Consumer complaint received 2023-05-10
Company: TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: NC
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Opening an account
Sub-issue: Unable to open an account

Complaint:
I came in to open a trust business account and provided my Ein # and certificate of trust. I explain to the banker that I needed a business account because I didnt want to be in violation of commingling personal funds with trust funds and the checking account could not be a personal checking account. And that I would like to apply for a business line of credit and a business credit card for the trust account. And if it was not completed correctly, it would cost the trustee and the trust approximately {$20000.00} a day if the account were not set up correctly, the banker proceeded provided me with a truist one personal checking account for a trust. I stated that I would open up a personal checking account too if that was the only way that I could receive a business account so that the trust would have its own separate account. She stated that she would open up a personal account if I gave her my Social Security number, and I had to be a citizen. I replied that I was not going to give my Social Security number, because there is no law that requires me to give a Social Security number to open a bank account and then I continue to state that I wasnt a citizen that I was a national, and she replied that she could not open up a personal bank account or a business bank account without forcing me to contract with my Social Security number, and that I had to be a citizen which was a violation of the equality act and the equal opportunity act .She stated that she called the back office and they have notified her that was the proper account for a business checking account. I left that branch and returned back on a later date to speak with the branch manager at the same location in XXXX, North Carolina. I explain the same thing to her that I need a business trust account because we were applying for a business line of credit an a business credit card for the trust. She stated that she called the back office and they notified her that a personal checking account was the right account for a business trust account. And that I would have to go to XXXX North Carolina branch to apply for a business line of credit and a business credit card for the trust account. I left the XXXX North Carolina branch. Headed to the XXXX North Carolina branch and on my way there. Ill call truist customer care phone line and explain the situation and the representative agreed with me that I should have a business checking account for the trust. At that point, the representative tried to switch over the account herself, but upon her checking, her system did not allow her to do that, so she suggested that I step in to the branch and speak with the branch lending manager and she assured me that she should take care of it. I proceeded in the bank and notified the branch lending manager of the situation. She first stated that she did not have time to complete the process that day, and that she would call the back office to see what was going on with the account at that point, she picked up the phone and called and seen that there was a mistake with the accounts, and that the trust account should be a business account for a trust. She immediately told me that I had to come back the next day at XXXX XXXX  and that she may leave early because of personal issues, and that I could see the other banker, and the other banker could call her on her cell so she could walk the other banker, through the process to get the business account established. I show up next business day at XXXX XXXX the branch Lending manager have left for the day. So I proceeded to wait in the lobby for the next banker to become available I noticed that her door is wide open and she yells.. I will be with you when i finish up with the customer inside of her office. I feel for the customer because the customer had no privacy with her private matter between her and the bank and neither did I by the end of my discriminatory visit to this branch. Meanwhile, sitting in the lobby, I overheard the banker, make a phone call in regards to me while dealing with another customer complaining that she didnt want to deal with a national, and it made her uncomfortable to deal with someone that was not a citizen and didnt want to provide their Social Security number. So I politely waited until she called me in the office. I explain to her the situation in which her branch manager told me to explain and at that point, she notified me that she has not spoke to the branch lender manager, and the branch lender manager never told her that I was coming. After I brought it to her attention that I overheard her speaking to someone about my nationality. Then she replied that she spoke to the branch lending manager on the phone and she just said that she had mentioned that I had some documents that needed to be reviewed. So at that point, she was lying. And depriving me of my rights. Then she proceeded to ask all kind of ridiculous questions about things that I should have done, and nothing to resolve the situation and help stop the loss that the trustee and the trust is experiencing, because of a mistake that had been made on the behalf of a truist banker. At that point she got a attitude and demanded that I either wait 30 minutes for her to speak with the first banker that screwed everything up at the XXXX, Nc branch and allow the banker at the XXXX, nc branch to fix the account or come back next business day and try to catch the lending manager when shes not busy because she wasnt going to deal with this situation. Upon having this discussion, the whole lobby could hear, and there was no privacy whatsoever. I have never been so traumatized, embarrassed, and discriminated against in my life. Only because I wanted someone to correct a mistake that was made on the truist bank behalf. XXXX XXXX XXXX Executive Vice President /Corporate Controller, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Vice President / Chief Financial Officer and the Indentured Trustee all signed that Truist Financial Corp would abide by the equal opportunity lending act, equality act and the immigration reform and control act of 1986 all of which I have been a victim by Truist Financial Corp XXXX

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