Consumer complaint received 2018-02-14
Company: PEOPLE'S UNITED BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CT
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Fee problem

Complaint:
OnXX/XX/XXXX Peoples United Bank located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX charged me a bank processing fee of {$100.00} due in part to my account being levied. 

On Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, I went to the branch above and requested a legal document they are to provide me with called an exemption claim form financial institution execution. 

XXXX XXXX a Peoples rep there told me they are not to handle any of this at the branch there. This is a matter for the Peoples United Bank legal department. Furthermore, he instructed me to go to the XXXX Court to handle the issue with the form. I explained to him I already spoke with the XXXX court clerk and she instructed me that the Peoples United Bank is to provide me with this form that must be filed within a 15-day time frame. XXXX said he did not have the form and their Legal department is not there at XXXX XXXX. ( I believe the legal team was there at XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX lied based on XXXX XXXX confirmation time of XXXX XXXX as well as him lying about the form not being there based on the letter dated XX/XX/XXXX and the envelope dated XX/XX/XXXX. ) I asked XXXX XXXX if he would provide me with a number to contact the Peoples Bank legal department. He then told me he could not give me any contact number for their legal department and could not give me any name of a legal team member. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I finally received the Exemption document needed for the XXXX court that the Peoples United bank was to provide. I have the original envelope which will show that it was a first time delivery certified envelope. I could not understand why it took 7 days for it to arrive being that it is postmarked from XXXX, CT. XXXX and has a return address from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX , Ct. I tracked the certified letter ( # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) thru the XXXX XXXX XXXX. What I found was this certified envelope never originated from XXXX it actually originated from USPS Regional Facility in XXXX XXXX New York Distribution Center. 

I am left to believe I was purposefully deceived with this mailing that implies it was sent from XXXX Ct. when in fact it was not and furthermore to void the possibility of me recouping my money because of the time frame provision. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with a Peoples United Bank rep thru the customer service XXXX number. She told me I could not speak with anyone in legal directly and that I would have to speak through her. She instructed me on behalf of the Peoples United Bank legal team that legal requires the document to be notarized and then the original be delivered to the branch in XXXX where they will scan it into their system and retain the original hard copy. 

I had the document notarized immediately and went to my Peoples United Bank branch in XXXX with the form. XXXX XXXX a Peoples rep at the branch gave me a ridiculously hard time. She told me the documents mean nothing to legal if they are not the originals. I explained to her the court needs to retain the original and showed her proof that the original had been notarized and they could retain a copy of it. 

XXXX XXXX began communicating with a XXXX XXXX who is a Peoples United Bank Legal Service of Process Rep and told me that if I do not give the original notarized document to the bank my 15 day time frame will begin from the date of execution ( which is supposed to start from the date of the mailing of this letter that was delayed coming from XXXX XXXX New York ) and that if the XXXX court does not get it to us in time you will lose your funds. She also told me good luck getting your processing fee back because that's not what Peoples do. 

I then went to the XXXX court and told the clerk my issue with Peoples. I had the documents Notarized by the XXXX XXXX and it was given a certified stamped seal of approval. I delivered the documents back to the branch and XXXX XXXX. I explained that I wanted a receipt from Peoples United Bank XXXX  XXXX having received these documents. 

XXXX XXXX gave me a receipt which was vague and I had to ask her yet again to please write to whom the documents were sent to and had to ask her to correct her spelling as she wrote Send instead of SENT!. Then I wanted a confirmation from the person receiving the documents that they were received. I had to wait 30 minutes and call customer service and plead with them that XXXX XXXX sends a confirmation to XXXX XXXX the documents were received. 

Peoples United Bank, their legal department and especially the XXXX, CT. branch did not only deceive me. They made every attempt to delay this process. I do not believe for one moment that this processing fee is legitimate. I believe they do not want me to receive my money back furthermore they give me no reason to trust them under any circumstance. Even the postage paid envelope they say was included was glued to the inside of the envelope print faced down so I almost did not find it! I am requesting my {$100.00} processing fee back. 

Lastly, I was told by XXXX XXXX XXXX can not close this account while going thru this legal process. I would like some outside help as to when I can close this account as soon as possible because I do believe there will be some sort of retaliation on Peoples United Bank to incur upon me some sort of other bogus charges. 

Your help with this matter is greatly appreciated. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation