Consumer complaint received 2021-07-11
Company: HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK, THE
State: CO
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
In the beginning of XXXX I had decided to open an online bank account through an online bank I had found through XXXX while researching the best online banks and I felt that Huntington National Bank would be a good fit for me. Plus they offer a {$200.00} new account sign on bonus. I decided to use it as my account for my deposits. I got 3 different government checks in the total amount of {$8700.00} and decided to transfer {$3000.00} to my XXXX XXXX  in XXXX increments. I had been waiting for quite awhile to get my unemployment back payments so when I got the deposits I wanted to pay off my debt that totals close to {$3000.00}. As to why I chose to deposit it into my account in the XXXX XXXX, app. 
Huntington National Bank suspends my card with the remaining {$5700.00} and they tell me I have to call them to get this limit lifted. I expected something along those lines to happen since the amounts were so great and it is my first deposit into that account. I had absolutely no problem with doing what they said was necessary to get my card not be suspended any longer or the limit/s removed. On XX/XX/2021, I call the customer service number for Huntington National Bank they then try to verify my identity by sending a text message to an old number I had used in XXXX to sign up for the account even though I had no access to that phone number and had the account number changed weeks before this. I was confused as to why they couldn't use my current phone number on my account for verification. The customer service representative then says because I have no access to the phone number that I used to sign up with that my next step is to verify my identity by having me personally walk into a branch. Unfortunately the only close branch to where I am located is in Illinois I am in XXXX and I am also XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX with a XX/XX/XXXX. 
On XX/XX/2021, I called the customer service phone line and spoke to a gentleman and I offered to send Huntington National Bank a copy of my license, or fax a copy. I also tried to see if they would be willing to accept a conference XXXX video call with me in person as well I was denied and told that the only way to obtain access to my card was by walking into a branch in person. On XX/XX/2021, Again, I called the Huntington National Bank customer service phone number and I answered the secret code that Huntington National Bank requires you to set up for verification purposes. I also answered it correctly. I then answer the back up questions they had me set up online and also I answer the questions correctly. Again I was told that nothing they can do at this point I offered to send them a copy of my social security card, a copy of my birth certificate, or have a notary sign a document stating I am who I am. 
Huntington WILL NOT help me at all. Huntington National Bank refuses to collaborate with me so that we can get this figured out. Plus, every time I have called they are constantly on an hour long wait or longer. So it takes me a very long time to get ahold of someone.

