Consumer complaint received 2022-06-15
Company: DISCOVER BANK
State: PA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Opening an account
Sub-issue: Account opened as a result of fraud

Complaint:
I recently signed up for a Discover Credit card and when my card arrived, I logged in to sign up for the online account. In doing so, it prompted me to " link '' my two accounts. After entering my SSN for verification, I saw I had a Savings account .... which had a phone number and email address I did not recognize. I immediately called Discover. After being bounced around to 3 different departments/people over the course of about 1.2 hr, I was placed on hold for " the next available associate '' in the Banking Fraud Department . Estimated wait time was 90 minutes. I sat on hold for 2hours and Discovers ' line HUNG UP. I called back, was going to be redirected AGAIN but I asked to talk to someone ASAP. The banking department was able to locate this Fraud account and " freeze '' it BUT would not give me access. The Fraud department would still have to handle my account but at least the account was " frozen ''. At this point, I asked whether or not someone ( whoever this person is ) would be able to regain access.. the associated replied " well no because they don't have your information '' ... which I then said " the phone number on the account is not mine ''. These people have been able to open a bank account so they must have identifying information.. the associate then said they would put a note on my account so it re-directs to FRAUD instead of having to verify by text ( which the number, again, was not mine so this fraudster would be able to do this ). This is now the 3rd bank account that has been opened in my name so I'm somewhat familiar with the process. I do not, however, understand WHY it is THIS easy to open a bank account without Verifying the Address. The address this person used was an address in a completely different state ( that I have never visited, travelled through let alone lived in ) and a phone number that was never associated with me in the first place. I checked my XXXX report and there was XXXX inquiries from DISCOVER for the savings account. I did see the inquiry for my Discover CREDIT card ( which was me ). I opened that card on XX/XX/2022, this fraudster opened the savings account on XX/XX/2022 With all that being said, I've spent the last XXXX hours on the phone at a total of 9.5 hours WAITING ON HOLD for the banking FRAUD department. I was hung up on while on hold over 2 hours TWICE. Each time I called, it gave me wait times ... 30 minutes, and over 90 minutes... I waited each time and they exceed those wait times every single time. This morning I called at XXXX EST ( you guys open at 8 ) and just sat on hold again for an hour only for the call to go dead AGAIN... 

I need to talk to the banking fraud department because this accounts ' information MUST be changed ASAP, the account MUST be closed!!!!! I can not do ANY of that unless I talk to the FRAUD department.. 

This has seriously made me want to cancel my credit card with Discover ( that I JUST received ) because I'm terrified that this person would have access to this card Now that they have a Savings Account under my name. Can they link the accounts? WHO KNOWS BECAUSE NO ONE WILL ANSWER THE PHONE. The fact that BOTH were approved within days of each other BUT the address, phone number and Email was ALL different blows my mind. it should not be this EASY to open accounts!!!!!! and it should DEFINITEY NOT be this hard to gain access to accounts listed in your own name! 
I was told that I would receive a letter in the mail ( by the banking person ) But I said ok, which address .... and they said the address on the account. THAT DOESNT HELP ME! 
I did, however, XXXX the address ... and it doesn't even exist. The street, city, state and ZIP exist ... but not the address ... so the bank account was opened with an address that isn't even real. GREAT JOB!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation