Consumer complaint received 2020-11-09
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
When I opened my account with US Bank, I did so during a promotion. If I signed up for online banking and mobile banking services, set up direct deposit totaling $ XXXX within 60 days, I would receive a {$300.00} deposit into my account. I am on Social Security XXXX, and when I called to set up the direct deposit with them, they informed me that the direct deposit might be delayed due to the outbreak of coronavirus. I set it up anyway, and then called US Bank and told them about the delay and I was assured by the banker that the promotion would still be honored in spite of that. I began calling to find out about when the money would be deposited as soon as my second direct deposit was final. I was told at that time that the bank still had 60 more days to complete its obligations under the promotion. Fine. In the meantime, I have had overdraft after overdraft after overdraft, 27 last time I counted. The overdraft is a separate issue, and I am going down to the branch as soon as I am done filing this complaint to speak with the manager about those. I called in appx. two weeks ago regarding the promotion money, and was told that I met all the requirements of the terms and that the money should have been deposited in XXXX, as agreed. I was told to give the bank a little more time and see if it would be deposited. That banker combed through the terms of the promotion and then combed through my account to see if there was a reason for me not receiving the promotion. She could find nothing. I then waited as was instructed and called back on XX/XX/XXXX, and the first person I spoke to also combed through the terms and my account and again, could find no reason. I was transferred to several different people, and after spending 73 minutes on the phone, and insisting I speak to a manager or someone with autonomy to get this situation remedied, the last person I was on the phone with disregarded my request to speak to a live manager and sent me to a voice mail instead. This infuriated me, yet I still left the message to have whomever it was that I left the message for, to call me back. Didn't receive a call. I called back on the fourth and was speaking to a manager, but got hung up on again. I called back and spoke with another rep who continually repeated information that wasn't applicable to this situation, and repeatedly asked to speak with someone with autonomy to remedy the situation. After the bank and forth for nearly 45 minutes, a manager got on the phone XXXX XXXX XXXX, who was very helpful, and addressed that the situation couldn't be handled that night. I was told that she would personally look into the matter and get back to me. I informed her that my phone had recently been turned off, so I would have to be contacted by email. In all, I spoke to appx.20 customer service reps and two managers before receiving an email from someone named XXXX XXXX who hoped I was having a wonderful day only to then tell me that US Bank would not be depositing the {$300.00} into my account because I was six days past the deadline for meeting the direct deposit requirements. Not only am I feeling cheated, I am concerned with why after speaking to that many other reps did I not have this same answer. Furthermore, each of those reps dug through the account looking for any reason to NOT hold up their end of the agreement. This feels like a bait and switch scam, and after reviewing other complaints, I see that I am not the only person who is on XXXX, who opened an account with US Bank under the condition that I would receive a promotion, only to have US Bank find a reason not to deposit the money. I emailed and called into US Bank and reminded them that I provided the information about a possible delay to them the day I set up my direct deposit and was assured that this would not happen. This situation seems to me to involve UDAP violations and I urge the CFPB to look into how many other people have experienced a similar problem who are on fixed incomes such as myself. I still haven't received the promotional {$300.00} and I feel completely cheated! US Bank should not let a mere 6 day window be a reason to lose a customer, especially one who switched banks falling for their pretend promotion ; especially given the reason for the delay was the outbreak of Covit-19. I thought the government was encouraging banks to help customers survive the pandemic and not make it harder for them. Furthermore, if I can forgive the outrageous amount of unwarranted overdrafts charged to my account in the minimal amount of time that my account has been open, the least they could do is honor their own agreement.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation