Consumer complaint received 2023-12-18
Company: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-issue: Can't close your account

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX XXXX  I called Marcus by Goldman Sachs Bank U.S.A. At the following phone number, XXXX I asked that my savings account be closed due to being locked out of my account and denied access to my funds for nearly nine months now. I recently opened a brick and mortar local bank checking/savings/invest accts. and requested over the phone three separate times during the week stated above, that a cashiers check for the funds be sent me at my new mailing address, as I recently sold my home in XXXX XXXX and no longer live or receive mail there. ( As of XXXX XXXX XXXX ) I was told different answers each day I called. Was transferred to numerous different people and spent on average two hours each day on the phone trying to get a resolution with still none in sight. Feeling completely at a loss, I asked my new local banker at XXXX XXXX if he could help me with this problem so I can fund my new XXXX accts before they close them on me and or I owe extra fees due to the accounts not being funded. I explained to him the ongoing problems I have had since one week after inception of these three Marcus accounts. He agreed I could call them from his office and put my phone on speaker so he could hear what they would tell me regarding closing the accounts and wiring the money into the new accts at XXXX or sending me cashiers checks to take to XXXX to deposit on my own. I called two more times with him present both times. Each call lasting well over an hour on Wed XXXX XXXX and Friday XXXX. As was my experience when I called on my own, I was passed around from rep to rep. One person saying one thing, then the next person saying something that was just the opposite. No consistency between reps on the plan of action. And in fact on XXXX the XXXX was told they would close the account but the check had to go back to the institution that funded the acct originally. That seemed rather odd considering the acct was not funded from an institution but from a real estate transaction and was wired in from an escrow company. In any event, the rep did not believe me that the acct was funded from an escrow company wire transfer and refused to take any action on Wed XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX to close the acct and issue a cashiers check to me for the funds to be deposited into the new acct at XXXX. She stated I would need to call back in two or three business days to further discuss how the account was originally funded. In fact she stated she had to do a three way call with my former bank, XXXX to confirm that in fact that XXXX account was now closed. Meanwhile my new banker at XXXX was listening to all of this. All the while I was telling the Marcus rep, XXXX in fraud servicing that the money came from an escrow company wire not XXXX. When she got XXXX on the phone he said he could not confirm or deny anything while being on three way call. After two hours of utter frustration and wasted time. I agreed to come back and call again on Friday XXXX XXXX after she reached out to another rep to get answers on how the acct was funded. I asked my new banker if I could come back to his office on Friday, as we both thought even though it was entirely XXXX  provoking and problematic I was making more traction resolving the long standing communication problems with Marcus bank better with a little moral encouragement than on my own. Although my new XXXX banker did tell me who could not say anything or advise me during my conversations with the Marcus by Goldman Sachs reps. I said OK, since also I am on the XXXX XXXX so I have some difficulty with communication frustration generally speaking. I was grateful for any help with this awful situation. I had a plan that I would go home and try to find some paperwork regarding how that initial savings acct at Marcus was funded so on Friday the XXXX when I called Marcus again, I would have a solid plan to get the new accts funded by cashiers check or wire. I was able to find the escrow company wire transfer paperwork from XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  proving the savings accts at Marcus were funded through that and not XXXX. I was sure it would be just a short call to finalize the closure and return of my funds. On Friday XXXX XXXX I placed the call to Marcus by Goldman Sachs at XXXX XXXX  with the escrow document in front of me in the XXXX bankers office. Rather than picking up where I left off on Wed. With XXXX request of providing proof of how the acct was funded so they would know where to return the funds to from my closed savings account. I was once more given the run around from person to person. Starting all over from square one as if all the previous conversions on XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX and XXXX did not take place. Not only that but each of those previous conversations where nearly two hours in length, not just one liners, but in depth conversations. During this new call I was constantly being transferred and put on hold numerous times. Now I was talking to a XXXX whom said he didnt really care who funded the accounts, because basically I wont be getting any of my funds back because they don't even know if its really me, requesting to close my acct. mind you, Ive provided all the security question answers and Im sitting across from my new banker in his office. XXXX said he could not verify my identity because I did not have my same phone number that I had when I opened the Marcus accounts. My recently acquired XXXX cell phone number that I received 6 weeks ago, of XXXX in anticipation of a long hoped for retirement move to XXXX was still connected to another persons name when he did a public records search. He said he wont be issuing me a cashiers check or closing my account. Then he transferred me to another rep named XXXX who told me I would have to call back again in two or three business days. At this point its two hours again of my and this XXXX bankers lost time. I apologized for wasting the new bankers time. Utterly despondent I said I can not call Marcus any more times. What is going on is beyond belief. I will file formal complaints against this company with the government because this whole entire situation is beyond anything I can get a handle on. Im a XXXX  XXXX  and I have lost access to all my money to pay my basic needs and bills. I dont know what to do anymore. Every passing day my situation is getting worse and worse. Ive already lost my vehicle, because of this situation. I was supposed to be looking for a replacement home and purchasing a new home by now. My family member whom Ive been staying with said I cant stay past another week or two because her boyfriend will be moving in on XX/XX/XXXX. This is an absolutely intolerable situation, to have a bank hold my life savings hostage like this for nearly nine months, Im a XXXX XXXX, I fear I may be homeless soon.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation