ComplaintsforColumbia Bank

• Initial Complaint

  09/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On May 19, 2023 Columbia bank issued a bank check to the State of NJ on my behalf for the selling of my home. Subsequently Columbia Bank put a stop payment on said check, held my monies for 15 months and never let me, or the title company who is owned by Columbia bank, know. I only found out as State of NJ told me they never received the check, i called Columbia Bank and rep looked into it and told me that the stop payment had been put on last year. A supervisor, Amy, at the Corporate office was suppose to get back to me to let me know when and who issued the stop payment and an explanation as to why they sat on my money for 15 months and never let me know. she had me send her an email a week ago to which she responded that she would look into it. it's been a week now and still no response.

  Business response

  09/29/2024

  Ms. *******,
  
  As you know, First Jersey Title submitted a check with your estimated non-resident tax payment with the deed to the county clerk, which is required to be sent for deed recording. As the deed was properly recorded in May 2023, First Jersey Title reasonably believed the check was processed simultaneously, and have since learned that it was not processed. As a matter of course, a stop payment is issued on checks not cashed within one year, such that the stop payment was issued in or around August 2024. First Jersey subsequently re-issued the check and have confirmed that it was cashed on September 9, 2024. We appreciate the opportunity to resolve the matter for you.  

  Customer response

  09/29/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because I was initially told that the stop payment on the check was LAST YEAR and the representative was going to reach back out to me and tell me the exact date of the stop payment and who authorized, and also why i was not notified. The check had been issued on May 19, 2023. Your response mentions that after a year a stop payment was put on the check, which would have been May 19, 2024. why did no one reach out to me back in May, June, July or August until it was I who had to reach out to Columbia? why, when i called and spoke to Amy did she tell me she "assumed" that a stop payment was put on after a year ( which would have been May 2024) and that she would get back to me and has yet to and that was 9 days ago. Your response says about August 2024.

  Are you telling me that Columbia Bank cannot tell me when the date the stop payment was put on this check, who authorized, and why no one reached out to me? If i didn't try to track this down, you would still be sitting on my money. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  ****** ******* 

  Business response

  10/07/2024

  Ms. *******,
  
  Per your request, the original check was issued on May 19, 2023, and the stop payment was placed by Columbia Bank’s Accounting Department on August 7, 2024. As previously stated, as a matter of course, a stop payment is issued on checks not cashed within one year. You were not notified of this stop payment because the payee on the check was the State of New Jersey, who was responsible for issuing your tax credit. Nonetheless, we will review your feedback with our Title Agency, so that we can both explore additional reconciliation processes and prevent this from occurring in the future. If there is anything else we can do to resolve the matter, please let us know.

• Initial Complaint

  02/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Jan 31, 2023 I filled out application for checking account online. I was immediately denied. I was quite baffled by this as I have a credit rating of 825 and have never had an issue with a bank. After 9 phone calls I was told there was a glitch in their system that was automatically rejecting applications. That evening I received email stating I was approved, however I could not log in online. Made 3 more calls on Wednesday and could not get problem fixed so made appointment to go to ************* branch on Thursday 2/2/23. Went to branch on Thursday afternoon and by 3:00 PM all was well and could log in. Friday checked twice and all was still good. Saturday I find out that I am locked out of my account and can't access my funds because they need address verification. I went to email they sent and when I followed it I was back at my original online application. I know this because it stated I was making a $50 deposit, which I was originally going to do. However when I went to branch I deposited a check for $250. I then called customer service and the person on the phone could care less. Told me he could give me email address to send proof to but might take days before I could use my account. Fortunately the funds in there are not a big deal to me, but what if this happened to a mother trying to buy formula for her child and had no other money? How do you just lock someone out of their account with no warning, a mistake clearly made by bank for not asking for proof when I was in bank, and not have an instant remedy. I can't believe this bank can do this and truly think the ** ********** of ******* needs to look into Columbia's banking procedures. I unfortunately do not have the emails from before 2/2/23 because I erased on Friday 2/3/23 thinking all was set. Funny how they didn't need proof to take a deposit!! Consumers need to be aware of this Bank because someone could really be hurt by this Bank.

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