Consumer complaint received 2019-08-05
Company: SUNTRUST BANKS, INC.
State: TN
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I recently opened a new bank account at SunTrust Bank. Since DAY ONE I have had nothing but problems. Here is the BIGGEST & most recent problem:On Friday, XX/XX/2019, I made a Mobile Check Deposit at about XXXX in the amount of $XXXX . The "cut-off" time for funds being available next day (excluding Sundays & holidays) is XXXX ET time. Obviously, I made this deposit well before XXXX. Immediately after it deposits, there is an alert on the deposit confirmation saying my funds would be held. I called the 800- SUNTRUST number to ask why my money is being held, and for how long. The woman on the phone advised that $XXXX would be available to me the next day (so, Saturday, XXXX XXXX I was supposed to have most of it) and only $60 was to be held until Monday, XX/XX/XXXX. After hanging up, I received an email alert stating the hold for $XXXX  and $XXXX being available to me the next day. OK, no big deal at all. Fast forward to Saturday morning around XXXX or so. I check my bank account and nothing has been deposited. I see the deposit amount is negative in my account summary and states "HOLD" next to it. I clicked on the deposit and it said the ENTIRE amount wouldn't be available to me until MONDAY, XXXX XXXX! A WHOLE week and some days AFTER I deposited it into my account BEFORE the cut-off time (and after being told most of it would be there that day). I immediately call SunTrust and they could not tell me why MY money was being held for over a week, just that it's "their system". They claim they are "unable to cancel the deposit or negotiate" so I could go to my local branch and get cash. Instead, they FORCE me to wait over a week for MY money! This is INSANE and has NEVER happened to me or anyone else I know. This bank is a JOKE. That money was very important and I needed it THAT NEXT DAY to get my vehicle fixed! They lied, and they refuse to work with me to give me MY money. I KNOW they have control over their system, they just don't want to do that. There is no possible way they have a system that they are "unable to control".  They just want to hold on to that money for as long as they can. & the man on the phone had the audacity to tell me  after advising they can't cancel the deposit,  "well you do have $___.__ in your account.", as if to say "well you have money so what's the big deal". That was the impression I got and it's WRONG. This is people's LIVES they are messing with. If their banking says funds would be available next day if deposits are made before XXXX,  then that is what I expect to happen. If a hold is placed, how DARE they hold onto it for over 1 week??? I would SORT OF understand if it was over $500 or a few thousand. BUT $XXXX BEING HELD that long? NO! They do NOT have that right. 3 DAYS should be the MAX, ESPECIALLY if it's under $500! Once my money is FINALLY given to me, I am canceling this joke of a bank and going back to my old bank. I thought I had problems with XXXX XXXX XXXX?! BOY was I wrong and in for a rude awakening with these crooks. XXXX. NEVER held a check for longer than 3 days. NEVER! It was very rare for them to even DO holds! NO bank should do "holds" for this long!! It should be illegal and they should be responsible for paying someone's bill for holding their money for that long, literally forcing them to wait and wait. If that's how they want to play, pay my bill then! This is utterly ridiculous and cruel. Something needs to be done about this and SOMEONE needs to give me my money THIS WEEK.

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