M&T Bank

Warning For Former WT Direct Customers Who Are Now M&T Bank Customers - Terrible News
- rman - Sunday, September 4, 2011 - 9:49 AM

M&T completed their acquisition of WT Direct recently. They moved over the WT Direct customers to M&T last weekend -- and the results are APPALLING! This could be the WORST direct banking experience ever....

1) M&T charges $3.00 for an outgoing ACH!!!!

2) M&T has a $10,000 per day OUTGOING limit!!!

3) M&T won't let you access more than $10,000 per day UNLESS you go into a branch. And if you want to close the account and request a check, they require that a letter be sent via US Mail (they won't accept any faxes).

I found that the M&T customer service reps (with their overly solicitious "we apologize for any inconvenience") talk like with brain-dead zombies....who have no clue about "customer service". Adding insult to injury, their interest rates are considerably lower than Ally Bank, Amex Direct, etc.

Anyone who was happy with WTDirect will be horrified by M&T Bank -- and if you have a large balance that you need to withdraw (and you aren't near a branch), allow weeks to get at your money (and $3 per withdrawal too!)

Most Ignorant And Worst Bank Hands Down
- ryan_snyder - Saturday, November 27, 2010 - 1:53 PM

I don't recommend M&T at all. I called in for a stop loan payment on my checking account that is automatically withdrawn 2 weeks in advance and to have some kind of payment book or mail delivered to me so i can get them the money. This is all due to the fact that im vacationing in California for awhile and M&T doesn't exist out here. so the customer service gentleman told me everything was cool after i gave him the information he asked for to complete the task. Down the road i hadn't received any mail and went on-line to check. Sure enough there's a overdraft of $81.92 and the loan payment normally of $45.71. So i called their very rude customer service and explained things very rationally and calmly tho no lie i was extremely pissed when they were telling me there was no record of anything and there was nothing they could do. I spoke to the woman very nicely even tho she was a very rude customer service rep about the situation and i just wanted to reverse the charge that was made and have the paperwork that i needed to make the payments sent to me to California from Pennsylvania so they could get their money. i just didn't want the overdraft charge due to MAYBE SOMEONE POSSIBLY HADN'T DONE THEIR JOB???? I eventually spoke to a supervisor and explained it to her. She was even more nasty. I talked to her about the gentleman who possible hadn't done his job but she would not have any of my side of the story.Throwing bank regulations and policies at me raising her voice every-time i would try to get a word in. As there was no proof except the time i called it in which should be proof enough that i DID speak to this gentleman. There are many things they could have done for me and we couldve worked it out but M&T throws a fit over a small $37 overdraft fee that they lost my business once i pay them the $81 i "owe" them. Most customer service centers and bank personnel respect those customers who try to understand the banks side and not scream at employees when something goes wrong. Most Bank employees will try to help you and do what they can if you present your case nicely... Not M&T My advice i was being responsible with the knowledge i was given. I was respectful and courteous to the staff because if i was them i wouldn't want someone screaming at me either. In the end you just get stepped on by M&T. Worst Bank experience but its just my opinion.

aside from the above statment.
Very nasty customer service, tons of hidden fees and fine print, takes forever for a check or transaction to clear, employees dont have any compassion or common sense; they are a slave to the bank and will spew the regulations at you till they pass out.

M&T is by far the worst bank ive ever dealt with and this experience is just one of many problems m&t has given me. Save the trouble and go elsewhere.

False Advertising; Liars; Cheats
- laura17318 - Wednesday, December 15, 2010 - 9:00 AM

We've had an account here for only 3 months. They said we got rewards for using our debit/credit card and that we had to do all transactions as credits and sign or we would be charged for pin/debit purchases. I wasn't crazy about only using the charge side of the card, but both of our last banks didn't have rewards and I thought that was great that they had it and it was a good trade off. BOY WERE WE DECEIVED!!! In 3 months, over $10,000 has come through our checking account without being eligible for reward points. Apparently, they don't sign you up when you join (quite a benefit, huh?), and even though they advertise it as a benefit, they don't give it to you and even though it is THEIR error, they will not give me "points" for all the eligible purchases I've made and should have gotten points for. AND, I don't have to put my John Hancock out there for every Tom, Dick and Harry to see. I am not charged for pin/debit charges (I found out today). Apparently, I was lied to. I won't be eligible for any reward points if I use the debit/pin, but I'm not getting them anyway, so who cares? And though ALL ATM transactions are free; and although all pin/debit transactions are processed like ATM withdraws; (the following quote is from a MandT customer service rep)" pin/debits transactions at say, Walmart, are for SPECIFIC amounts unlike ATM withdraws". Apparently, you will be charged, depending on the type of account you have. I think the person setting up your account aught to know what types of accounts the bank offers and the specifics of each. I think we would have done better to get and read a pamphlet first. I guess, $20, $40 and $100 are not specific amounts (typical ATM withdrawl option examples). A long-time friend that worked for them had recommended them. She left FT employment to care for elderly parents and I don't have the heart to tell her that her beloved bank is a CROOK!!! If you want cheated, lied to and a company that WON'T FIX THEIR OWN MISTAKES, then this bank is for you. In the words of Mand T and all the other crappy and/or rip-off companies' customer service reps, "Have a nice day."

Don't Bother...They Can't Even Open An Account Online Right!
- LOVELESS92 - Thursday, September 1, 2011 - 7:56 AM

I opened my account online about 2 months ago and I am seriously regretting it. They sent me a checkcard right away, but didn't send any temporary checks or even the freaking account number.  The idiot customer service reps couldn't even give it to you over the phone and told me that I would have to physically go into a branch to get the account number. So I go into the branch, get the account number, and then call customer service to attempt to set up online banking.  Call customer service and they tell me that the account number isn't in the system. So I go back to the branch and ask them what's up? They then tell me I have to make a $25.00 deposit in order for the account to become active. WHY DO YOU THINK I NEEDED THE ACCOUNT NUMBER IDIOTS? So I deposit $25.00 cash to make the account "active" so I can now call customer service.

Mind you, I never received my account number or disclosures in the mail.  Not once. About a month or two later I make 4 ATM withdrawals for the first time.  Not only do you have to pay the ATM Withdrawal fee, but M&T charges you an addition $2.00 for each withdrawal so instead of a withdrawal just costing the ATM Fee at the ATM its that plus $2.00 from the bank bringing your withdrawal fee to $4.00+ on every transaction.  I rarely go to the ATM and realized I didn't take out enough the first go around and had to go back a few times which is something I never do.I call customer service, same rude reps that say it can't be refunded, won't be refunded, and the ATM fee was in the disclosures...the disclosures I never received because they never sent them to me! Basically 4 withdrawals at the ATM cost me about $20 in ATM fees.

Run!! If you DON'T plan on using the ATM, wanting an account number, or even professional customer service representatives, then this is the bank for you.  All this is not worth getting so called "free checking" account. I primarily do my major banking with credit unions and decided to open this account because it was close to my office for small deposits I don't feel like going to the credit union for.  This bank is the WORST!

Customer Service
- pp5484294 - Monday, August 1, 2011 - 12:30 PM

I have 3 accounts with M&T for 11 years and will close them all.

Customer service is terrible!  My average wait time for a simple transaction is 14 minutes and they couldn’t care less.  They are not at all helpful! Not friendly!  Not apologetic!

The branches are ugly!

The cut off time is 2 30 while all other banks in my area cut off at 5 or later

The hours are not accommodating

Transactions take forever to clear

Drive thru is a hassle till a teller comes

To summarize I checked out many other banks and there is no reason to bank with them there is nothing they provide that others don’t and there is lots that other banks provide and M&T does not.  I spook to the branch manager and regional manager many times but got no where !  

 

Safe Deposit Box Policy
- raleigh27 - Thursday, March 10, 2011 - 9:16 AM

Do not open a safe deposit box at any M&T Bank.

If you do or already have one, make sure that you never close out a safe deposit box before your paid up year / annual fee is up.  While most other banks will prorate a refund for the portion of the year that remains.  M & T Bank does NO refund.  I had a safe deposit box with them for many years.  The $125 annual box fee was paid in full in January.  The box was closed out in mid-March --- approximately $90 they keep.  The "theft" of this is that they can still rent the box during the time that remains of my $90 and make an additional $90.  The "customer service" staff just kept repeating the "company line."  This is true double dipping.

-- consumer rip-off at its best.

There should be a NO star rating available. That is what M&T would receive.

Customer Service
- goodeats - Sunday, December 11, 2011 - 3:55 PM

Ever since M&T took over Wilmington Trust, It has been a big hassle. I called about a $400+ fee that had showed up in my account, and after being redirected  three times, was told it was happening to everyone that day!? Got a promise of a call back.....never got one, but at least the fees were taken off. Also, had about $2600 worth of checks returned with no explanation, with available funds over the returned amount....had to call 6 times to get a response.... said they would call back...they never did. Just got charged $175- in fees for this...one month later....called customer service, gave me a boss at my branch in Newark, DE....he was mad they gave me his direct line! Had an assistant call me 7 hours later...said he didn't have time to look into it till after the weekend. My guess is he won't.

Running a business is hard now, and having to check your account daily for bank errors is getting to be a hassle, especially when you know they don't care. I really miss the stellar service of Wilmington Trust. They were such an asset to my business...M&T is a bad liability.

Charging Fees For Using My Money
- cornath - Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 10:34 AM

I've had an M&T account since I was in high school (31 years) and am currently unemployed.  My unemployment ran out (amazing how hard it is to find a job as a laid off 48 year old corporate trainer) and I have to live on what little is left in my bank account.  I sometimes transfer money from my saving to checking account to cover charges; I just got a letter saying that FDIC regulations permit this to happen 6 times a month, but M&T charges $10 each after 4.  News to me, so I called customer service and ended up talking to Jennifer, whose title was (believe it or not) "Relationship Banker!"  She succeeded in single handedly turning me off from M&T.  Her "relationship" skills involved telling me "it's policy." 

Having been a corporate business trainer for over 15 years, I know how business works.  She didn't.  I've probably had my bank account longer than she's been alive.  She was rude, unemotional, and unhelpful.  I was, BTW, very cordial at first, then firm without being mean later on (and I have a witness to this!)  I know you don't get good service by being an ass.  I kept my cool and eventually got her to reverse the charges, but I will start looking into credit unions tomorrow and finally end my long-term relationship with M&T as soon as humanly possible.

 

Why can't I give zero stars???

Terrible Experience Of Former WT Direct Customer
- lamer0 - Monday, November 7, 2011 - 11:06 AM

My account was transferred from Wilmington Trust Direct to M&T, and that was a disaster. The process to get access to my account again took more than an hour on the phone, with very unfriendly CSRs. A few months later my account DISAPPEARED! I could log in online, but the account was nowhere to be found. After I called them, they told me that the account was deemed dormant, with claimed 'years' of not being used, although it was only a few months of non-usage and even fewer months since the account was tranferred. First they told me to visit a branch to resolve it, but searching for the closest branch to Miami, FL turned out nothing, and I could not find branches without entering any zip code (and have no idea which zip code I should search for). The headquarters seem to be in Buffalo, NY, which would mean that I have to travel 1200 miles to redeem $40! :-D During my last call they promised to send me a form to perform that task, so now waiting for that and see how the adventure continues.

I do not understand how a bank, even local one, can stay in business with such archaic procedures in place and such unfriendly and rude personnel. Maybe it is seized account money that people do not bother redeeming which keeps them afloat...

Had The Misfortune Of Having These Idiots Buy My Mortgage
- HomeOwner1029 - Friday, January 6, 2012 - 3:10 PM

After having my mortgage for a year without one single problem with my old mortgage servicer, I have had several in a couple months with M&T.  They called to greet me as a new customer to ask if I had any questions, but when I asked them if I could pay biweekly they had no idea.  And they didn't refer me to anyone to find out.  Why the heck did they even call, then?  What a waste of time!

Next, they now need all these new documents that my old bank didn't need.  The heck with them, I am not sending them anything. 

Finally, if you pay at the end of the month but the payment takes a couple days to get to them to be processed, they call you at your work and treat you like a deadbeat.  They called me on the 6th of the month, even though the grace period for paying is until the 15th.  Not sure what the point of that is, they acted like I was about to get foreclosed on or something, they should spend thier time on people months behind, not a couple days.  Just for that, I will pay on the 15th online from now on just to piss them off!

How can something so simple get screwed up so bad?  All they need to do is accept my mortgage payments and leave me alone.  No calls, no document requests, no berating me.  I hope another bank buys them and lays off all thier idiot employees.

Over Charging Small Business And High Interest Rates
- kimletke - Wednesday, January 4, 2012 - 12:53 AM

M & T Bank raised my rate to 15.98 percent after taking 600 million in TAFT Money and bailing them out to also purchase Provident bank in Maryland who also took 50 Millikon at the same time.

 

The small business cash flow line of credit  is extremly unfair and loan sharking and the Government needs to Investiaget the business pratices and Look at the loan they gave m & T at the same time they are able to purchase a bank,