ComplaintsforWestfield Bank

• Initial Complaint

  10/31/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In summary, not the kind of people I’d want handling my money…Earlier this month I called to inquire about the remaining balance of my loan. It’s been over 5 years since I opened it, so I don’t have the paperwork handy. The CSR I spoke to told me that I only had a month left on my loan & provided remaining balance. *Please note that I specifically asked for the remaining balance of my loan NOT payoff amount - she provided a single number which included an undisclosed fee for early payoff.* I asked if I could simply pay it off, and she said yes no problem - just keep in mind that I was accruing $0.07 in interest per day if the payment couldn’t be submitted same day. They don’t take payments over the phone, so she directed me to their website to make a payment. Their janky online payment page doesn’t even show you a balance before paying. I was hesitant, but decided to pay anyway so I could focus on paying my student loans next month. Imagine my surprise I when I received a statement stating that there was $50 fee for early payoff. This fee was not disclosed by either of the 2 CSRs that I spoke to, the receipt I received from the payment portal, or visible on their website. Why I’m pissed off: I did not ask what the payoff value was, I asked what was left on my loan and the figure the rep provided me included the fee. That is dishonest. I never said I wanted to pay off the loan. I wanted to know what was left so I could understand how many payments were left because I need to budget. To make matters worse, the last manager I spoke to told me I was pretty close to the 30 day cutoff in which the fee would have been waived. All around this seems like a shady business. The employees I spoke to regarding the discrepancy were SO rude. My experience with this company leaves me feeling as if they are untrustworthy and only care about racking up as many fees as they can before they kick you to the curb. I will never do business with them again. Shame on you, Westfield Bank.

  

  Business response

  11/08/2023

  Our resolution is attached.

  

  Business response

  11/09/2023

  [BBB transcription via attachment]

   

  *This complaint was already handled internally. Customer lodged complaint with BBB. From ***** **** who resolved the complaint:
  
  Called and spoke to *********. Explained that the $50 prepayment fee was disclosed to her on her note and it applies to all loans that have that clause outside of 30 days. She was not happy that she was not told about the fee when she called in to get the balance of the loan and was given the payoff amount since she did not specify that she wanted the payoff even though she admitted that she asked for the remaining balance on the loan. Since we will not refund the $50 fee she is going to go to her bank and dispute the charge and have it pulled back. I explained she was welcome to do that and there would be a $30 charge for a returned check. She said she will then send in her October payment which is not late until after November 9th and then call and get a payoff. She is aware that she will be within the 30 days at that point and will not have to pay the $50 prepayment penalty, but will still owe the $30 return check fee.
  

  
  

  Customer response

  11/09/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The right thing to do is to refund the fee that your employees did not disclose, and to train your employees to be upfront with your fees.
  

  Since I paid it off only a few days before the penalty would have been automatically waived, your ridiculous rigidity in upholding this fee is simply beyond comprehension. 
  

  Could I dispute the charge with my bank because your incompetent CSRs decided to not disclose the fee and then resubmit payment to save $20? (this is calculated as $50 prepayment fee minus $30 returned check fee). As you’ve confirmed, I sure could! But instead, I think I’ll save the good folks over at ***** some time and make sure that I share my experience as often as I can as a cautionary tale of who NOT to do business with.

  Whether or not it is in the fine print of the documents I signed 6 years ago is irrelevant. Your CSR took advantage of the fact that I did not have any of that information on hand and I’m sure this is common practice at Westfield based on other reviews I’ve read.

  Have the day you deserve!

• Initial Complaint

  07/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We purchased a vehicle several years ago with the loan going through Westfield Bank. My husband called to get the payoff amount and I recently paid the loan off two months early. When we got the payoff statement, it showed a $50 prepayment fee. My husband was not told about the fee when he called for the payoff nor was I when I dropped the check off. I wouldn't have paid it off if I was made aware there was a prepayment fee. I didn't pay it off two years early...they were losing maybe $6 in interest. I called the bank to question it and request to have the fee waived. I was told by a CSR that they don't usually refund those fees and I told her I would like to talk to a loan officer. I was told I would be getting a phone call. Trying to be patient, this is what it has boiled down to. I have called a minimum of 5 times and walked into the ******* office requesting to speak with someone (also told AGAIN that I would get a phone call and told that it was only noted that I had called one time). This has been ongoing now for 4-5 weeks. No one has reached out to me...not by email or phone call. With my most recent call, I was told that the $50 prepayment fee was actually a fee that the dealership charges! Now, I don't believe that but regardless...their customer service is poor at best. They have just shown me that they really just don't care. We will not be doing any more business with them and I will not be recommending them.

  

  Business response

  08/09/2023

  We have received this complaint and it is being reviewed by the appropriate department. A response will be posted upon internal resolution.

  

  Business response

  08/11/2023

  Our resolution is attached.

  Customer response

  08/17/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:

  I made multiple calls requesting to speak with someone in the loan office, even stopping by the ******* branch in hopes of catching someone in loans there that would at least listen to my plea. With each phone call I made, I was told that someone would get back to me in a couple days to a week. I was told this when I stopped by their office also. No one ever called me back and I was told what I believe is a blatant lie by a representative (who told me the fee was one that the dealership put on and that the bank would not be able to waive it). By the way, I worked at bank for 16 years. I am just angry and livid about the way this was handled or I should say mishandled. The lack of caring and the lack of the ability of someone to take the time to get back to me speaks volumes. I will be referring any friends and family to my small town bank. 
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  07/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have my auto loan through this bank, as well as my checking account. At some point in time, there was a missed transfer of payment (I have it set up on auto pay) and my loan payment did not go through. I was not notified of this error and subsequent late fees. The bank said they sent postal mail to my billing address, however I do not reside at that address anymore, and the bank did not contact me in any other way, despite email being my preferred method of contact. I never received the notice that there was a late payment or any late fees on the account. When I attempted to contact the bank to resolve this, they told me they did not try to contact me any other way except via postal mail. After I said I did not receive the notice, they said this was “not due to bank error” (despite both of my accounts being through this bank) and they would not remove the charge. I am filing this to avoid the late fees charges because I did not know that I had missed a payment, and they have been charging me for that one missed payment for five months.

  

  Business response

  07/11/2023

  Westfield Bank acknowledges receipt of this complaint. At this time it is being sent through the appropriate channels at Westfield Bank for review. A response with a resolution will be given shortly.

  

  Business response

  07/20/2023

  Please see the attached formal complaint filed at Westfield Bank following internal procedures.

  Customer response

  07/25/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  These 'people' are scum trying to steal money from students. Why would someone who has their car payments on automatic payment, and has never missed a car payment in 4.5 years, go MIA when there is an attempted communication that the payment did not go through? The bank may not have made a clerical error, but there was in fact an error made when they decided to remain in the 1800's and only communicate via snail mail. In addition, this is the worst customer service handling I have EVER received. The 'people' "managing" this bank are fraudulent crooks, and I will not accept any resolution short of the removal of late fees. 

*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. ↩