Consumer complaint received 2023-09-18
Company: Paypal Holdings, Inc
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem accessing account

Complaint:
XX/XX/23 Have a XXXX balance in my Venmo account Transfer out XXXX using my Venmo debit card ( receive email receipt ) Remaining balance of XXXX XX/XX/23 at XXXX Recieved an email that my Venmo account has been frozen and that I should have received a separate email with more information. I did not have not to date received that email. 
XXXX - I replied to the email as instructed asking for assistance in removing the freeze. 
Submitted a ticket online with XXXX to ask for assistance removing the freeze. 
Received a general bot reply to my online ticket with a link to XXXX XXXX that might solve my issue. Non were applicable. 
Replied to the ticket as instructed letting them know those XXXX XXXX did not fix my issue and to please contact me. 

I called Venmo and was told there was nothing she could do and I have to communicate through email and the tickets. I was told I could not retrieve my funds until the freeze was lifted, which could take over a week. I was told she could not provide any details or explanation as to why my account was frozen. 

XX/XX/23 My ticket online was deleted. Not just closed, completely deleted and not showing on my account, however I have the email that follows after you submit the ticket. 

I submitted another online ticket with the same information asking for help again Received the same generic XXXX  email, replied to it asking for more assistance A service rep responded named XXXX, Please see my uploads. 
She told me she can not help me and I would have to wait for the special services team to contact me, that they only communicate through email, and that they can take 7-10 business day to contact me and even give me an explanation of why my account is frozen, much less what I need to do to have it unfrozen. 
I let her know I need the funds from my account as I'm a mom of XXXX and starting a new job this week and that is all the money we have until my direct deposit arrives. 
She advised that because I have a Venmo XXXX  card I can use it at the ATM to retrieve my funds or use it to make purchases. 
I let her know I had tried a purchase and it was declined, and that I was told conflicting information on the phone by Venmo earlier in the day, and requested clarification. 

My ticket was CLOSED without any reply. 

I submitted ANOTHER ticket asking for information on all of the above, including why my ticket was closed without reply. No response received, not even the generic XXXX email this time. 

In desperation I drove to the ATM from my home in the country to try what I was told would work to withdraw my funds. 
Declined, XXXX times, with XXXX different error codes on the receipts for what Venmo was reporting back in their system. 

XX/XX/23 Screenshot and recorded all communications with Venmo and declined transactions and current status and balance shown in my app. 


This has been a nightmare. 


Here are the details I submitted to a law firm for consultation below just few minutes ago. 
Much more prose and emotion in this, but it explains the full story for additional details. 


( sent to XXXX XXXX XXXX for review and consultation on XX/XX/23 ) Venmo has frozen my account and provided no reason for doing so. 
I have spoken to them on the phone multiple times, and in support tickets multiple times. 
They continue to say that their special services team should have emailed me regarding why my account was frozen. They have not! 
They have said it could be XXXX days before I even receive a reply on why my account was frozen. 
My account is fully verified, and I have a XXXX balance that I CAN NOT access. 
I am a mom of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, and this XXXX} is all I have until I start employment with a new company later this week, then still need to make it to my first paycheck. 
I was told on the phone with Venmo that I can not use my Venmo debit card even to access my funds. 
Then in a XXXX ticket later that day I was told I can use my Venmo XXXX  card to access my funds at an ATM and to make purchases with my physical card. 
I asked for clarification because I had tried a purchase already and it was declined, and I was told conflicting information earlier on the phone. 
They CLOSED my ticket WITHOUT RESPONDING! 
I created another ticket and continued asking for information and clarification. 
In desperation, I drove XXXX miles from my XXXX home to an ATM to try to withdraw my funds as I was told I could, and no surprise, it did NOT allow me to. 
My XXXX  tickets continue to be closed and go unanswered, and phone support continues to tell me there is nothing they can do and provide no explanation to why my account is frozen. 
I have read Venmo 's terms and have violated none of them. My XXXX  sent me XXXX, and in the past had sent me $ XXXX XXXX multiple times, including XXXX XXXX weeks ago, and I have never had an issue. I was able to transfer XXXX  out of the XXXX he sent to my bank, then Venmo froze my account. 
No explanation, no email, no timeline for fixing the issue, no communication, no sympathy, no solutions, and their elusive " special services team '' I was told only communicates through email, which I was not given. 
I have screenshots of every ticket and the conflicting information I was given, the questions I asked and where my ticket was closed without a reply, phone records of each time I called Venmo and the length of call, the physical ATM receipts showing where my Venmo XXXX XXXX was rejected XXXX times and XXXX different ATM error codes for the information my bank ( VENMO ) kicked back to them, and every email of failed transactions and communication ( or non communication ) with Venmo since the account was frozen. 
I have been vigilant and unrelenting and have not been helped at all. 
I need this XXXX out of my account desperately for my family to bridge the gap this week. 
I even asked Venmo if they could transfer my balance to my linked and verified XXXX XXXX account that is on file with them in my account ( and has been for a while ), while I wait for their team to decide why my account is frozen. 
( If I can supposedly use my Venmo XXXX card still as they said ( i can not ) then why can they not manually, on their end, transfer my funds to my already linked and verified bank account? 

This is ridiculous, and should be a crime to hold someone's funds without cause! and to not be able to speak to their special services team and have to wait for THEM to contact you through EMAIL whenever they feel like it is asinine and should be customer fraud. 
Please help me. Any advice or suggestions you have would be so greatly appreciated. 
I am in the process of submitted a complaint to the CFBP and Texas Attorney General.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief