Anyone have experience with JP Morgan Chase?

rapidcobra72 said:Hypo is easily the worst, most shady bank in America.

Check out what happened to me:

I was overdrawn at Chase, and Hypo was running this promotion where if you switched over, they’d cover your overdraft with a loan or something similar... sounded great.

So I go in, they approve my line of credit $5667 and I immediately transfer it over to Zaba.
Since I stopped being a client, Zaba (which just pulls all those Mastercard and GoCard payments straight from the checking account—about $13333) put me on a blacklist, while Hypo promised me they'd ignore it and still give me the loan to refinance the debt at Zaba.

In the end, when I actually applied, everyone just washed their hands of it and claimed there's no credit available due to the economy.

Now I'm just stuck between two banks (them and Zaba).

Eventually had to use an Erste Bank loan to cover it all...

Honestly, stay far away from Hypo, people!!!

What’s the maximum amount they’re looking to cover?

rapidcobra72 As stated by:
I head over there, and they actually approve my overdraft! $5667 I’ll just wire that straight over to Zaba—boom, done!

So, what exactly did you do with that $17,000—I mean, precisely?—and why on earth didn't you ask for a larger amount if that wasn't enough to cover your needs?

rapidcobra72 said:Hypo is easily the worst, most shady bank in America.

Check out what happened to me:

I was overdrawn at Chase, and Hypo was running this promotion where if you switched over, they’d cover your overdraft with a loan or something similar... sounded great.

So I go in, they approve my line of credit $5667 and I immediately transfer it over to Zaba.
Since I stopped being a client, Zaba (which just pulls all those Mastercard and GoCard payments straight from the checking account—about $13333) put me on a blacklist, while Hypo promised me they'd ignore it and still give me the loan to refinance the debt at Zaba.

In the end, when I actually applied, everyone just washed their hands of it and claimed there's no credit available due to the economy.

Now I'm just stuck between two banks (them and Zaba).

Eventually had to use an Erste Bank loan to cover it all...

Honestly, stay far away from Hypo, people!!!

So, how exactly did you go about cutting ties with Zaba—and why? Did you just shut down every single account you had there? I mean, surely you didn't think that if you wanted to part ways with them, they wouldn't want to part ways with you—in other words, get their money back!

rapidcobra72 said:Hypo is easily the worst, most shady bank in America.

Check out what happened to me:

I was overdrawn at Chase, and Hypo was running this promotion where if you switched over, they’d cover your overdraft with a loan or something similar... sounded great.

So I go in, they approve my line of credit $5667 and I immediately transfer it over to Zaba.
Since I stopped being a client, Zaba (which just pulls all those Mastercard and GoCard payments straight from the checking account—about $13333) put me on a blacklist, while Hypo promised me they'd ignore it and still give me the loan to refinance the debt at Zaba.

In the end, when I actually applied, everyone just washed their hands of it and claimed there's no credit available due to the economy.

Now I'm just stuck between two banks (them and Zaba).

Eventually had to use an Erste Bank loan to cover it all...

Honestly, stay far away from Hypo, people!!!

I honestly see this as a case of mutual finger-pointing—you made that blatant attempt to cut all ties with Zaba, but let’s be real, Zaba was being just as "performative" about it! 🤷

rapidcobra72 said:Hypo is easily the worst, most shady bank in America.

Check out what happened to me:

I was overdrawn at Chase, and Hypo was running this promotion where if you switched over, they’d cover your overdraft with a loan or something similar... sounded great.

So I go in, they approve my line of credit $5667 and I immediately transfer it over to Zaba.
Since I stopped being a client, Zaba (which just pulls all those Mastercard and GoCard payments straight from the checking account—about $13333) put me on a blacklist, while Hypo promised me they'd ignore it and still give me the loan to refinance the debt at Zaba.

In the end, when I actually applied, everyone just washed their hands of it and claimed there's no credit available due to the economy.

Now I'm just stuck between two banks (them and Zaba).

Eventually had to use an Erste Bank loan to cover it all...

