Consumer complaint received 2023-03-24
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC.
State: VA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I received a fraudulent cashier 's check on XX/XX/XXXX for an oven I was selling on XXXX marketplace and XXXX. The individual XXXX XXXX XXXX wrote from email address XXXX and explained that they would send more money than the selling price - the surplus intended to pay for the movers that would pick up the item. I deposited the check on XX/XX/XXXX ( Ally deposit reference XXXX ), an initial {$300.00} was available on XX/XX/XXXX, and the full {$3400.00} amount was cleared into by account XX/XX/XXXX. After transferring {$2000.00} to the phone number provided above, I was told by Ally on XX/XX/XXXX that the check bounced. The scammer then contacted me to transfer more money to a different phone number XXXX. When Ally called, I was informed for the FIRST time that customers are recommended to place a freeze on their accounts when they receive checks from unknown contacts. I was also told that despite being sent an Ally email that confirmed the full amount was available, I was personally responsible for not using those funds for 7-10 days to ensure full clearance. My Ally account was immediately restricted for negative funds and fraudulent activity. This involved both the checking account associated with the check AND my investment savings account. Ally claimed that the investment savings account would not be affected by restricting the checking account access, but a quick call to Ally Investing dept confirmed that one username is used for all accounts. Therefore, I am not able to access any funds in my uninvolved investment savings account. A week after the initial fraud call, I had not received any communication from the Ally XXXX '. I called back to learn that I have been PERMANENTLY restricted/banned from Ally. This means they have also permanently barred me from the money in my investment savings account - money I need to start a new account at a different bank. I can not pay any credit card bills either. A representative recommended that I transfer my savings into my checking account to clear my debt incurred by the scammer! I filed a police report for scammer, but it also feels there is no accountability or security with Ally Bank. They kick out customers without notice after they accepted the same realistic check that I fell for. I've not only been robbed by a scammer, but by Ally as well since they're holding needed funds. There is no option to appeal once the Ally fraud hotline representative says the 'investigator ' made a final decision ; they bully you out of whatever money you entrusted to them. This feels like inappropriate behavior for an 'established ' bank. What is the point of a bank being insured? XXXX  collectors are already contacting me for the indebted amount. Ally fraud case # XXXX. XXXX, VA police report # XXXX. Names used : XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX. XXXX Sender : XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX  XXXX. Emails used : XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. Phone XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. XXXX ID : phone XXXX, XXXX or XXXX 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