maybe be a problem on their end, but as it turns out two months of my bill payment to pay my electric bill had gone to pay someones loan. The person's loan I was paying had a loan through the bank and I had never, ever had a loan with them. I ended up talking with a ton of people all the way up to the corporate level and even though the saw it in black and white in their statements that they had made a mistake they still wanted to so call investigate further. It took the bank a month or more to put the money back into my account that had gone to pay someone elses loan through their bank. Now today I am forced to not be able to go grocery shopping because the bank screwed up and did not get my replacement card to me that I requested over five days ago, but there is a five business day requirement for delivery and I have no card because they were claiming that my address must have been incorrect. They checked my address and it was correct. So since I needed to buy food I requested that they reactive my old card that I asked them to deactivate because I had bent it by sitting on it and was told that they couldn't. I requested to speak to someone higher up and even though I told him that there would be some days that I would be without food and unable to eat he still stood firm telling me that they would not send me my card until two business; today is Thursday! This meant that I would not possibly receive my card until Monday, if I can believe what they say. He told me that they could not send me the original replacement card because it had been deactivated, but that was not true because it was not listed in the system as being deactivated and when I asked him to verify that information he refused to acknowledge the number of card that showed as being deactivated in the system. He also refuse to send me the replacement card by Fedex the next day in order for me to be able to go grocery shopping and on top of that told me that a $35.00, fee would show on my account and that I could then ask that the fee be waved. I told him that I shouldn't be charged anything because this was once again the banks fault. He refused to try and do anything more for me and also told me when I ask for morning delivery from Fedex that he had no control over that, that Fedex was in control of when I would receive my replacement card. WHAT A JOKE!
DAY TWO
6/14/13
Funny thing happened that bank card that I didn’t get because they claimed my address was wrong arrived in my mail today(which is the next day) with the same number on it and I had requested a different number. I called customer service about this and was told that they could not activate this card because I had deactivated it. But how could I deactivate a card that I didn’t even have in my possession and didn’t even know what the number on the card was. Now they are not only lying about having that card returned to them, but lying and claiming that I deactivated it. A man by the name of Moses told me that he was going to call me with the tracking but when he did call he did not have tracking number for me for the replacement card and told me that he would call me the morning that the card was to be delivered with the tracking number. What kind of crap is that? They are nothing but a bunch of liars I don’t and wouldn’t trust a word that comes out of their mouths.

A bunch of thieves

The bank uses the practice of clearing first the larger amount checks and then the smaller amount checks. For example, if you have $500.00 available in the account and you have 3 checks coming in, one check in the amount of $480.00 and the other two checks in the amount of 450.00, They will clear first the larger check and then the account availability will be only $20.00, which means you will be charged unavailable fee for two checks. If they would of first clear the two smaller amount checks and then the larger amount cheek, they would have charge unavailable fee only once for. They are the only bank who uses this practice in order to generate more income from the poor people who live from payroll to payroll Its unfair and it’s about time to stop.

I destroyed an ATM card that did not arrive with a temporary PIN number, but only after contacting by phone four times asking for a temporary PIN number to activate the card. No resolution to the problem, ever. A change of address attempt results, HA!, at least the post office will forward for the year I expect the bank will take to change the record.

Cathy in General Customer Service, talked as if she only had 3 minutes per customer. Found her to be unprofessional, rude, and the person off the street would have did a better job with customers than she.Cathy try listening to the customer concerns, then may be you will not give out incorrect information. You showed poor customer service for sovereign bank.

I made a deposit using the drive thru @ Sovereign Bank located in Byram, NJ. I was sitting waiting to be helped when a car about 1 1/2 minutes later pulled up to the drive thru next to me. The manager came from around the lobby, if you will, rushed up to the window & took her deposit container immediately out as she recognized her friend. Next thing I know, the car next to me is gone & I'm still waiting for my deposit. I asked the teller what the Manager's name was & was only told Melissa. The manager proceeded to tell me that she only pulled her box out & didn't process her transaction, with a "My dear". 1) No one was working on my simple deposit because the teller had just put the bank's copy in their nightly bin so to be told otherwise was incorrect. 2) I am not her dear and said that to her. Well, the manager kept calling me "My dear" after I kept saying I'm not her dear. I was rudely insulted & after that experience you can make sure I will go out of my way to not bank @ that location EVER. To be treated like a second class citizen after ALL THE DECADES of banking w/Sovereign, well before it was Sovereign is unacceptable.

really bad customer service.Will transfer all of my money to other bank. Never use this bank again.

Why is it so difficult to login to my account. I am tired of flipping pages of web sites about promotions, employment and other misc info that I am not in need of. It appears you only care about people not yet banking with you. Put the login right up front on first page.

I am looking to change banks asap.

Absolutely the worst bank I ever had the displeasure of working with. From day one I've had problems with this bank. I opened up a college checking account due to the fact that my regular bank branch isn't anywhere close to my school. It took them weeks to get my card in and even after I requested changing my school address as my primary address they still sent information i still needed to set up my online banking, pin number, ect. Avoid this bank at all costs, they're all a bunch of crooks.

800-207-8767 is the Debt Collection Department of Sovereign Bank based at 450 Penn Street, Reading, PA 19602 - in a Call Room.

If the debtor has registered a Home phone, an Office number, and/or a Cell phone they will call, even if you are not yet 30 days past due. They use an automated dialing sytem that displays 800-207-8767 on your caller ID, but NOT Soverign Bank. If you answer the automted call it will identify itself as coming from Sovereign Bank and state your name. They will next prompt your response to a debt collection person, if you are the person they are trying to call. If you do not answer the automated call, as I did not, then their dialing machine will keep calling back, as many as 8 times in a day. I do not answer any calls from 800 numbers or from Out of Area, So it was only later after being harrassed by their repeated dialing that I found out it was Sovereign Bank trying to collect $58 that was not yet 30 days past due. They even tried to collect an Annual renewal fee of $25 that was on a statement they had not yet mailed (deceptive) I went to my local Sovereign Bank, paid account in full, Since there was a small amount still due (less than $40)(The $25 renewals fee and some interest) I called the 800 number and asked them for the remaining balance. They told me they could mail a statement that would arrive within 2 weeks that would reflect the remaining amount due -or- for $25 they could FAX it to me. I declined their generous offer and will now close the account at the local branch. This said I did draft and mail letter of complaint to:

• Federal Trade Commission
• Office of the Attorney General – Boston
• Office of the Attorney General – Southern Region - New Bedford
• Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations – Boston
• Division of Banks

Worst customer service of any company I have ever done business with. I have been trying to get a simple form emailed , two months and 11 phone calls later it is still not done. Phone reps have three times told me they have no record of my request

I'm Bella from New York, United States. I lost my job a few months back after my divorce with my wife. I tried everything positive to make sure I took good care of my kids but all failed, and I was in debt which makes everything worse. I was kicked out of my home and i had to live with my neighbor after pleading with her to allow me to stay with her for some days while I figured out how to get a home which she agreed to, but no one was willing to help anymore. I bumped into this page from google and I was excited about this, then I contacted the hackersBill Dean. I had just $200, so I pleaded with them to help me because of my condition but they never accepted. I believed in this, so I managed to pawn a few things and got $500. I ordered the $10,000 card and I got my card delivered to me by Ups 4 days later. I never believed my eyes! I was excited and upset as well, I managed to withdraw $2000 on the ATM and $2500 the second day. I went to Walmart and a grocery store and bought a couple of things for $3000. The card got blocked the third day and I contacted them and I was told it's a mistake from my end. I'm so happy, I have started all over again and have a good apartment with my kids you can contact him through is via email ([email protected])Visit there wesbite:https://officialhackingcom.wixsite.com/official

I spoke with a very nice, understanding gentleman named Al Smith this afternoon regarding a complex situation I have with a business account and some difficulties I am having with a former partner and an SBA loan. Al Smith did a great job explaining to me his abilities and limitations in helping me, and I left the call feeling understood. Although I may still have lingering issues related to the call tomorrow, I feel that Al Smith will do his best to monitor the situation and inform me of any changes. It might be all that he can do, but I felt his compassion at my misfortune. I can only hope that what can worked out is worked out.