Honestly, stay far away from Hypo, people!!!

Honestly, that just doesn't hold water... I know plenty of people who don't even have their paychecks routed through Zaba, yet they still maintain their checking accounts, cards, and loans through them without a hitch...
If memory serves, banks only trigger those immediate repayments on card debt if a client is being legitimately reckless with their finances... you don't just end up in that mess overnight because of the reasons you're spinning. And you don't just suddenly find yourself stuck in a hub situation either. The whole story you're telling me? It just doesn't add up.

I don't bank with Hypo, so I can't speak from firsthand experience, but I was absolutely floored when my neighbor told me what happened with them. She found $833 missing from her account. When she marched into the branch and gave them hell, they audited both her past and current statements, realized the error, and refunded her the cash—though they did ask her to keep the whole thing strictly confidential.

Does anyone here work at Hypo—or perhaps have a contact there? I’m looking for some actual, unvarnished intel regarding their pay scales, whether they actually hit deadlines, and the general reputation of the firm. We could grab a bite somewhere and chat.
Feel free to slide into my DMs with any info.

Sandra Williams70 said:Does anyone here work at Hypo—or perhaps have a contact there? I’m looking for some actual, unvarnished intel regarding their pay scales, whether they actually hit deadlines, and the general reputation of the firm. We could grab a bite somewhere and chat.
Feel free to slide into my DMs with any info.

They’ve had a massive amount of turnover over the last few months. Aside from the usual corporate churn, the most likely culprit is the merger with Slavonian Bank and the inevitable HR reshuffling that follows one of those deals...

Is it an exodus of talent or a drain on capital? One keeps the bank thriving—the other, certainly not.

Nicholas Turner said:Is it an exodus of talent or a drain on capital? One keeps the bank thriving—the other, certainly not.

Sorry—I meant staff...
As for the clients, they might be losing a bit of ground out in the Midwest, but they're picking up steam with all these new digital services and aggressive marketing. Honestly, I think they’re actually coming out ahead.

In my experience, Hypo is actually a really solid bank. My Mastercard Gold card always shows up right on schedule, and the staff is genuinely friendly. Even when things get a bit hectic, they’re quick to open another teller window to help out, and if I have a question, they’re always super polite about answering it. When I set up my savings account, I even got some little gifts with the bank's logo on them, which is something I never once experienced at any other bank.

A word of advice to everyone: stay far away from them! This bank is an absolute disaster, staffed by people who seem completely indifferent and totally untrained. We are currently trying to finalize a mortgage through Hypo, purely because we wanted a specific apartment being built with financing from Hypo. Right now, they are running some sort of special housing credit promotion. The process has been dragging on for four months already. There is no end to the mistakes being made by Hypo. My creditworthiness was approved over three and a half months ago. If anyone wants more details, feel free to send me a private message.

William Parker61 said:A word of advice to everyone: stay far away from them! This bank is an absolute disaster, staffed by people who seem completely indifferent and totally untrained. We are currently trying to finalize a mortgage through Hypo, purely because we wanted a specific apartment being built with financing from Hypo. Right now, they are running some sort of special housing credit promotion. The process has been dragging on for four months already. There is no end to the mistakes being made by Hypo. My creditworthiness was approved over three and a half months ago. If anyone wants more details, feel free to send me a private message.

I don't get it... if we're all here to share our experiences—whether they're good or bad—what on earth is the point of moving the conversation to private messages? 🤷

I'm also curious about what went down, just so I know how to handle things next time.

Here’s my experience from today.
rapidcobra72 and I took out an auto loan through Hypo for four years. Right at the start, we paid one installment ahead of schedule—basically extra money sitting there for no reason.

We have seven installments left until it's paid off. Since our paycheck is running late this month, and we always pay on the very last day of the month, rapidcobra72 went down to the bank to ask if it would be alright to settle the payment in about 5 to 10 days.
He got a "lovely" response: sure, no problem, but they'll charge us late fees for that "delay."
rapidcobra72 tried explaining that it isn't actually a delay since we already have one extra payment on file. We even received a statement for last year a few days ago showing that extra installment, but the teller wouldn't hear a word of it.

Eventually, her colleague from the next window stepped over to take a look, and he admitted he didn't see the issue and that we were right.
But she immediately jumped back in, noting that we’d still be late on the payment, and told us she was giving us a deadline of April 10th—if we don't pay by then, interest starts accruing.
I have to wonder: how does she even have the authority to decide that? She's just a regular teller.
I can't wait to finish these last seven payments and say goodbye to Hypo.

I might be wrong here, but this really comes down to how bookkeeping works, and honestly, the bank is technically in the right. If you don't specify what that "unlucky" payment is actually for—like a specific month or year—they can just categorize it however they want on their end, and from an accounting standpoint, it’s perfectly legitimate.

A total nightmare...

So, about 7 or 8 years ago, I opened a checking account at Slavonian Bank—which is Hypo now. Back then, all they needed was my ID and we were basically done. Signed the paperwork, easy peasy. I didn't have any fees, no monthly maintenance charges, nothing... and I wasn't even using the account! There was maybe twenty bucks sitting in there. Just sat there for years. Seven long years.
Fast forward to this year, I decide I want to open a Hypo savings account for my kid. So I head over to the teller and ask, "Hey, do I still have an active account with you guys? What's the status?"
- "Oh, yeah, you do. And you're actually overdrawn by about fifteen dollars!!!!! You might even get a collection notice soon if you aren't careful.($33) You should probably just settle up so you don't end up on a blacklist..."
I lost my mind. I mean, seriously, how is that even possible!!??😲
- "Well, when Slavonian Bank 'became' Hypo, we updated our policies, so now we charge an annual membership fee$8.25 regardless of whether you actually use the account or not..."
And how on earth is that allowed without notifying me? Without my signature? That's what I'm asking!😕
- "The bank reserves the right to make changes... blah, blah, blah..."
Fine. Whatever. I told them right then and there, I'm closing this account immediately...
- "Sure, you can do that.$27 Please.
" Now I'm looking at eighty bucks total, I ask.😠
- "That's the fifty debt plus $10 for the account closure fee!!!!!!!"
Insane. Absolutely mental... I paid the money and shut the whole thing down.😳

I already went ahead and opened the Hypo savings account for my child, so I left that one alone for now...
I'm just hoping for a better experience with this one..
I ASKED THEM straight up... "Are there any hidden fees or extra nasty costs attached to this?"
They said no...

What do you guys think about this savings plan? Is it any good?????

Should I move the money somewhere else or just leave it be....
For the record, I also have an account over at Chase.

Plus, my parents both have accounts at Hypo, so it's just easier for them to wire a few bucks to their grandkid once their Social Security hits...

Charles Ramos7 said:I might be wrong here, but this really comes down to how bookkeeping works, and honestly, the bank is technically in the right. If you don't specify what that "unlucky" payment is actually for—like a specific month or year—they can just categorize it however they want on their end, and from an accounting standpoint, it’s perfectly legitimate.

But we set up the installment plan specifically because the banker advised us to—to avoid exactly this kind of mess.
Honestly, it doesn't matter. This bank has plenty of other issues too.

Take their little "one-year loan" deal, for example. You aren't required to make monthly payments; you just have to pay the full amount by the end of the year.
Then, if your paycheck hits your account a day late one month, they suddenly decide your "loan" is canceled and demand you come in to renegotiate the entire payout immediately.

urbanpilot said:But we set up the installment plan specifically because the banker advised us to—to avoid exactly this kind of mess.
Honestly, it doesn't matter. This bank has plenty of other issues too.

Take their little "one-year loan" deal, for example. You aren't required to make monthly payments; you just have to pay the full amount by the end of the year.
Then, if your paycheck hits your account a day late one month, they suddenly decide your "loan" is canceled and demand you come in to renegotiate the entire payout immediately.

Man, that is an absolute disaster. I can't believe it.
The way these people operate—just doing whatever they want—is honestly revolting.

I didn't comment in my previous post because I honestly had too much to say about this. We finally picked our absolute dream home, and I was set on this specific one and wouldn't settle for anything else. The construction was funded by Hypo in Klagenfurt, so we headed down to the Hypo branch in Los Angeles to deal with the mortgage program they have signed with the developer, which is still ongoing. It took four months just to get the loan finalized—partly due to the incompetence at the local Hypo office and partly because of the folks back in Austria. When you walk into a bank that has an active housing partnership with a builder, you expect all the building documentation to be in order. You don't expect them to fix everything on the fly. You expect them to actually put in the effort rather than having paperwork sit untouched by the legal department for fifteen days. Imagine discovering a mistake in the purpose letter just a few days before the payout, only for everything to grind to a halt and start all over again. Everyone missed it.

So, I’ve got a mortgage through Hypo. It’s not even a massive loan, honestly—I took it out about four years ago and getting approved was a total breeze. Maybe it’s just because back then they were handing out loans left and right, but all in all, the whole thing went through fast. No one asked for a co-signer, no hoops to jump through... nothing complicated.
I also have some cash sitting in a savings account at the same bank. It got me thinking: what actually happens if the bank goes belly up? If things go south, could I just use my savings to wipe out my mortgage debt? It wouldn't be right if the government ended up paying me back my savings while I'm still stuck holding the bag on the full amount of the loan. That feels like a raw deal!😳

I honestly don't get how anyone can still be keeping their money sitting in Hypo!🤷

I mean, seriously—in an era where even the most rock-solid banks can run into trouble overnight...

Then you look at this group—they’re practically woven into every single scandal going around here in America! Plus, their parent company back in Austria is currently under the microscope because of those massive investigations over in Eastern Europe... and wouldn't you know it? They just announced they're looking at a deficit of about 1.5 billion Euro this year.
And who knows what other skeletons might come crawling out of the closet?

It would actually make sense if they were the only game in town, or if they offered rates that were lightyears better than everyone else—but they aren't! Not by a long shot, compared to all the other options out there....

I just don't get it... 🤷

urbanpilot said:But we set up the installment plan specifically because the banker advised us to—to avoid exactly this kind of mess.
Honestly, it doesn't matter. This bank has plenty of other issues too.

Take their little "one-year loan" deal, for example. You aren't required to make monthly payments; you just have to pay the full amount by the end of the year.
Then, if your paycheck hits your account a day late one month, they suddenly decide your "loan" is canceled and demand you come in to renegotiate the entire payout immediately.

I have a loan with them and I know one thing... regardless of the bank, if you follow their rules, you're fine. If you slip up, there are sanctions. Doesn't matter if it's a mortgage from JPMorgan Chase or any other big player; the only difference is the approach and how educated the staff is. Even Chase isn't much better.
If I had known that requesting my own credit statements (balances and payment schedules) would cost me $33 (for two sheets of paper), I never would have taken out a loan there. You can't get basic info—like remaining balance, payoff costs, or simple printouts—in one place. You try, and they just say, "I don't know, I don't do that," and send you to a dozen different windows...

Regarding this specific case. Here is how it works...
The bank opens an account where the debtor deposits funds. It doesn't matter when you pay or how many installments you've covered; on the agreed date (likely the final one), the bank pulls the contracted amount based on that day's exchange rate. If you prepaid an installment, that money sits in the account (depending on the exchange rate variance). If you don't pay by the deadline, the bank takes the money and moves on. Since the woman at the window was untrained and just "doing her job"—even though she clearly didn't understand her role—she explained a standard procedure. And that procedure is... if the funds aren't paid in time, the system automatically generates a debt against the debtor. Nothing personal, the system handles it all. That's why banks can be so rigid. If she had just said, "The information system will automatically charge interest if the funds aren't there, and there's nothing I can do," it would have been easier to accept. Especially if she mentioned the interest would only be a few cents... but since in your case it was an extra installment waiting in the account, that didn't happen. She didn't know, but her colleague at the desk did...

Anyway, I don't think I'll ever take anything from Wells Fargo again...