Consumer complaint received 2022-01-05
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-issue: Company closed your account

Complaint:
In or aroundXX/XX/2020, I opened a checking account with US Bank after being approved ONLINE. I went to the US Bank branch # XXXX located in XXXX XXXX, CA to make the qualifying deposits required to open the checking account. I met with consultant XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ID XXXX ) to complete this process.Shortly after, I was sent a debit card ending in XXXX that was linked to this checking account. Once my checking account had sufficient funds in it, I applied for a US Bank secured Visa card, which required a deposit of {$300.00}, which i transferred into the secured Visa account from my US Bank checking account. 
I am a self-employed domestic caregiver/ housekeeper. In early XX/XX/2020, I did a housekeeping/organization job in XXXX XXXX XXXX CA for a young woman whom I'd just met through a mutual associate. As far as I know he, the woman was named XXXX XXXX and lived with her father in the house I worked at. At the end of the almost XXXX hours of work, XXXX gave me a check for {$700.00}, which I realized later was written/signed by the man ( or so I assumed ). I deposited the check on or around XXXXXX/XX/20208pm using the ATM at the US Bank branch located in XX/XX/XXXXXXXX , CA. 
In the following days, I learned through casual conversations with friends about the work I had done- that XXXX XXXX had " ripped them off, '' or was shady in her business dealings. Because of my fears that the payment might be unsound, I WENT TO BOTH MY BANK BRANCH AND THE US BANK IN XXXX, CA TO ALERT STAFF ABOUT THE CHECKS POSSIBLE FRAUDULENCE. It wasn't until i talked to a consultant at the XXXX branch that I learned that my checking account was already placed on hold-DESPITE SHOWING A POSITIVE BALANCE of ABOUT {$350.00}. They told me that it was INDEED because of this check that my account was on hold. 
I was NEVER NEVER contacted by ANYBODY at US Bank concerning ANYTHING regarding the check OR a hold or my account being closed. I did ALL of the reaching out to XXXX and staff. 
After having the {$350.00} sitting in my account for over 2 weeks ( but NOT being able to access it or get ANY logical answers ), the staff at US Bank 's customer service phone line told me that the account was set for closure on or around XX/XX/2020, and a cashiers check with the remaining balance would be sent to me WITHIN 3 DAYS of the closure. 
On XXXX i contacted the customer service line again, only to be told that the account had actually closed on the XXXX, so I could expect the check within 3 days of THAT date. The US Bank representative even confirmed the proper address to mail the cashiers check to. 
New Years came and went with NO CHECK, NO ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT ME FROM US BANK OR MY BANKER, XXXX XXXX ( I also sent her emails and made phone calls and visits to the branch on various occasions in attempts to resolve this issue- to no avail ). 
So, on XXXX-ONCE AGAIN- I called US Banks customer service line to track the check. This time the representative told me that my cashiers check was being '' HELD IN A SECURE ACCOUNT, '' and that I would NEED TO GO INTO A BRANCH TO RETRIEVE THE CASHIERS CHECK..!!!! WHAT!?? 
All the while, my secured XXXX, which of course is linked with the now CLOSED checking account, is past due and im sure accruing late fees- not to mention any and all automatic payments I have linked with the checking account. 
I followed US Banks policy by ALERTING THE BANK OF MY WORRIES ABOUT THE CHECK WITHIN 60 DAYS OF DEPOSIT/DISCOVERY OF POSSIBLE FRAUD. My understanding of US Banks policy is that the account holder shall NOT be held responsible if its reported within that time allotment. Since US Bank failed to make ANY attempt to contact ME, I believe that this Bank has probably made it a regular practice to quietly close accounts WITHOUT ANY ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE ISSUES BY CONTACTING THE ACCOUNTHOLDER, likely in attempts to gain the funds in the accounts in question. I'm positive if looked into, there WILL be evidence of such conduct on behalf of US Bank and its representatives.

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 monetary relief