ETrade froze my account and wouldn't tell me why until, after about 5 calls, I finally got through to someone competent enough to figure it out. Something about me logging in from my work computer caused them to think there was "suspicious activity" going on. Not sure what sort of stone age technology a place has to use to be unable to handle my perfectly standard use, but apparently they were about 10 years behind the rest of the world on this one. I was still able to deposit, of course, but all withdrawals failed.

I had just opened the account, and was still exploring other savings account options, so I had no desire to stick with etrade, and tried to just close my account so the balance would be sent to me as a check. I thought I would at least be able to do that... I mean they just have to send the money in the account to the person and address that it was opened and funded with... I don't see how that could be remotely dangerous. But they refused until I verified I was myself, by going to a notary and getting a letter notarized saying that I was me, I lived at the address on the account, and I wanted the account activated.

What's with all the security questions and other identify verification info? Couldn't I have simply given them everything over the phone... all the security question answers, my account password, my account #, my social, passport #, my name, address, phone #, date of birth, past addresses, favorite color, etc???? Jesus...

SUPER annoying. Especially because this was right after being laid off, when I was considering starting my own business and might have needed to have quick access to that money, which was most of my savings, since, after testing it with a few small transfers back and forth between etrade and my checking, I had just gone on to put most of what I had into it. Luckily I didn't need it, but it was frustrating regardless, and I was blown away that a bank could let me open an account, fund it, and then freeze it and refuse access to it (or even the ability to close it!) until I jumped through hoops to prove something that I can't understand how it wasn't already proven.

Still trying to figure out what they could prevent by this silly process. I guess I could have opened the account, and funded it with someone else's stolen account info... but then me sending in a letter saying I'm me doesn't resolve any fraud going on there. Or maybe someone else could have opened an account in my name but with their address, funded it with my stolen checking account info. But then they'd end up with a check made out to me, so... And if they had my checking account info, why not just directly access that? F**king etrade... essentially thieves in this situation.

So when putting cash into an etrade account, just be aware that at any moment they could seemingly arbitrarily decide to deny you access to it until you send them a notarized letter in the mail (approximately a 10-12 day process to get access again). Your assets in there might not be as liquid as you want.

I purchased my first stock in the year 2000 for $5200.00 using ETrade. As most all tech stocks did, my stock plummeted and, at one point was worth $198.00. Over the years it has slowly began to climb back. I recently sold the stock and, after $19.99 for their commission fee and $3.00 for miscellaneous fees, I was told that my balance was $2004.00.` Customer service told me to wait for three days and then to request a check from them for the amount aforementioned.

I am getting married soon and I sold the stock with the intention of paying for the rental of a facility costing $2000. My fiancйe was happy that this cost would be covered since we are paying for the wedding ourselves. Six days later I called to request a check from ETrade and I was told that my balance was $1771.00. I asked customer service where the $230.00 went and they told me that any customer that has less than $5000 dollars is charged $25 quarterly and that I owed them this money for maintaining my account.

When I first bought stock through ETrade, I did it because I was told that it was only $8.00 per trade. I was not told that it would cost me an additional $25 per quarter. After being on the phone with two different people at ETrade for a total of 48 minutes, the best I could get was for them to reverse one charge. Out of frustration, I requested that they send me the check for $1796.00.

Now I have to come up with an additional $204.00 that I don't have for my wedding. If I knew of these hidden maintenance fees, I would have waited for the stock to go up more before selling it. ETrade customer service had the attitude of, "Oh well, you should have known." And, why shouldn't they? They have my money.

I would encourage everyone to not trade through ETrade and to beware of hidden costs if they do.

Etrade liquidated the shares in its Etrade SP500 index fund in my IRA without notifying me at the bottom of the stock market last year. For 8 months I've been trying to transfer my assets to Vanguard and Etrade always finds some reason to reject the transfer. Etrade is a criminal organization.

So for 4 years I never was notified I owed anything on my brokerage. I had penny stocks I wanted to save for my child. So the years went on, no one called, no letters nothing. Recently I get a "Alert" that says my stocks were liquidated . Why ? I had no Idea. So I call and talk to a clueless customer service rep that says I was charged 10 charges of $40.00 for the last 5 years. I really am so angry with Etrade. I WILL NOT RECOMMEND ETRADE, THEY CHARGED ME FOR NOTHING! I NEVER TRADED AND their customer service ***. I hope they go bankrupt!!

DO NOT USE THESE FEE DRIVEN CROOKS!

ETRADE claims on its website to have "NO FEES" "NO HASSLES" to open an IRA. First, they held my money for 8 business days AFTER they electronically received it.

Then they charged me a "fee" of .15 for trading over 2000 shares. This NO FEES FEE was not anywhere on their advertising page or even in their fine print. When their customer service was contacted they did nothing.

DO NOT USE THESE FEE DRIVEN CROOKS!

I am transfering my IRA account to Scottrade who will pay for the transfer!

SO MUCH FOR NO HASSLES!