Huntington National Bank could careless that I am XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX with my XX/XX/XXXX and that my DR is NOT allowing me to take a flight at this time due to being XX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXX. I refuse to risk the life of myself or my XXXX or the both of us because I took a flight to XXXX, Illinois against my Dr 's wishes. No amount of money could ever replace my XXXX so I feel going to XXXX is not acceptable at for me at this time. 
Honestly, I can't even get to Illinois without the money that they have suspended in my account. I decided on XX/XX/2021, that I wanted to close my account with them and have them issue a check for the remaining balance and they WILL NOT let me do that either. I recorded a phone call with the last customer service representative that I spoke to and have literally tried everything in my power to meet there requirements and have met them. Yet, I get nothing but the same answers. 
I've read all there fine print and disclosures which it doesnt state anywhere that an in-person identity verification is going to be necessary at any point in time for out of state customers opening a new account. They advertise a {$200.00} sign on bonus to anyone who opens an account threw them. No where does it say for certain states or cities. Plus, no bank should allow someone to open an account out of state if they do not offer out of state online banking. 
I've also done research on the FDIC website and spoke to a customer service representative for Huntington National Bank about Huntington National Bank being FDIC certified which means they are required to follow laws and regulations that the FDIC has required them to follow. The FDIC states clearly on the FDIC website that they are to accommodate me and accommodate me practically. Especially if they are the ones requiring me to verify my identity to them. 
To have me take a flight to Illinois from XXXX while I am XXXX XXXX  and XXXX XXXX XXXX  does not seem practical to me what so ever. Or the fact that I would be going against my doctor 's wishes by taking a flight to Illinois. Huntington did not care about any of those things or the fact that I read off there own disclosures word for word to them and asked exactly where it says this is necessary to out of state customers or the protocol they require when someone opens a new account online. Again, Huntington advertises that they are a bank that offers online banking to customers out of state. There was absolutely No warnings, no alerts, no notifications whatsoever in place to warn me that I would have to do an in person identity verification by walking into a branch in person. 
Huntington National Bank will not give me ANY answers or even acknowledge any of the FDIC laws and regulations that I have looked into. They refuse to even acknowledge there own policies. I have gotten absolutely no help, nothing. This bank just repeatedly keeps saying that until I come into a branch in person they will not let me access any of my money or my account period. My account is now completely suspended and I have absolutely no access to it now. When it all started with my debit card being suspended after reaching the daily transfer limits. I have no idea how this has escalated to this point. 
They are willing to endanger myself and my XXXX XXXX by requiring me to board a plane. If I did take a flight against my doctor 's will and something happens to either of us or both of us who's going to pay for that? 
I really, really, need this money to pay my rent, my bills, put gas in my car, and prepare for my son 's arrival. My credit card bills need to be paid and some of my debt etc. 
I am now stuck in this situation I don't know what my personal rights are or what they can or can not do as a bank etc. Any help would be appreciated at this time. This has been ongoing for 4 or 5 days now and I have spoke to a senior director who's name is XXXX XXXX she refused to help me at all. She said I was stupid for opening an online bank account with a bank that has no branches within XXXX miles. That as the customer this is all my fault for wanting to be a customer of there bank without any branches close to me. I then moved the remaining balance of {$5100.00} into my savings account through Huntington National Bank since I am unable to transfer it anywhere else. She then suspended my entire account. I now do not have ANY access to my online bank account what so ever. Huntington National Bank can not promise me that my money will not be deposited back to unemployment nor can they promise me that my money will be there if I were to so happen to make a flight to XXXX, Illinois. I can not take a chance of the funds being sent back or not available to me if I were to go to Illinois and walk into a branch and identify my identity. I would need the funds to pay for lodging, cab fare, food, etc for not only myself but my husband as well since he will not allow me to go to XXXX, Illinois alone since I've never even been to that side of the United States in my life and being XXXX XXXX pregnant with our son. Huntington refuses to help pay for any of that or to compromise with me in anyway. So I am unsure what exactly I should do in this matter at this time. I have spoken to 7+ or 8+ different between XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX no one can help me. There customer service representatives all state the same thing over and over they show no compassion or understanding for my situation as well after reading the notes written by the last representative that I had dealt with and tried figuring out what to do with this situation. 
After spending an entire night reading there disclosures for online banking and ALL of there small print contracts and disclosures I saw that Huntington Bank allows you to have a delegate, I offered to have my husband go to XXXX in my place to verify my identity as my delegate and they will not allow that either. What is the poinXXXX of allowing someone to appoint a delegate for there account if they can not appoint a delegate?

I also saw in the disclosures for Huntington National Bank 's online banking that if they were to start an investigation into any identity verification, money laundering, any errors, issues, identity theft, verifications, etc. Huntington National Banks policy states : that they would be required to give me temporary access to my account and the funds that are also within my account within ten days of them starting an investigation. Until Huntington National Bank can get all the information together and the final results have been processed.

Huntington National Bank will not take any accountability for what there own policy and disclosures state. They refuse to help me at all and are stealing from me so since I felt closing my account in total and never using them as my personal bank again is the best decision at this time for myself and having a check issued in my name to my address for the remaining balance in my account and the customer service representative stated that they refuse to let me close my account and that I can not close my account until I verify my identity by walking into a branch in person. I've tried literally everything on my end to fix this situation and at this point I am at a loss of words. I am extremely frustrated, and my XX/XX/XXXX is being affected due to this XXXX XXXXXXXX situation. It's causing my XXXX XXXX to be extremely high and my XXXX XXXX is being XXXX  out. 
Note : I have a recorded phone call with Huntington National Bank, I am not able to upload it at this time, this web page will not let me upload it for some reason. If necessary I can send it to the required parties through email or another way to attach it. I am not technically inclined.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation