First Hawaiian Bank Checking Accounts

First Hawaiian Bank customer service has gone downhill. With all the updates they have done with their online banking, you are still limited in what you can do. The only option you have to transfer funds to another customer who banks there is to use Zelle. My mom is older and does not use their online banking or Zelle. The customer service representative advised that I would need to set up a bill pay, which will charge me $5.00 a month. I informed the representative that she needs the funds immediately and bill pay will take 3-5 business days. He tells me my only other option is to come into the branch. I asked if they are able to assist over the phone; he advised that the only ways to transfer to another customer are via Zelle, Bill Pay (which isn't free without a $500 direct deposit and will take almost a week), or to go into the branch (which isn't located on the continental U.S.). Save yourself some time; open your account at a Credit Union where the rates are better, they actually care for their members, and online banking is much more innovative.

Dormant account fee is $10 a month. If you have an elderly relative, please have them change banks! It is extremely difficult to get the account released from dormant status. So FHB just keeps charging $10 a month.

The absolute worst bank. Outrageous checking account fees, the app is incredibly slow and not up to date. Terrible customer service. Run to another bank.

In-person counter service is so slow at every branch I visit. The process to deposit checks and the wait for processing is painfully slow. Why? When I asked in 2023, the teller said that the new processing system is more detailed to help the teller, but it doesn't help with customer wait times. I'm planning to change banks.

I know I have an overdraft; yes, I do sometimes deposit late, but sometimes right away. Yes, they charge $35.00 each, but they don't have to lock my online banking. I called assistance; they called the branch. I waited over 1 hour, and they said ok, and it's still locked. They call assistance, I do it all day long—hold the phone, never figure it out. Yes, I'm not a bigger customer, so they ignore me. I feel it. I'm tired of calling. I try to use ATM deposits because I'm self-employed and can't go during the daytime, so I use the deposit ATM early in the morning. You can see my history.

It's not just one time; it's such a waste of time—every contact, waiting for a call, even leaving my phone number. They call me after a day. What is this? They said it's a 24-hour service, but they close service calls and tell me to call the next day during open hours. It's then they answer.

Well, it's not good treatment for someone who has an account with First Hawaiian Bank.

We only have an acct with them for over 15 yrs and a few yrs back their customer service went downhill from an 8 to a 3. You have ro wait for 45min to more than an hour most of the time before speaking to a human person. And last time was the worst coz you waited and the person on the other line cant help you at all and ask you to go to the bank personally. So What the are these CS people are for then? So i dont recommend this bank now. Better be with a bank who can help you anytime either online or in person.

I have been a customer of First Hawaiian Bank for several years. The only reason I stay is because I don't want to change my direct deposit and affect all my other accounts. So I stay as a frustrated customer. FHB gets the lowest rating possible from me. I am so sick and tired of having to wait literally weeks to receive a response to my messages sent to them within my FHB account.

And then when I call FHB I am put on hold for an hour or more, just to be hung up on and I have to call back and wait another hour and 15 minutes to talk with a human being at their bank. It has been like this for years now and it is totally unacceptable. This is no way to run any business, especially a financial institution.

Their website is often inoperative. I have now been trying to send somebody money for the past 2 weeks, but their website doesn't work right. I already have two contacts which I entered last year, and had previously sent them money last year. But now the website system doesn't show the accounts most of the time. One time yesterday I was able to bring up the account that I wanted, and entered all the information, but then their frustrating FHB website wouldn't complete the transaction. I waited for 15 minutes for the transaction to finish, but it was still processing and never finished.

Sadly, FHB doesn't care, evidenced by the fact that it has been this messed up way for years now! I do NOT recommend this bank to anyone. I would never do business with these people again if I left. I have several accounts connected to my banking account, so I am stuck for now, but this is a lousy bank. I don't mind that they are paranoid about security, because that protects my money too. However, it is unacceptable to have to wait weeks to receive a message reply from the bank, and then have them apologize dozens of times while doing NOTHING to fix their broken system. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!

Customer service is the worst. Had fraudulent charges on my account from google, This account has NEVER been used for checks or debit purchases, the debit card came in the mail and has been stored in my house (in Washington) since, never used online or in person. ONLY small deposits have been made for 5 years. They flagged the account on the 20th, but the 52 charges started on the 22nd and went through the 2nd of the following month, yes 52 charges from 4.99 to 24.99, obviously fraud. Called them, reported the fraud, got new cards. The confused rep and his manager couldn't figure out why the charges went through, but said it would take 10 days for them to get back to me. 12 days later NOTHING, called them back, ridiculous long hold time, opted for the call back option. They eventually called back after hours for fraud dept, got disconnected, they DID NOT CALL BACK. Called again, absurd long hold time again, jump through their hoops again, get to 2nd level BUT fraud dept closed, need to call back tomorrow. :( very angry now. Called back AGAIN, TERRIBLE hold time AGAIN, jump through the 1st and 2nd level hoops AGAIN, they say NO DISPUTES have been recorded. this after issuing me new cards for fraud, can you say INCOMPETENT. They are clueless, so they supposedly filed the dispute/fraud on the 52 charges and....wait for it... will take 10 days to investigate. OMG, and I own stock in this company, what a mistake, I'll be selling that stock (when the biden recession/market crash recovers enough) and look for another bank in hawaii to fill my needs there. STAY AWAY from this bank, horrible incompetent service.

They recently updated their online banking and mobile apps and the change brought with it SLOOOOWWW updating of information. When I pay my utilities, credit cards etc. those companies update right away. I have to wait days and days for these payments to show up on my online/mobile apps. I can set my account to email me if it falls below a certain amount, but what good is that if it arrives a week after the fact? This in an age when my credit card sends me a text every time it's used. I've had an unlabeled direct deposit pending for 5 days and I sent an emai 4 days ago asking for information about this deposit. They have not yet answered the email. Everything is slow. If I electronically transmit my rent money to my housemate, I have to remember to send it a week ahead of time. First Hawaiian Bank is from the age of the sailing ship and they are going back to their roots in terms of speed of service. Unfortunate fate. I've used them for decades but now I'm looking for a 21st Century bank.