Santa Barbara Bank & Trust

I REALLY HATE THIS BANK! They are awful! I'm closing my four accounts and going over to bank of the west. I've been with SBB&T since 1996 and they are horrible with credits of deposits and they deduct my debts first before accepting my deposit I made by check from the same employer for last seven years. It's not that they need to hold my paycheck to verify funds! They then hit me with huge fee's that wouldn't happen if they would just do the correct procedure first like a bank with a really great customer would. It's flat out stealing from me is what it is. So then I attach my savings to my checking. WRONG THING TO DO. okay then I finally get the overdraft on the account and that also proves to be the wrong thing to do. They charge me more horrific fee's for having to use the overdraft cuz they still deduct my transactions that I make after I've deposited my check into my checking account first. I am sure there's a class action suit against SBB&T for this practice somewhere? If not I'm ready to get the ball rolling. I have plenty of evidence against them. Anyone else have same issues with them like I do? more

Raising fees.... poor customer service . . . bad business. I have had an account for many years and can not wait to cancel and get off the SBBT roller coaster ride. more

I've banked with SBBT since 1998 and have been for the most part been quite satisfied with the service and professionalism of the staff. I have a simple savings and checking account. But a week ago I received a statement stating that SBBT would adding a $11-15 monthly service charge to my account since it falls below the minimum of $5,000. I do not have this issue with other banks I deal with primarily in New Mexico however. I am disappointed that SBBT has resorted to using BofA extortion tactics to increase their bottom line and I am now in the process of shopping around for another Santa Barbara bank to do business with that will not try to scalp or gouge me. That process led me to this site. I also have direct deposit with SBBT but this seems to make no difference in regards to their new monthly service charge policy. Fortunately there are other more reasonable banks to choose from, or at least I hope so. Because the banksters and banks own the politicians, they are allowed to screw the consumer. Banks are controlled by the 1%. They control Congress. This is a conflict of interest and should be halted. SBBT seems to falling in line with the greed of the 1%. It's too bad. more

Worst bank ever. Customer service is rude and unhelpful. I started using them when they were First Bank of San Luis Obispo. Ever since SBB&T bought them they are terrible. I closed all of my accounts, as did my entire family: about 25 accounts total. Just Plain Awful. more

Santa Barbara Bank & Trust has been over charging the Oceano Nursery SBA loan since 2007 by $247.00 per month and have refused to resolve this problem.\r \r Their Attorney Diana Jessup Lee on May 6, 2011 has shown that SBBT has in fact been over charging the Oceano nursery 2003 SBA Loan.\r \r The OCC has investigated Santa Barbara Bank & Trust and attached is what Santa Barbara Bank & Trust has stated about the OCC Findings.\r \r ""Thank you for faxing and emailing to me this afternoon the OCC letters dated July 16, 2008, June 30, 2011, July 15, 2011, August 2, 2011 and August 30, 2011. I have now reviewed these documents and am prepared to respond. My review of the 5 OCC letters that you have provided does not alter my prior conclusion that there is not a single piece of evidence which would even imply any acts of ""Predatory Lending, Breach of Contract and Fraud"" on the part of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. In fact, after reviewing the OCC letters the only thing that is clear to me is that you are in breach of contract with Santa Barbara Bank & Trust as a result of your default on your loan.\r \r \r \r Specifically, the following quotes demonstrate that the OCC has not made any findings of wrongdoing on the part of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust: \r \r 1. July 16, 2008 Letter, the OCC stated, ""The OCC cannot resolve contractual disputes between national banks and their customers. When a clearly defined civil dispute develops, an agency such as the OCC would be acting beyond its authority as a trier of fact or adjudicator of civil disputes.""\r \r 2. June 30, 2011 Letter, the OCC stated, ""As your difficulty with the bank was in mediation and is subject of litigation, it is inappropriate for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to intervene in this case.""\r \r 3. July 15, 2011 Letter, the OCC stated, ""Because your matter is a contractual dispute and the subject of arbitration, the OCC cannot comment on any information you may have received. Based on the current course of events between you and the bank, we are unable to assist you further.""\r \r 4. August 2, 2011 Letter, the OCC stated, ""The OCC does not have the authority to intervene in such matters. We have previously responded to you on July 16, 2008, January 7, 2009 and June 30, 2011. Our position has not changed. We will no longer respond to phone calls or correspondences regarding this issue. This letter represents our final response.""\r \r 5. August 30, 2011 Letter, the OCC stated, ""As your dispute with the bank involves a business loan and therefore is governed by the contract signed between you and the bank, consumer compliance laws do not apply.""\r \r \r \r Furthermore, as we have repeatedly told you, the amortization schedules that we provided to you on May 6, 2011 were prepared by Santa Barbara Bank & Trust employees, not by any of the attorneys in this office, this office simply delivered them to you. Thus, your claim that ""Neither You [Robert Forouzandeh] nor Diana Jessup Lee are qualified to prepare Santa Barbara Bank & Trust amortization schedules"" is simply incorrect. Also, we provided you with 2 amortization schedules simply as a courtesy to you and to extend additional benefits in Schedule #2 to you which you were not entitled to as a gesture of good faith and in an effort to settle this matter. \r \r \r \r Lastly, you have not provided any information or evidence which would lead Santa Barbara Bank & Trust to either rescind the most recent notice of default or to suspend the currently scheduled Trustee Sale from proceeding.\r \r \r \r Robert B. Forouzandeh\r \r Attorney at Law\r \r Reicker, Pfau, Pyle & McRoy LLP \r \r 1421 State Street, Suite B\r \r Santa Barbara, CA 93101\r \r \r \r Tel: 805-966-2440\r \r Fax: 805-966-3320""\r \r more

i was supposed to receive my tax refund on february 19th by mail. ITS STILL NOT HERE, and its april 20th. they somehow thought i was doing a direct deposit, deposited my money into SOMEONE ELSE'S ACCOUNT at a TOTALLY DIFFERENT BANK. after, 2 months, about 15-20 phone calls and being misinformed on numerous occasions, i get a phone call today telling me its being sent through the mail, tomorrow. it's absurd how no one at this bank is helpful. thanks for being the absolute worst bank on the planet. more

I have to tell you that Santa Barbara Bank & Trust is far superior to any other bank I've ever been with. I have left several due to bad service and that last one (BofA) I reported to the Federal Trade Commission.\r \r I love Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. I feel like it has been a long search, but I've finally found a bank I can trust. \r \r Every body I've talked to who banks there say they just love going there. So do I. Pros: Friendly, helpful, and accurate Cons: Not open on Saturdays more

I would NEVER recommend this bank to anyone! In fact, I am making it a point to tell EVERYONE I know not to use them to do their taxes. On a whim, I used Turbo Tax this year (who uses SBB&T to deposit taxpayer's money) NEVER have I had so much trouble doing my taxes in all my life. I paid almost $50 dollars to have MY money deposited into my account. They said it would be there on the 5th of February. On the 10th, I was FINALLY able to get ahold of someone at SBBT who proceeded to tell me that my bank rejected the deposit even though all my account numbers were correct. Upon calling my bank, they told me that no money was ever even attempted to be deposited into my account and even offered to conference call in to SBBT. My bank representative and I did this, but the rep at SBBT wouldn't speak to her. They refused to refund the money they charged to deposit into my account and sent me a check in the mail which I didn't recieve until the 15th. Now I am currently having a hard time cashing this check because it is from out of state!! Long story short, SBBT is charging people to deposit their money and then not following up on their promise, instead sending you a check in the mail. I probably would've gotten my money quicker had I just let the IRS send it to me!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE, all who read this, stay far far away from scammers like SBBT!!!!! Pros: NONE!! Cons: You are scammed out of your money! more

I am sorry to say that i feel as though the loan for a tax refund through this bank is a scam. They have denied three of us even though we have great credit. When I contacted them to find out why, I was told it was probably because I put my address as CR, instead of writing it out as County Road. Its even on my drivers license as CR! During this conversation, the customer service representatoves were very rude. Then to find out that they charge you $30 to open an account for the money to be transferred through their bank. I have had many loans with banks and only had to pay a $1 to open an account. I asked them where it says this in their terms and conditions and they could not tell me exactly where. This method of doing business is corrupt and I would not recommend using this bank to anyone! more