Hello,

I am browsing here and there about my future bank and would like to hear from people having a bank account at wamu !

tell me about your experience ! good or bad !

I don't have a bank account with them but I do have a credit card from them and haven't had any issues so far (knock on wood).

Diana

We're with them and I cannot complain at all. Good service (in the phone, on the web and in person) - free checking, no fees. Go Wamu!

We have a savings & checking account with WAMU and so far we are very satisfied with their services and even planning to open a secured credit card with them to start building my credit history.

I have a credit card with them and I have no complaints; I have a coworker who does all her banking with them and loves them.

I used to be with Bank of America and hated it. Long story.

I have been with Wamu for about a year and half, and love it. They are much better and don't try to charge your fees out of everything.

However, make sure they don't put the wrong immigration status when you open your account. If not, you will have to close the account and reopen a new one.

Whatever you do, do not go with Bank of America!!!! 5 years of them and they just plainly suck! Sorry but that is the truth.

^^^

Same Same........total agreement.

A good friend of mine had a big problem with WAMU, but we all have problems with banks so I don't know if this was an isolated issue or if its common.

bora bora can you tell us more ?

about opening an account they sent me this answer of the requirements:
To open an account at a Washington Mutual banking store, you must
provide two valid forms of identification (ID) from categories
established by Washington Mutual Bank.

The following valid forms of ID are acceptable:

- Primary:

Note: IDs must be current, signed, and include a photograph.

* Valid U.S. state-issued Driver’s License or current Learner’s Permit
* Utah Driving Privilege Card (DPC)
* Valid U.S. state-issued ID card
* Canadian driver’s license/ID card
* Valid U.S. government-issued ID card
* Passport with an English translation, including description
* Valid U.S. military ID card, including description
* Alien registration card
* Current or extended Washington State temporary Driver’s License
* Mexican matricula consular card
* Guatemalan consular card

- Secondary:

Note: Identification must be current and signed

* Major credit card (i.e., Visa*, MasterCard*, Discover*, American
Express*)
* Major debit card (must contain Visa* or MasterCard* logo)
* Certificate of Naturalization (must include photograph and comply with
the issuing agency’s requirements)
* Utility bill, dated within the last thirty days, containing your name
and address (e.g., cable, telephone, electric, water, gas, or garbage)
* Current residential lease or rental agreement with your name and
address
* Major department store credit card
* Student ID card that displays the school name, issue date, student ID
number and student photograph
* Union or trade membership card that displays issue date, union/trade
name, member ID number, and member photo
* Employee badge that displays the company name and photo of employee
* Valid government-issued gun permit that displays name, address,
expiration date, and photograph of bearer
* New Jersey Renewal Driver’s License (This driver’s license does not
display a photo; therefore, it is only acceptable as a secondary form of
identification.)
* New York State Benefit Identification Card that includes photograph of
bearer
* Nevada Sheriff’s Card

I'd recommend waiting till you arrive stateside to decide this issue.

I was in the banking industry for years. It depends on what you want from a bank.

If you want personal service and easier access to your accounts should there be problems, choose a small local bank or credit union.

i look at wamu quite intensively yesterday, my main use is online banking and if there is no fees and still people are happy...
but i would like to hear about the problems and how they handle it

I would side with rebeccajo-look into small local credit unions. you might find just what you need.

Personally I would recommend having both- an acocunt at a major bank, and one at a different bank or credit union. good idea to split your money up.

My first banking experience in the US was with WAMU. Excellent service, don't have a single instance about which I can complain in 2 years now. They opened a free checking account even when all the ID I had was my Indian Passport and also a savings account with no minimum. My first credit card was from WAMU, they offered me one after 6 months of banking with them, 6 months 0% APR, no annual fees. Again a very good experience, they review our credit record every 6 months and increase our limit.

Also they give me free Wire Transfer for sending money to India, gets there in 24 hours. Wonderful bank, good people.

I have a credit acard, checking account and saving account with them , basically all my services. I love them!!!!

Vi

My experiences with WaMu have been good and I will continue to use them once I move permanently.

Never had a problem with WAMU... They let me open an account, before i became a PR, and all I had was my Canadian ID... Once i got my SSN, I just went into a branch and they added it to my info. No problems as of yet.

I have my bank account with my company's credit union, but when my husband moved here from England he came here with never having owned a credit card and purchasing everything with cash... thus, no credit history at all.

He researched banks online and decided to join WAMU. We opened his account online and just went in to finalize it by giving his signature and making a deposit. They are great at customer service and no fees! We got his first credit card via a secured credit card with them and within a couple of months, he was getting offers with other credit card companies. So that did the trick! We have had no complaints with WAMU at all.

Lisa

We have our bank accounts and credit card over WaMu. The only problem we had so far was getting me on my husbands accounts. At this point I didn't have my Greencard or Driver license so the man told us he can not put me on the account because he needs 2 ID's. He accepted my passport but not my German driver license. So we spoke to the manager at the bank and she helped us to get my name on the account. They used my visa as the second ID. Other than that we really like WaMu and we are sad that we have to change banks. (No WAMU close to us anymore.)

WAMU is wonderful. They bend over backwards to please. They even reimbursed my overdraft fee when I went over by a smidge. Can't get that with BOK! They even helped me when somehow someone got money out of my account through an ATT payment I never made. I know use their online bill pay service since that incident with no problems. One of the best banks I've ever delt with.

the only thing i m a little sad is that they do not seam to offer any personnal loan or auto loan.... but well.... i guess i can deal fro that with others
I am really happy with the opinion of everybody and would like to hear specifically with the bad exepriences (even if most probably i will open my account there)

I got my fiancee a WAMU ATM MasterCard with her sending me a copy of her passport. She uses it in PH to withdraw money. Only 1% foreign transaction fee. WAY better than Western Union or Xoom!

My two cents

-Derrel

Hmm.... finally i did open a wamu account....
And i do have to complain about a few things...

My biggest one is not beeing able to deposit a check in euros (they don't do currency in anything other than US/Can)
I got loads of issues registering in their system.... (perhaps because my last name have a space on it or something like that)
Same thing to activate my ATM card

I am not impressed...
(But i still think BoFA is still worst at least about customer service)

I signed up with WaMu and it was all fine - they set me up with a non-resident checking account and I opened a joint savings account with Jeremy. I couldn't activate my card online without a SSN but as soon as I got my SSC through the mail, we headed back to WaMu and they changed it for me and activated my card - I just had to show them the ID I used to open the account and my SSC

But yes - BofA are dire - Jeremy had ten overdraft charges totalling over $300 when he never even went overdrawn - this was shown on his records and on the bank's records. He was there for two hours trying to sort it out and no-one helped him so he closed his account and walked out - we are taking it further