Consumer complaint received 2019-06-10
Company: BANK OF THE WEST
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Cashing a check

Complaint:
I have a checking account with Bank of the West, branch now located at XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, CA for several years with monthly XXXX payment direct deposit to my checking account. On XX/XX/2019, I personally submitted a bank draft for $ XXXX from my XXXX Credit Union  Account for cash and deposit. I requested {$500.00} cash back. The teller XXXX XXXX XXXX stated there was an insufficient balance in the account. I expected the check/draft would be cashed forthwith as previously experienced so I simply requested me the {$420.00} balance then in the account. I saw the teller place the check/draft on a track device which required another teller to get involved but nothing further happened but for the second teller saying it would go out for collection. I received a written Notice of Hold from an ATM {$1500.00} check deposit made just a few weeks earlier on XX/XX/2019 which stated the deposited funds available date " XX/XX/2019 '' BUT that notice was received in the mail after returning from my mothers funeral which was the purpose of that ATM deposit. That hold period was two days. Moreover, despite requesting a record of the deposit, I was not provided a receipt or usual print out record for the submitted $ USXXXX check/draft deposit. I was told the only record of transaction was for the {$420.00} withdrawal. When the transaction did not appear when I reviewed my account on line that evening, the next morning I returned to the branch with a photocopy of the check/draft I had deposited. XXXX XXXX, Branch Manager wrote on and signed the check photocopy acknowledging receipt of the check and a statement that funds would credited when received. I found it curious, unprofessional, absurd and incredible. In fact, in notable and apparent contrast, as a result of the Bank of the West wrongfully depriving me of my funds, I simply telephoned the credit union in  XXXX and more funds were sent by wire transfer to my local credit union rather than Bank of the West now proven untrustworthy and unreliable. Those additional funds were in my hand within 24 hours. I called the Bank of the West Consumer Relations on multiple occasions for resolution. When I first contacted the telephone customer service representative and spoke with Supervisor XXXX to make my Bank of West claim it was agreed that legal hold time on check deposits was 7 days and was given no. XXXX. to reference my claim within the Bank of the West. As an example of this course of action and results, I repetitively explained the circumstances on numerous occasions and on Friday XX/XX/2019 repeated same to XXXX. The matter was escalated to a Supervisor named XXXX who stated the processing was beyond her knowledge but was unable to transfer the matter to XXXX, the Regional Manager who was unavailable until Monday XX/XX/2019. No other immediate and/or knowledgeable Managers were available?! On Monday XX/XX/2019, after I had not received the promised call, I initiated a call and spoke with Regional Manager XXXX who stated she had received numerous annoying calls regarding my issue. Her cavalier response was that the Branch Manager, XXXX XXXX had left me three unanswered messages Friday. Regional Manager XXXX also stated Bank of the West was not required to cash the check so I told Regional Manager XXXX then to simply return the check. Regional Manager XXXX stated she could not. When asked why not and to track the check through out the process. Regional Manager XXXX said was the check was probably sitting at the XXXX bank. I can not accept that procedure is Bank of the West 's " probable '' tracking of financial instruments? I told Regional Manager XXXX according to XXXX credit union that as of Friday XX/XX/2019 the check was not returned. In fact, prior to filing this claim today on XX/XX/2019, I again telephoned the credit union in XXXX and and confirmed same. The XXXX credit union stated that according to their up to the minute banking business records, confirmed their specific check/draft check no. XXXX was the check sent to me ( that I deposited with Bank of the West ) and had not been returned to my XXXX XXXX XXXX for processing.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation