Consumer complaint received 2021-05-09
Company: BBVA FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: NC
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem accessing account

Complaint:
In early 2021, BBVA USA, owner of Simple, announced it would close Simple and merge Simple 's banking customers into BBVA USA 's banking system. The transition date was scheduled as XX/XX/2021. Prior to the transition, Simple banking customers were advised that on XX/XX/XXXX, BBVA " will email you more details about logging in to your BBVA Simple Account '' and that you can download their mobile app, which " you can start using ... on XX/XX/XXXX ( but not before ) ''. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from BBVA at XXXX XXXX EST, advising that " [ my ] account ( s ) has already been converted to BBVA Simple Checking '' with a link to activate online banking. I clicked the link to activate my account, and was able to get through a number of steps, until I received a " System Error '' message. I continued to receive this message throughout the day via the desktop BBVA site and the BBVA mobile app. I also noticed a number of Simple customers were reporting on XXXX the exact same problems I was experiencing. Later in the day, I tried to sign in with the information I used to set up the account, and I was advised my account had been locked. A number was provided to call - ( XXXX ) XXXX - to unlock my account. 

Calling the above ( XXXX ) number, with automated options, only lead to a message that the company was experiencing " technical difficulties '' and to try back later. I also tried a different BBVA number - ( XXXX ) XXXX - which did allow me to access my account by phone, but would not allow me to speak to an agent with the same " technical difficulties '' automated message. It was only after monitoring XXXX that someone reported a different number to contact - ( XXXX ) XXXX. 

I called the above ( XXXX ) number, waited on hold for approximately 45 minutes, and spoke to someone who after confirming literally every single detail of my account several times - name, phone number, address, year I opened the Simple account - placed me on hold and then told me to call a different number to unlock my account and get a new password. This different number was the ( XXXX ) number tried previously, and I shared with the agent my experience of continually being rerouted to a message advising " technical difficulties '' with no help unlocking the account. I hoped he would be able to help me on this current call. After being put on hold and confirming many details again, he gave me a temporary password to use. I tried to use this password, but was advised again that my account was locked out. 

I called the ( XXXX ) number again and waited on hold for over an hour before the call cut off. Customer service was unavailable after a certain time the evening of XX/XX/XXXX. The automated message advising of standard hours noted that the bank would be open XXXX, but not on Sundays, meaning Simple customers experiencing issues would have no way of resolving access to their accounts on Sunday, XX/XX/XXXX. It was only at XXXX XXXX EST that BBVA USA announced on Twitter that customer service would be open XXXX XXXX - XXXX XXXX CST on Sunday, XX/XX/XXXX. They also wrote : " We know the conversion experience has not been as smooth as you or we would have preferred. '' As of Sunday, XX/XX/XXXX, at XXXX XXXX EST, I still do not have access to my checking account via BBVA 's system. BBVA USA 's system was overwhelmed by the amount of Simple customers trying to create their new accounts. They had months to plan for this transition, including control over the date of the transition ( e.g. not over a weekend or XXXX 's XXXX ), whether Simple banking customers would be transitioned gradually rather than all at once ( to avoid overwhelming their systems ), and whether there were enough IT and Customer Service agents on hand to deal with issues. BBVA also chose to shut down Simple due to its acquisition by XXXX. This not only means that after a terrible experience being migrated into BBVA 's system, former Simple customers ( if they choose to give BBVA a chance [ which most will not at this point ] ) will be migrated into another online banking system later this year. 

No bank can reassure customers when said customers can not access their financial accounts in modern ways. With the ability to respond in realtime and the amount of money spent on advertising and PR by companies, there's no reason BBVA could not have communicated with Simple customers by email on the issues experienced on XX/XX/XXXX and the newly added customer service hours on XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX. Customers should not have to monitor XXXX for help ( which hasn't been that helpful ). 

I can only speak to my experience above, but there are reports of Simple customers not being able to use their debit cards despite being reassured they would work in the transition ; routing and account numbers changing despite being reassured they would remain the same ; BBVA having old account information from years prior and customers having to use old zip codes to set up new accounts ; BBVA 's XXXX account deleting messages from customers, etc. I encourage you to investigate further claims related to this issue.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation