Consumer complaint received 2022-11-01
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC.
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem accessing account

Complaint:
My housemate, XXXX XXXX, pays me {$800.00} in rent ( sometimes utilities w/ rent payment ) via XXXX XXXX month. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a XXXX payment from her for {$2400.00}. I texted her to ask what was that for. She said she was on the phone with the bank and it was a fraud issue. I asked if I should send it back, and she said the person on the phone said to do so. I sent back {$2000.00} since that is the XXXX limit. I had a trip to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, so sent her the remaining {$400.00} on the XXXX during my travels and trying to wrap things up. Turns out, she was on the phone with the scammer when I sent the {$2000.00}, and the funds went to him. 

Refer to attached documents * XXXX XXXX payment history.png * {$2400.00} from XXXX.png * Text with XXXX.PNG * {$2000.00} to scammer.png XX/XX/2022 - I received an email from Ally Bank telling me that my phone PIN has changed. I don't use a phone PIN so I called to inquire what was going on. I went through the typical series of security questions in addition to questions around the fraud issue my housemate dealt with. Then, I was told my account is locked and under review. It can take up to 10 days and I can call within 2 days to get an update. Funds can come into my account but no funds can go out. Payroll is coming in and so is my mortgage payments. XXXX days investigation would mean I couldn't pay my mortgage. I felt deceived into calling and have no insight to what was happening with my account ; just a surprise lock down. 

XX/XX/2022 - Funds were removed from BOTH my Checking ( {$210.00} ) and Savings ( {$2100.00} ) account without warning, so I was under the impression that I got scammed too. I immediately filed a dispute with both transactions, then called Ally. Ally initially told me the funds are still there. I challenged it, and they corrected themselves and said Ally removed the money since my account is under investigation. They also told me I was told to call XXXX days after, and that I'm calling early. For someone who received no information on what is happening or what is to happen, having funds drawn from your account is alarming. All the while, I'm freaking out on how I'm going to pay my mortgage since I don't have a workable personal Checking account. Looking back, it looks like the funds they took out summed up to the {$2400.00} that was scammed, which leads me to think they are going to take my money and make me at fault for the scammer. 

Refer to * {$2100.00} withdrawn from Savings.png * {$210.00} withdrawn from Checking.png XX/XX/2022 - I called to get an update and I have no update other than account is still under investigation. Why tell me to call for an update if you're not going to give me one? She also told me " You know you have a negative balance on your Savings? '' and I had to tell her because her company took it out... I told her I'd like to close my account. She said she'd make a note of that. I then told her I can't pay my mortgage, and she said she can put a note for the investigator to expedite this. Why couldn't they have done this earlier? 

XX/XX/2022 - My {$2400.00} payroll hit my Ally account that I can not use to pay my mortgage and bills. 

XX/XX/2022 - I called Ally for an update and got corrected that it takes up to XXXX days for the investigation and still have no information at all on what's going on.

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