A have had great expereince with Sovereign, Stop complaining that you got hit with an overdraft charge because you didnt have enough money in your acct to cover the charge. Acct holders (you complaining) signed the paperwork before the acct was opened. Keep track of your money and stop blaming and slandering the bank..

Been with them since they were Berks County Bank. Haven't had any major issues to report. Worst issue is when they were trying to jam Overdraft Protection down my throat.

The new Sovereign Debit Mastercard works great. My existing PIN works without incident at ATMs. Selecting credit everywhere the Mastercard is accepted to make purchases against my checking account is an added bonus. I have been with this bank for nearly 5 years, this bank is a much more convient bank, when compared to past banks I have used.

The Default on this website is NEGATIVE. Even though I submitted this comment and gave this bank high marks. I originally left the "overall experience" field blank, this website defaulted to "Negative".

The new Sovereign Debit Mastercard works great. My existing PIN works without incident at ATMs. Selecting credit everywhere the Mastercard is accepted to make purchases against my checking account is an added bonus. I have been with this bank for nearly 5 years, this bank is a much more convient bank, when compared to past banks I have used.

I have been with this bank since I was 15 years old I am 55 will be 56 in July. I have stuck with you through all the name changes and what ever elese happenend. I have had free checking for years.I got the notice about the new cards in the mail, so I called customer service to see if there were going to be any changes to my account. The customer service rep said NO. I have three checking accounts, two savings accounts, and my retirement (401K) in your bank. About a week and a half later I got a letter thanking me for changing my account to a preferred checking. I called customer service and told them I didn't authorise anyone to change my account. Theres no way I woulkd give up my totally free checking and agree to keep $2500.00 in the bank and if I don't you will charge me $25.00 a month. I am layed off and get unemployment right now. Your rep told me sorry there is nothing we can do. I said you make a mistake and I have to pay for it. So I went in my bank where i do business and the branch manager looked up the accounts and said she did't understand how they could change the accounts when they don't have direct deposits. It was her understanding you have to have direct deposit.So she looked things up in the computer and emailed the person who made the mistake its almost two weeks now and they have not emailed or called her back she has sent the person several emails. I have been going in and checking with her still no responce.It is sad when you don't have enough respect for your own co-worker to respond to an e-mail. The bottom line is it makes the branch managers job hard this is my own opinion I was a store manager for 9 years before they layed me off in may of 2010

I have been a Sovereign customer for business and personal , both have savings and checking. My only complaint We live in Leicester, they closed the branch on main st.
Most business release checks on Fridays. I try to get to Spencer (which closes at 4:00pm)
So i try to make Park Ave branch for 5:00
Impossible. You need to extend Spencer branch
to atleast 5:00 pm for small business concerns. Tom Cunningham 508-523-0033

When I called this bank concerning a fee, the customer service agent was friendly and knowledgeable. She informed me what the small fee was for and how I could completely avoid this fee in the future. Exceptional customer service was exhibited during this call, and I would recommend this bank to others.

I am extremely happy with the service I received at your Kingston, MA. branch. I am a long time customer with numerous accounts and loans with the bank. Kash Khan, Asst. V.P. , took a lot of time and showed great knowledge and creativity to help me through a complex series of changes and transactions. He was patient and courteous all the way. My relationship with Soverign was firmly cemented.

This is a bank that understands customers financial needs. While I have been a customer for many years, I am always happy with my service. It isn't just one branch, it is every branch I go to. The representatives have great knowledge and always have a smile. I tired opening an account at another bank, because that bank was offering money at the time. What a mistake. Other banks have to offer you money to be customer, at Sovereign, they know what is most important- customer service!

I have actually had a fantastic experience with Sovereign Bank. It is the only bank I have used where I felt like I had a personal relationship with my banker. I know him by name and he knows my whole life story practically. I am familiar enough with him to write him emails and he can carry out changes for me over the phone. Mr. Kalaw is the reason I remain a Sovereign customer even though I have moved to an area of the country where that bank does not have branches or ATM machines. I have never had anything other than fantastic customer service from them.