Consumer complaint received 2018-05-07
Company: Northern Trust Company, The
State: OH
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem accessing account

Complaint:
There are serious problems customers face accessing their online information at Northern Trust. Twice this year, I was locked out despite not changing my UserID or Password. Each time, the bank 's online reset password did not work. Each time I called customer service and was met with great difficulties. The bank sends a temporary password of between 40-50 characters, which can not be copied and pasted, but must be manually written down and then typed. The first time it took multiple tries with customer service with ever new temporary passwords. The whole process took about 30 minutes. More recently, on or about XX/XX/XXXX, again - for no reason - I was locked out of my account and was blocked from resetting my password. Again I called customer service. Spoke with female XXXX XXXX who sent me new 40-50 temporary passwords - none of which worked. I asked her to reset my password, but she refused. I asked for a supervisor. After a lengthy wait, XXXX XXXX came on and claimed to be a supervisor. But, in fact, she is a front-line representative answering initial calls. Again, the temporary passwords did not work. I complained about the overly lengthy passwords. She responded that many other investors have the same problem, but could not provide to me a shorter and working password. She said that she could not help me, that I must keep trying with 40-50 characters. Then, in a setup, she asked me which browser I use. I responded XXXX XXXX. She lied by saying that XXXX XXXX is not compatible with XXXX 's system. I responded that in previous years I successfully used XXXX XXXX without being locked out. She had no answer. After about a full hour I gave up - not being able to access my account online. Thus, I called Northern Trust, XXXX 's servicing bank. I tried to reach XXXX XXXX, CEO. I was put into the voicemail of XXXX XXXX. I left a message describing the horror of Northern Trust 's anti-consumerr system. Subsequently, XXXX XXXX called me saying that the was the Vice President in charge of the account processing. He claimed to be horrified that 40-50 character passwords were being sent to investors. He claimed not to know this. He got back to me on XX/XX/XXXX and said that the bank 's contractor was reducing the passwords to 8 characters. He said someone would call me. XXXX XXXX eventually called me, but she was once again a total disaster. These new temporary passwords did not work either. She said that the only thing to do was to keep sending me temporary passwords, that no one else do anything to give me access to my account. After more failed efforts, I stopped and called XXXX back to report the situation. He did not have the courtesy or decency to return my call. So, I can not go online to do anything which the bank will not allow me to do via telephone. Northern Trust and its CEO XXXX XXXX have no interest in the problems they have created for its customers. The bank should be fined and XXXX should resign.

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