Consumer complaint received 2023-08-29
Company: MOUNTAIN AMERICA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: AZ
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Opening an account
Sub-issue: Unable to open an account

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX XXXX, AZ XXXX Mountain America Credit Union Subject : Complaint of Discrimination and Unfair Treatment I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction and concern regarding the discriminatory experience I recently had with Mountain America Credit Union. As a valued customer, I expected fair and equitable treatment, but unfortunately, my encounter left me feeling marginalized and disrespected. 

On XXXX, I visited the branch located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX AZ to open an account. Upon arrival, I was informed by the customer service representative that I was required to provide a physical copy of my Social Security card. However, I explained that I did not possess such a document at the time and was advised by the representative to obtain a printout from the Social Security Administration indicating that the card was being processed and would be delivered soon. I followed their instructions and returned to the branch with the necessary documentation. 

To my dismay, the customer service representative present at the branch contradicted what I had been told previously. They claimed that there had been a mistake and that I still needed to provide a physical copy of my Social Security card. This conflicting information left me feeling frustrated and deceived, as I had been given false assurances by the sales representative I spoke with over the phone earlier. 

What concerns me even more is the apparent discrepancy in treatment between customers. It is disheartening to suspect that my experience may have been influenced by factors such as my race or age. As an individual who has been a victim of fraud, I understand the importance of safeguarding personal information. However, it is unjust and discriminatory to insist on a specific document, especially when alternative methods of verification are available. I firmly believe that if I were a middle-aged white male, I would not have been subjected to such treatment. 

Moreover, I am deeply troubled by the violation of my First Amendment rights. The refusal to accept alternative documents for identity verification not only goes against the principles of the Social Security Act and the Patriot Act but also restricts my freedom of speech and expression. This discriminatory practice has left me feeling marginalized, and it is imperative that immediate action is taken to rectify this situation. 

I request that Mountain America Credit Union thoroughly investigate this matter and address the discriminatory behavior exhibited by your customer service representatives. I also request that my account be opened without further delay, using alternative forms of identification as permissible by law. Additionally, I would appreciate a formal apology for the distress and inconvenience caused by this discriminatory incident. 

I have taken the liberty of recording my conversations with your customer service representatives, which provide evidence of the contradictory information and discriminatory treatment I experienced. I am willing to provide these recordings if necessary to support my complaint. 

I trust that Mountain America Credit Union will take this matter seriously and ensure that such incidents of discrimination are not tolerated within your institution. I expect a prompt response regarding the actions you will take to address and rectify this situation. Failure to do so will leave me with no choice but to escalate this complaint to the appropriate regulatory authorities and seek legal recourse. 

I look forward to receiving your response within 30 days. Please address all correspondence related to this matter to the contact information provided above. 

Yours sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation