ComplaintsforFirst Hawaiian Bank

• Initial Complaint

  03/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Dear First Hawaiian Bank,I am writing to dispute the alleged debt currently being pursued by your organization, It has come to my attention that this debt is subject to the arbitration agreement outlined in the First Hawaiian Bank agreement, to which I am a party.I am aware that initiating arbitration involves significant costs, and given that your organization likely acquired this debt for pennies on the dollar, I am offering you an opportunity to settle this matter amicably before pursuing legal action. I propose a settlement amount of $6,000, which accounts for the mental distress, anxiety, emotional distress, and financial hardship that this situation has caused me.Furthermore, as part of the settlement agreement, I insist on the following:Payment of $6,000 as compensation for the aforementioned distress and hardship.Removal of any reporting of this debt from all credit reporting agencies.This settlement offer is contingent upon your prompt response and compliance within [reasonable timeframe, e.g., 30 days] from the date of this notice.In accordance with 15 USC 1692c(c), I demand that you cease and desist from all illegal activities and mediums of communication regarding this debt, including any communication on a consumer report, except for your response via mail with a settlement check or a letter notifying me of the deletion of the account from my consumer report.Should you choose not to accept this settlement, I want to make it clear that I am fully prepared to initiate arbitration proceedings. The associated fees and costs will be substantial and include:Filing Fee for both parties.Arbitration Initiation Fee.Arbitration Deposit.Legal Costs incurred throughout the arbitration process.It is in both our interests to resolve this matter amicably and avoid unnecessary expenses associated with arbitration.I expect a timely response to this notice, and I trust that we can reach a fair resolution.Sincerely,*********************************

  

  Business response

  03/21/2024

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 3/21/24.

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have an auto loan through First Hawaiian Bank- in October 2023 I set up auto payments to begin December 2023. In late December, I got a notification from my credit report that stating I had a payment that was 30 days late and my credit dropped 100 points. I went into the branch to see what happened and they acknowledged that something on their end when wrong and the payment had not been pulled out. I made all payments to make the account current again, but my credit still suffered. I went back into the branch to file a non monetary form to dispute my credit remarks, the bank filled out the form and claimed they filed it, however I asked for a copy and they would not provide one. I left and called customer service in which they said the non monetary form is not on file. I have spoken to at least 10 customer service reps and been into the branch and dealt with 5 different people and I still have no answers.

  

  Business response

  03/08/2024

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 3/8/24.

• Initial Complaint

  12/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My mother, *****************************, took out a HELOC loan to repair water damage in her home in June of 2022. After her home was repaired and the insurance money came in, the *** HELOC was paid off. *** then deducted $41.00 from mom's account, with her approval, to remove the lien against her home with the ********************* on 9/12/2022. Mom went to the ******* Branch of *** in mid November 2023 to follow up with them to see if the lien was removed because *** assured her that it would be. After speaking with a *** rep, mom was told that this situation was not resolved. *** person that was helping her was very apologetic because *** did not follow up on this for 15 months and would be taking care of this situation expeditiously. *** also asked my parents to follow up as well. WHAT? You want my 82 year old mother to follow up? A SENIOR CITIZEN with HEARING and EMOTINAL DISTRESS with this **** on her home ARE YOU KIDDING ME? An 81 year old father who was in **************** for 2 months this year (nearly died) and another 2 months for rehab at the Chinese Home in Palolo ARE YOU KIDDING ME?My parents are working with an attorney to create a TRUST and their home is part of that BUT, because there is a **** on their home when there shouldn't be, the TRUST is on pause until this matter with the ********************* is resolved. *** has been apologetic with regards to this situation but this waiting for ********************************************************************************* WEEKLY. I will also follow up with the *** now that I have a copy of the check that was paid to them. *** said they may be able to help with the CHECK# provided by ***. This has turned into a nightmare for my elderly parents as well as my sister and I. All we are looking for is for *** to get the **** DRAMA cleared up!!! After that maybe we look for another bank HELP PLEASE!

  

  Business response

  12/29/2023

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 12/29/2023.

  Customer response

  01/09/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

  Customer response

  01/10/2024

  I appreciate the BBBs involvement with expediting my request to a speedy resolution thank you all so much youve made a difference!

• Initial Complaint

  12/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I am writing to seek BBB's assistance to resolve the issue with First Hawaiian Bank. I am Japanese, a resident of ******, and a long-time customer of **********************. I filed the dispute case 2307190030C this July regarding a dog food purchase made online for $214.53. I filed a dispute claim on July 15th, stating that the dog food made my pet sick, and requested a refund from the company. However, I have not received any refund from the company even after two months, and they advised me to contact the bank for further investigation. After several correspondences, *** once refunded money but later reversed back money, stating the dispute was declined. I called the *** dispute center in October and was advised that the case was denied due to insufficient information. The representative asked me to send all documents to *** or one of the branch offices. I sent all documents to the *** address by certified mail. The record shows it was delivered on 11/7. I have not heard anything for three weeks, so I called the dispute center on 11/28. After waiting 10 mins, the representative said my case was denied due to not received information at a specific time. I explained that I called *** in October and sent all the documents by certified mail. She said she only requested the supervisor to see if they could reopen the case. I asked whether any actions were taken for the last three weeks since all the documents were received, but she did not answer my question. I contacted the *** Japanese helpdesk to seek assistance on 11/28; they acknowledged and said to relay the message to the proper department. But still no response from ***. ***'s customer service was terrible and unprofessional. I will change to another Bank once this case is resolved. I can't trust *** and seek assistance from BBB to resolve this case. All documents are attached.

  

  Business response

  12/15/2023

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 12/15/2023.

  Customer response

  12/21/2023

   
  Complaint: 20964705
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the case is still under review and not resolved. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  

  Business response

  01/12/2024

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 1/12/24.

  Customer response

  01/18/2024

   
  Complaint: 20964705
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the case has not being resolved yet. Until the response from merchant is finalized , the case is still pending . 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  

  Business response

  01/31/2024

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 1/31/24.

  Customer response

  02/01/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  11/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have have banked with First Hawaiian Bank for 18 years with Mortgages and loans and checking and savings accounts and credit cards. I have always paid my loan's on time and completely. I have paid ************ and and cards on or before due dates. Last year I have a credit cards ending xx9682 that I paid off completely August 25,2022. I used the card on a trip to Tahiti at the last week of October 2022. Payment due date of this card is the 21 st of the month. In November my ***** banking showed no payment due. In December it showed $320.00 due and I paid the amount. I called and reported this as it was a double payment. They said it was an error. I was waved the late fee and they reported to me and my banker in ******* it that the error was taken of. There was nothing on my credit report until September 2023 when I checked my credit report it showed a 39 day late payment in December of 2022. I filed multiple disputes with my banker. She made multiple calls as I did. There is no response. No return calls and no correspondence regarding this dispute. I want this error corrected. I want that First Hawaiian Bank remove the 30 day late from my credit report immediately!

  

  Business response

  12/07/2023

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 12/7/2023.

• Initial Complaint

  11/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The four thousand cash put in two envelopes marked 2k each was well counted at home prior to my going to First Hawaiian Bank ********** Branch on Nov 06 9 am., to deposit these in the joint account after depositing the three rent checks in my sole account. I handed the ****************** envelope to the teller , counting the bills with me also doing visual count. The total bills counted was 100 of $20 bills. I gave the second envelope afterwards with $2,000 total for deposit. I noticed she made unconventional moves like stashing some bills inside the till (?) and putting others atop the group of bills she counted from the first envelope, She filled in a deposit slip for $4,000 , handed this to me for initials . Then she put all the bills on the countertop inside the money counter. When done, she said the total money I have given was only two thousand dollars. So the second envelope with money just vanish in thin air? Thats not acceptable! so the more I make noisy protests.Another personnel came to check her till and told me its balanced so she is right: the money from me was only two thousand. ***** stashed away in the till from the second envelope while she counted these contributed to balancing her money in the till. Anyway, I protested noisily because it didnt make sense that the money in the second envelope just vanish. Then her supervisor came and told me to wait for the security camera video footage. I asked if I can see it as well. She said not without a court order. Then after minutes of waiting, she said that the envelopes has only a thousand dollars each not two thousand dollars as I declared and as counted by the teller. This makes the situation worse and more unbelievable. The teller revealed her ineptness when she told the supervisor she cannot even be sure if the first envelope has two thousand dollars. Really? after counting so slow that I was able to make a visual count of every piece of bill myself , now she says these? She is unfit to do tellering!

  Customer response

  11/23/2023

  My biggest argument in the way the cash deposit procedure was done is this: why did the teller count the money in the first envelopemanually and did not put it in the money counter  if she was not sure of the amount to be two thousand dollars as what she later  said to the supervisor ? Also why did the teller made out a deposit slip for ***** dollars , have me initial it after she finished counting the money in the second envelope which I told her upon handing it to her to have ***** dollars also? Did the teller has a balance account prior to handling my cash deposit? The one auditing her when the controvery arosed did not say so. And why did the supervisor tell me "maybe some of the cash spill over your bag.I am a Chemist by profession doing quality control jobs in the manufacturing industries;  teaching college ******************** at ********  and ******** U;  and then sponsored for  MBA degree by the U.S. Agency for ************************* under their  management training program. ********** government granted me a Merit Scholarship to study  Graduate Diploma in Business Information Technology . I got qualified for the  Independent Professional Immigration  to ********* thus I was an ********** citizen when my husband who I met in ******** in **** married me in ********* and brought me back to *** in ****. I have an IQ high enough to analyze  events and peoples' questionable acts to deceive or rip me off. The way they treated me at the bank  showed that they thought I am 63 years old as shown by my Driver's license and I have some white hair as I dont want to dye my hair, and I can easily be deceived and made to believe whatever they want me to believe. Please let them show me the video although I know it can be altered to hide what they want to hide. 

  

  Business response

  12/20/2023

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 12/20/2023.

  Customer response

  01/11/2024

  In response to the second letter of the First Hawaiian bank Executive dated 1/04/2024:

  As I observed,  the transaction of the cash deposit started when the teller received the first envelope of cash containing  $2,000 ( tenants paying  cash for her rent , counted the money with me before I put these in  the envelope of which later, I added $400 taken from another envelope of another  tenant's cash payment prior to marking  this envelope with 2k and putting it with the  3 checks for deposit on monday, Nov 06 2023 ).  When the teller issued the deposit slip for my initials, she already finished  the manual counting of the cash in each envelopes I gave her one at a time. Please note that I gave the teller the second envelope after she manually counted the contents of the first envelope and set it aside. She should have told me its not $2,000 if she was not sure that its not as what she told the Supervisor later (when asked about the amount in the first envelope during the investigation).  The executive who wrote the 1/04/2024 letter claimed that the deposit slip was done at the start of the transaction which is not what happened . I hope he will review the video showing how this cash transaction was done by the teller. The money recycler could have been used to count the cash without doing the manual counting to save time and eliminate human error of being unsure how much is the total amount given. I thought its the reason why banks invest in money counters and recyclers. I was in a hurry for my appointment in the Pearl ****** legal office that day so I just hand in the envelope of cash to the teller without recounting it again in front of her. This has cost me the loss of $2,000 cash from tenants' rent payments. I was too trusting as other bank's tellers  dutifully   count cash money handed to them by merchants and those earning cash tips for delivering items. They take note how much is the amount they counted. If there is descrepancy with what the depositor declared, they notify the depositor right after manual counting .  This teller however never said anything after counting the cash in the first envelope so I gave her the second envelope, telling her it has the other  $2,000  cash ( tenant's  rent payment with additional $400 before I marked the envelope 2k). Her way of conducting the transaction is substandard  in terms of speed,  and accuracy. If she cannot count fast and accurate enough, she should have put all the money right away( starting with the first envelope) into the money recycler.Why wait for the second envelope to be handed in and again waste time counting the cash in it manually? Did she not understand what the money recycler is for?  
  

  When I told the head teller  to give me back my money instead of agreeing to make a deposit of only $2,000  after all the cash from the two envelopes were put in the money recycler, the head teller handed me the cash in the recycler excluding  the bills that were put inside the tiller's drawer while she was counting the cash in the second envelope I handed to her. 

  I never encountered such kind of processing a  cash deposit  with any other teller from all the banks I banked with. The money rercycler vendor I spoke with said that it depends how the bank use the cash recycler. So I better request the bank personnel  to explain to me how their money recycler works t. I need  to clear the doubts still with me regarding the questionable cash deposit  transaction. My research on  money recycler, says it  can do more than just count, classify and detect bogus money put in it.

  I only use cash to pay the taxi. That week and the week prior, my friend drove me to run errands with her  Audi and I paid her with personal check. I wanted to deposit the four thousand cash from rent payments and only leave $760. at the home office since its our policy not to keep much cash at home office. Evrything else is paid by one credit card and personal checks. So accounting and auditing are made easy for me and my CPA. Until now, I am short of  $2,000   after the cash deposit of $4,000 was cancelled after the bank teller said I only gave her $2,000 total  and I insisted to give my money back including the deposit slip I initialed after the manual counting of the cash in both envelopes. .   
  

  Customer response

  01/11/2024

  Please read statement prior to this and send it to the bank

  

  Business response

  02/22/2024

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 2/20/24.

• Initial Complaint

  11/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  10/25/2023 Checking ****************** Fee Requested By **********

  Customer response

  11/21/2023

  Like said I did not authorize the money taken from my account. 
  When inquired I was told that this is a service they provide for business, I say then that the.
  ******* corporate should pay.
  Not me being taken advantage of.
  Tell me would you like being ripped off? So I asked want can we do.
  So this doesn't happen again?
  They won't do anything as this is.
  A service they offer to businesses 
  I asked why didn't you just close.
  My account that close I had $13.00 Dollars  in the account.
  The fact is that ******* didn't.
  Need to do this as I gave them,
  The account records from January to date.They simply 
  Don't care bank or other wise.
  I'm a senior citizen on SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY.
  There should be a law to protect.
  The elderly.
  ***********************.

  

  Business response

  12/05/2023

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 12/5/2023.
  Enclosures were mailed with the letter but is not attached due to security reasons.

  Customer response

  12/07/2023

   
  Complaint: 20808228
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  This was not needed as provided all necessary documents needed
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  10/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have priority destinations world elite card which provides travel protections that includes travel interruptions such as flight delays and cancellations. I purchased my entire travel with my card and on oct 8, there was flight cancellation by alaska air due to bad weather at *** which led me to miss my transfer flight from *** to ***. I had to stay overnight at a hotel and also purchase new tickets by a different carrier the next day. I tried calling the card and it was closed as it was sunday. I tried for the next three days to get reimbursed but they bounced me from **** to **** and today they told me to call mastercard assist and after 1 hr and 48 min of filing a claim, they suddenly told me that it is FHB responsibility. FHB and mastercard are shifting the blame on each other when there is a clear obligation by the fhb to reimburse me for hotel and new flight, which is also written in their benefits PDF as attached. I cannot wait another one hour to get through FHB priority destinations because I already tried calling them for three days. Because ****** and hawaiian air gave me refund and credit, i am seeking from FHB my hotel stay and new flight tickets I had to buy. ****** (united airl)+190.94(hotel)= ******.

  Customer response

  10/11/2023

  I forgot to add additional 45 dollars as attached, for the seat selection that I had to do with united air. total disputing charge amount is ****** USD.

   

  

  Business response

  10/19/2023

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 10/19/2023.

  Customer response

  10/20/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************

• Initial Complaint

  07/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This review is against First Hawaiian Bank for their allegedly unfair overdraft and NSF ********************* practices which have cost me paying overdraft fees for items that have been paid by direct debit or have had funds removed by First Hawaiian Bank, to be placed on a hold resulting in overdraft fees.My account had money in it, I spent most of that money on items using a direct debit for purchases either online or in stores. First Hawaiian Bank will not only deduct the funds for those items directly from my account, but attach those funds to a hold and place a hold for 5 to 7 days on the item purchased. My account now has deducted the amount that needed to be paid, however, multiple items have also been placed on hold as well due to multiple purchases that might or have been made. All while funds were available in the account. During this hold period, if one item should cause your account to go negative, not only will that 1 item get charged an overdraft fee, which is absolutely reasonable. The unreasonable part is when all the items that have been purchased previously, and have funds attached or pulled from the account prior, are being charged overdraft fees as well. Ex. You have 8 items that funds were available for, but placed on a 5-7 day hold. 1 item randomly hits your account and causes your account to go into overdraft. 9 items get charged for overdraft fees as per First Hawaiians Bank policies?This not only doesn't seem honest but at the same time not fair for consumers whom have already paid for the items purchased to receive an overdraft fee, when the funds have been pulled by First Hawaiian Bank in the first place. First Hawaiian Bank considers its consumers at fault for their negligence in accounting and charges them drastically without the offer or ability to assist in refunding those fees.

  

  Business response

  07/21/2023

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 7/21/2023.

  Customer response

  07/28/2023

   
  Complaint: 20323526
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  After a merchant places a hold on the funds, the funds have been removed from my account. Generally, most banks consider this paid. First Hawaiian will forcibly place items on hold, remove funds and force overdraft fees for items that have already been paid for. 

  If the funds weren't removed by First Hawaiian Bank, I wouldn't have overdraft fees associated with the items as debit purchases because those funds would be there.

  When First Hawaiian places on hold after removing the amount from the account which forces these direct debit funds to magically dissapear. There in lies your problem. Since First Hawaiian removes the funds, there should be no overdraft fees period for these holds forced on consumers.

  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  06/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  From 6/14 to 6/15 First Hawaiian Bank charged me 6 over draft fees, 5 of which were in 24 hours and the other was just now, after a glitch in FHB's online app allowing an overdraft to occur from their end. When calling for help, I spoke to several different people who were all unhelpful and had no ability to help other than give me back $90 of their own overdraft fees (of $160). This was the best they could do as a "courtesy" with no questions and all push back. I've banked with them for almost 10 years and can't believe they would do this to their customers. I attempted to close out my account and got it to a zero balance, but was then met with the last over draft fee. My attempt at closing at my account fell to silence and I am now expected to pay out another $30 over draft fee. I have yet to speak to someone professional or understanding and will therefore move to another bank if this situation is ever resolved.

  

  Business response

  06/23/2023

  Attached is the Bank's response to complaint ID ******** which was mailed to the customer on 6/23/2023.

*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. ↩