Consumer complaint received 2022-05-16
Company: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA
State: IL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
On Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, after initiating a transfers of my funds out of my XXXX savings account via their website, I was sent an email from XXXX later that evening stating they tried to contact me and need me to call them. I was a little confused as I had not received a call, nor was any any voicemail left with me, stating XXXX tried to contact me. I then noticed my account was locked by XXXX, rendering my access to my account non-existent. 

I called XXXX that evening on XX/XX/XXXX and was immediately transferred to the " Speciality Department. '' I spoke to XXXX ( Interaction # : XXXX ) who let me know that they needed to verify the bank I was transferring funds to, even though I linked the account online using my own credentials- which were accepted by XXXX, before I could transfer the money out of my account. This annoyed me because now over {$13000.00} of my money was being held up for an immediate need of mine ( passing of a family member ). 

Unsure of what was going on here, I asked XXXX clarifying question like what the speciality department was or why this action was being taken on my account. I was told they would not give me more information, that it's against their policy, and so on. It's important to note that not only was this transfer legit, it was to a linked account on XXXX ' website and it was a personal account in MY NAME. This did not seem to matter to XXXX, nor did the urgency, because even after this phone call, they continued to lock me out of account, telling me they would not allow me in, and held my money hostage. I stated I wanted the money put back into my account and that I would transfer to my XXXX  account as soon as it was available to me. This did not happen and they told me I would need to wait until Monday to verify the other bank account. I also asked if there was fraud concern on my account, to which XXXX gave me an unclear, less affirmative answer. Time after time on this phone call, XXXX answered my questions with vague information and even citing bank policy for refusing to answer my questions. This is deeply unsettling when a bank holds over {$13000.00} of your money but will not be direct with you. 

On Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX again and was transferred to the Fraud Department, this time speaking to XXXX. I was annoyed that now someone from Fraud was working on my account when on Friday I was given uncertain information on the account as to if there was a fraud concern related to my account. Yet, XXXX continued to restrict my account. 

There are quite a few things wrong with XXXX ' behavior that leave me not wanting to do business with them again. First, making me our to feel like I was doing something criminal by blocking access to my money, not giving me details about what was going on even after verifying I made the transaction and to what account I made the transaction to, and restricting my account access even after verifying these details AND asking them to let me back into my account verbally ( to which the refused ). More importantly, I've worked as Fraud and XXXX professional serving large name clients, and I have never seen such horrible policy. It's clear to me that there was a fraud concern, but leaving me out of the loop made me feel like I was the concern or that I was doing something wrong with my own money when in fact I've transferred money in and out before and verified other account with them. 

I trusted XXXX to be a good steward of my money. Even if policy required these actions, those very policies and the interactions surrounding them made me feel like I did something wrong when in fact I followed paths on their own website to transfer money and add an account. If XXXX does not like people using those tools, they should restrict them altogether instead of discriminating who can access them, and when, and under what restrictions ( as those are not posted ). Most importantly, I needed part of this money to lay my father to rest and XXXX got in between that, added pressure to this already stressful time, and made me feel like I was the bad person. 

My complaint is very clear. XXXX does not have their house together. They have policies that are not automated, they have customer service interactions that are less that ideal for a bank of their size, and they truly need to make there product better because as of now, it's a second class product in comparison to the competition. XXXX did not and does not deserve my business and they clearly acted like it. I am allowing this complaint to be public so others can see how XXXX conducts business behind the scenes.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief