Consumer complaint received 2023-12-28
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC.
State: AZ
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not received from closed account

Complaint:
To Whom It May Concern at Ally Bank : I am writing to ask you to please help me locate the funds that have been isolated from my closed acct. Through various phone calls I have finally ascertained that the IRS check was returned to the IRS ( so I know I can get that reissued ). However, the location of the money from the XXXX  transfer that was made in the amount for the amount of {$5000.00} is still unknown/missing. 
Background : I invested in a HYSA at Ally because I am trying to diversify the types of accounts I have and I had heard great things about the buckets features. However, I am also an XXXX that spends most of the year outside of the US. I maintain a US mailing address, file taxes in the US m spend time in the US each year and have other US based bank accts and services so I did not consider that adding another one would be such an issue. I did not realize that accessing the acct outside of the US would be so complicated, thus I had to ensure the help of my father to help me log in. I was not aware of the nuance between joint account holders and giving login permission. 

To make matters even more complicated, I live in XXXX, XXXX. In order to access XXXX websites I use a VPN ( all the XXXX do, it is extremely common ). They are even built into many businesses Wifi networks here ( mine included ). To make calls outside of the country I use a service that can connect me using a XXXX phone number. After doing more belated research I came to realize your website does not work outside of the US at all, but it is even more complicated to access here in XXXX. I was eager to fund the account and chalked up my login issues to being XXXX specific ( not outside of the US specific ) and I had a friend transfer me money from her US acct. I also received my IRS tax return and also wanted that deposited. 

It is my belief that although this was performed in good faith, these actions triggered your banks fraud alerts. I understand that you are trying to protect your customers from fraud but after searching forums I can see many honest customers in the same/ similar predicaments to me. Locked out of their accts with no access to their money for weeks/months. You can imagine how frustrating this is and what a difficult problem it is to solve after working so hard to save those funds. 

This was my mistake and I understand it breaks your terms of service. I understand if I can no longer be a customer at your bank however, I have absolutely no idea where/when I will receive the funds that have been isolated from my account. 

Can you please tell the process I need to go to through to do so? Calling thus far was mostly a fruitless endeavor while I was abroad because I can not call with my US mobile number that is linked to my acct ( Despite answering all the security questions ). I did try to call using call connection services like XXXX XXXX ( see attached screenshots ) and was able to speak to a few representatives before they completely stopped talking to me on the phone during the investigation process. No one from the customer service line will give me any information. There is no XXXX XXXX XXXX location I can go to prove my identity. I did not want to mail a letter containing sensitive information to a po box I was never told the steps I needed or should take. 

From my perspective here is the history of my relationship with your bank : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  with Ally Bank is opened ( no minimum is required and I planned to fund it asap ) I discover that I have some issues getting on the website. I am no stranger to this living in XXXX, so I make a mental note to try it later. I get caught up in the busy-ness of my day to day life and forget to do so. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I get email alerts telling me my new account will close soon. 

* When I call to inquire about this a few days later the rep tells me that its too late to try to fund this one with a transfer, but she assures me there is no penalty for letting this acct close. She tells me to just call again and they will re-open another acct in my name ( diff number ). 

I realized that my phone has space for XXXX sim cards- I wanted to see if my US sim would work at all to allow me to login to this website and see my account. It did work briefly, which allowed me to change the telephone banking pin. However, this did not last and the XXXX XXXX XXXX my US number is not accessible here anymore. I dont know why it had a weird fluke where it worked. 

On XX/XX/XXXX The bank sends me a reference and alerts about impending closing XXXX I was able to change some aspect of my login over the phone with a rep. Thus, I got an email saying that login information has changed. 

I WANT TO PREFACE THAT EACH TIME I spoke to reps I was always transparent and said where I was. I even expressed misgivings about the phone number saying I am not sure if it will work here but she assured me I could change it later. 

I follow the previous representatives advice and let the acct close with a plan to re-open and fund the new acct right away to avoid these issues. 

XX/XX/XXXX : The initial acct is closed. 

Now, because I had such issues the first time with funding the acct in time I did not want to have the same issue with the new acct. 

XXXX opened a new acct ( over the phone ). The profile is the same but under my acct info XXXX accts show. XXXX  is shown as inactive and the newer XXXX  is active. 

XX/XX/XXXX Ally bank sends me reminders to fund the account XX/XX/XXXX Ally receives my IRS return check deposit. I add my dads phone number so he can help me deposit my return. I did not realize the specificity of adding a joint account holder to do so. The check is in my name and signed by me, but I simply cant get on the website so I enlist his help. I was not intentionally breaking terms. I really didnt realize. 


XX/XX/XXXX {$1800.00} IRS return check posts XX/XX/XXXX From Ally : We restricted your accounts because we detected suspicious activity on XXXX 

You may not be able to log in or transfer money out of your accounts. 


Again, because I had planned to fund this account MONTHS ago and was getting anxious for it to accrue interest. I wanted to transfer a good amount right away. My friend XXXX XXXX ( initials to protect anonymity in this posting as instructed by the bureau ) had owed me money for quite some time, so when she asked me where I wanted to get it sent I had her send it to Ally instead of my longtime, normal XXXX acct. 
I thought it was a great opportunity to fund the acct more comfortably till I could get to the US and do so myself. I also had her call her bank and inquire. I thought when the acct was drained that the funds were returned to their origin. She has not received a return of the funds but her bank did provide a trace number to show the transfer went through. 


I only discovered that her XXXX  transfer also posted on XX/XX/XXXX when I received my paper statement in the mail that was received XXXX ( but not seen by me until my parents sent me a photo weeks later because I was not in the US at the time ) XXXX I finally manage to call the bank ( Again in a different time zone, have to get connected to US numbers through a service ) I spoke with an agent named XXXX and answered all her security questions. he did say that if the account was closed a check would be mailed to the address on file. She continued to question me and I explained what happened with the login with my dad. She then informed me that the bank believes fraud was committed by my own admission of this login and an investigation would begin immediately and it would be concluded within a week. She would not give me further information over the phone. 


XX/XX/XXXX The statement shows there was a withdrawl on this date debiting my acct- {$6800.00} ( all of the money in the acct ) The acct is now at XXXX. 


XXXX statement date ( did not receive or see this document till weeks later ) -- stopped trying to solve this issue until I knew I would be back in the US to be able to make actual progress. 

XXXX called Ally to inquire about where the funds are- spoke with XXXX -general customer service She was kind and friendly but was transferred around departments/ on hold for a long time before she finally was able to transfer me to a fraud prevention specialist XX/XX/XXXX transferred to- Fraud Prevention Account specialist XXXX I confirm with XXXX that my online login is fully suspended and there is no way to remedy this. Normally, the online login is where checks can re requested to be sent. My only options remaining for communication are phone or po box ( which isn't ideal for sensitive or time relevant information ). 

She told me returned the IRS check to the IRS but that the whereabouts of the {$5000.00} XXXX  transfer are not known. Told me she would escalate the problem and get in touch with the investigations specialists who closed the acct and that they would call me eventually. 

I spent over an hour on the phone trying to solve this issue ( just with the bank directly ) but have had to call other departments and places ( IRS ) to try recoup funds that are rightfully mine. 

Please understand that I was doing the best I can to solve this issue from abroad but it seems not likely or possible. I have to contend with the time zone differences, working a full time job and trying to tackle this perplexing problem in the limited free time I have. However, more so for most of this over XXXX month long process no one from your team will tell me what is going on or how I can go about verifying my identity to prove that those funds are attributed to me. After lots of internet research it seems that isolated in your banks terms means the customer service team can not help over the phone and it has been turned over to the fraud team. I understand these investigations can take up to XXXX  days? It has been over that period now. There is no other information given or steps to take. 

To make matters worse, I am now just back in the US for a limited time for the XXXX holiday. I can only receive calls about this on my US number until XXXX at XXXX XXXX. I will not be back in the US until the summer and I worry that somehow the time for action about this issue will have lapsed and the funds will be forsaken even though they are my funds and I am legally entitled to them. 

PS. Because of the nature of this issue and because I will be abroad very soon for the next XXXX months to finish my working contract- Is there anybody I can empower ( limited power of attorney ) to act on this issue for me? Could such a form be emailed or sent to me? 

I hope you can illuminate to me how to fix this problem. Thanks in advance.

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 non-monetary relief