Consumer complaint received 2020-11-19
Company: NORTHWEST BANCSHARES INC
State: PA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
Short story is that they are not and are delaying awarding a new customer checking account bonus that they acknowledge I earned. 

Long story, Northwest Bank is running a promotion to open their XXXX XXXX checking account, and when you meet certain requirements, you get {$500.00}. I was made aware of this promotion via letter to my house with the code XXXX on it. On XX/XX/XXXX, I used the code and opened the account online. I have screenshots of both the letter and the specific page where you type in the code and click continue. Fast forward to when I met the requirements, which are 1. open by XX/XX/XXXX, 2. direct deposit at least {$2000.00} in 2 consecutive statement cycles within the first 3 cycles. I did this on the first 2 and as noted, opened the account on XX/XX/XXXX well before XX/XX/XXXX. My cycle is on the XXXX or XXXX, so I was due the bonus on XXXX, but the letter says the bonus will be deposited 7 days after the cycle date, so the XXXX. I wanted to double check so I messaged their customer service on XX/XX/XXXX and asked if I did indeed meet the requirements and should be expecting the bonus. The next day, on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX from Customer Service wrote back that I me the requirements and because the XXXX is a Saturday, I should look for the bonus on the next business day. So I assumed I would see it on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX. It wasn't there. On XX/XX/XXXX, I messaged that my bonus was not there and it's been 10 days since I met the requirements. I got no response and have still not received a response today XX/XX/XXXX. I called a few times in between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, and was told by customer service reps that they were told no promotional code was added and they had to investigate. I told them the code I used and that I had a screenshot. They did not ask to see the screenshot. On Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX, I was told I definitely earned the bonus but because the code didn't submit, they have to manually enter it and this could take a week. I pressed for faster action and XXXX said she escalated it to the Managers and that it could be done as quickly as today ( XX/XX/XXXX ). It never came for the next 2 days. Today, I get a call from XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX saying I have to wait and the bonus will be deposited on XXXX. It's lies and lies and they won't write anything down in messages or emails so nothing is tracked. 

See 3 screenshots, the letter with the code, the page I submitted the code, XXXX recognizing I met the requirements and XXXX saying I will be paid. 

They are avoiding or delaying paying new customer bonuses and saying I did not submit the code, which I can not prove them wrong because they don't care to see evidence. Why I think they are being fraudulent is the numerous delays, and 1 main point. If they say they have to manually type in the bonus, and said they will, why does it matter if it is awarded on the next cycle date, XXXX. The next cycle date is irrelevant because the bonus was met on XXXX.

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