Consumer complaint received 2018-01-21
Company: SANTANDER BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CT
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I opened my checking account with Santander bank in I believe XX/XX/XXXX. I didnt use it very often due to the fact that I was waiting to be approved for XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I bought 2 money orders from XXXX XXXX XXXX for the amount of {$990.00} each. I bought them for first months rent and security deposit for a new apartment. When I bought them to the management company to pay them and they said they had to be cashiers checks. I called Santanders XXXX number and told them what happened. I was told that I could make the money orders out to myself and deposit them to my checking account. On XX/XX/XXXX I deposited the money orders through the mobile app. When I checked my account on XXXX, {$200.00} was available. When I tried to check on XX/XX/XXXX my account had been blocked for access. I called Santander and I was transferred to the fraud unit. I spoke with a man named XXXX and I was told to bring the receipts showing that I purchased the money orders to the nearest Santander branch. I did this the same day, XX/XX/XXXX. I went to the branch in XXXX, CT on XXXX XXXX XXXX. The representative took copies of the money orders and the XXXX & XXXX receipts and emailed them to someone in the fraud unit. She told me to call the next day to check the status. I called on XX/XX/XXXX and was told that the funds were on a 5 day hold. I called on XX/XX/XXXX and I was told the funds would be released the next day. I called on XX/XX/XXXX and I was transfered to the fraud unit and I again spoke to XXXX. He told me I had to go back to the branch and talk to a manager. I go back to the branch and the associate was very confused as to why I was still having issues. She looked at my account history and didnt see any issues at all. She called the fraud unit and spoke with a XXXX and he told her to terminate the relationship with me. She argued with him in a nice way because she saw no reason and I had showed everything they needed. I even offered to get a letter from the apartment management company saying that they had denied the money orders but he said no. She didnt agree but she did what she was told. She closed out the account and gave me my funds. She didnt say but I assume he thought it was some kind of fraud goin on which it wasnt. She was very bewildered because she saw where I had made a deposit in XX/XX/XXXX and in XX/XX/XXXX. I used those funds to pay bills. Those were the only times I really used the account. She said if I had deposited them through the ATM or in the branch they wouldnt have triggered any kind of fraud alert. 

I know the bank can terminate a relationship at any time, thats not the problem. I just think the communication should have been better, it doesnt really bother me. My brother in law has had Santander since I think it was XXXX XXXX and I only joined to give him a referral. Because of this, Santander has lost 6 additional customers due to family members closing their accounts after this happened to them. One of them was my brother in law, this was the final thing to make him sever ties with Santander after so many years. 

I dont really want anything in return, I just wanted to let people know about this issue.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation