Consumer complaint received 2020-04-25
Company: PENTAGON FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem accessing account

Complaint:
( 1 ) On XX/XX/2020 XXXX, COMPLAINTANT has successfully created a set of checking and saving accounts with PenFed. All required documents and SSN information were used to create the account, access mobile banking subsequently and to unlock using automated means. 
( 2 ) However, online access was suddenly blocked on XX/XX/2020XXXX  by PenFed employees. Employees stated that, although enrollment process did not require such documents, COMPLAINTANT needs to send utility bills, SSN card and photo ID in order to unlock the account. There was no automated text or email generated but it wasn't until COMPLAINTANT 's attempt to login again, when he found he account locked manually. 
( 3 ) Initial deposit and a credit card application were successfully made before the lock, marking the successful login and usage before the manual lock placed by PenFed employees. 
( 4 ) COMPLAINTANT called a few times ( XX/XX/2020Monday  XXXX XXXX  PST XXXX XXXX  EST,XX/XX/2020 Friday  XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX  EST, XX/XX/Saturday  XXXX XXXX XXXX  PST XXXX XXXX EST, XX/XX/Tuesday  XXXX XXXX  PST XXXX XXXX  EST ), until a simple unlock was executed by an employee. 
( 5 ) Documents were emailed on XX/XX/2020 and again on XX/XX/2020after representative suddenly claimed that days after assured review, that PenFed can't open the attached image files. 
( 6 ) COMPLAINTANT wonders why PenFed has not notified him of this issue on XX/XX/2020, or wait to unlock the account until COMPLAINTANT had to call again on XX/XX/2020 Wednesday XXXX XXXX  PST ( including PST XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX  and XXXX XXXX  later ). ( 7 ) OnXX/XX/Sun  : Utility Bill/Vehicle, Paystubs, SSN card and photo ID ( for credit card from email template ) ( 8 ) On XX/XX/2020 Tue  : COLOR Photo ID, COLOR Utility Bill, COLOR SSN Letter with address were listed on manually composed email. 
( 9 ) On XX/XX/2020Wed  : Photo ID, SSN card, Utility Bill on a manually composed email. 
( 10 ) XX/XX/2020 Wed  : Photo ID, Paystubs for a " conditionally approved '' credit card application that was manually composed. 
( 11 ) PenFed 's debit card is linked in XXXX transfer service, however, transactions are randomly jammed from time to time. 
( 12 ) PenFed may show that it also requires additional documentations to unlock other accounts when its enrollment webpage does not require those itself to make an account or unlock when the lock was placed by its automated system. ( Or as to whether it needs COMPLAINTANT/customer to constantly call in to ask its employees to execute the unlock process, while its employees have no problem doing such tasks on their own without constantly having users to call in to remind them ). COMPLAINTANT is baffled as to why PenFed employees had to create this situation artificially in order to portray the COMPLAINTANT as calling them incessantly.

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