Consumer complaint received 2018-09-21
Company: CULLEN/FROST BANKERS, INC.
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-issue: Company closed your account

Complaint:
I have had to deal with unimaginable stress with on-going issues with my original account and attempted to seek help for resolution which lead to a wild goose chase. Started with my direct deposit not processed properly, my company stating it was the bank and the bank stated it was my company. This all leading to live checks when I wasn't expecting them, then depositing through ATM due to this, then depositing through mobile app which all resulting in holds and a mess in my account. I reached out to customer service in these instances with difficulty however they ended up being refunded. Also, there was unauthorized transactions on my account, credits from merchant that should have been applied to my account, and I reached out to customer service and was advised to dispute these matters. I requested a manager to contact me to try to get my account back to normal or direction on how to handle with having a clean track record instead of this negative history which was out of my control, however I am being penalized for this. XXXX XXXX ( XXXX Texas location ) contacted me and we played phone tag as it was really difficult to get a hold of him! Finally, we connected and he was very degrading, unprofessional, inappropriate, discriminating, made me cry, so I had to end our call with a hang up, as an individual and a woman I would not accept his behavior anymore. In the process of trying to get some direction to move forward, I reached out to the XXXX location ( this is close to my job in XXXX ) for resolution. A lady by the name of XXXX  assisted me and wasn't very friendly or professional. Also, my situation should have been handled in private and everything was all out in the open for everyone to hear and examine! I explained my situation and she reached out to her manager XXXX. XXXX explained that they would close my account and open a new account. When I left the branch I had a XXXX balance in my old account and deposited cash into my new account. I also asked if all my forms were completed for my disputes and she stated I had one dispute that needed to be signed but the others were closed. She printed it out, I signed it. I was advised by XXXX that my old account is closed and only credits would go through. However, XXXX seemed really frustrated with me about my situation and so did the ladies there at the branch. I walked out feeling very uncomfortable, and uneasy, however thought everything would be okay. 

I checked my account a couple of days later, and I could still see my old account which now showed as a negative balance?? I was extremely upset. I contacted the XXXX branch and spoke to XXXX, she wasn't very nice and stated she would reach out to her manager and call me back, I never heard from anyone in that branch again. I contacted an XXXX in HR at the XXXX branch because I thought it was the corporate branch. I explained my situation with XXXX XXXX and the situation with my old account and everything that had taken place thus far. She reached out to a banker, they both assisted and reassured me that my account would be taken care of and that my complaint about the manager would be taken care of. I then see a XXXX balance in my old account and it was finally closed. In my new account, I noticed some activity in two cities that I have never been at, if my old account is reviewed it can also be confirmed I have never visited at these places. I had to reach out to customer service as this wasn't authorized. I expressed my situation and was advised to dispute the charges. I then went into the XXXX branch to withdraw some cash and I was not greeted with a warm gesture and felt both a cold shoulder from XXXX and a lady with XXXX hair, XXXX ( she was XXXX ) and these are the same ladies that helped me originally with XXXX. So, why are they acting this way with me?? I was nice and didn't do anything to deserve this behavior. 


On XXXX, I received a letter from a XXXX Freeman stating that my new account would be closed in 10 days dated from XXXX when the letter was created. I was confused as to what I did wrong to deserve my account to be closed. I contacted the XXXX branch again, then they transferred me to a XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX, which I left a message with. I also was advised by the XXXX branch to contact his manager XXXX XXXX, which I left a message with as well. I also reached out to the Corp branch in XXXX XXXX and a XXXX was supposed to call me and never did! XXXX contacted me on XXXX XXXX, I explained my situation, he explained for my account to be close there had to be a real good reason. Then he goes, oh I see you have gone all over the place. WOW! I responded that I was trying to seek help and no one would help me in my own area. Then he stated that XXXX went to her Regional manager to get my account approved to be closed. This seems odd as I had just complained about one of her managers on unprofessional and inappropriate behavior.. hmmm he then stated he would need to speak with her and get back with me. XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX ( XXXX Branch ) contacted me on XXXX on speaker phone, I again explained my situation. They seemed determined to not help, said sorry but your account was closed for to many disputes! Found out that XXXX ( from XXXX ) told XXXX that she advised me to contact her ( XXXX ) and work with the XXXX branch? I knew nothing of the XXXX branch nor XXXX XXXX or a XXXX XXXX prior to me contacting them. XXXX then proceeded to state that my second account was opened as an exception by XXXX XXXX approval. So, now I am still confused as to why my account is closed, yet XXXX supposedly approved it and then sent a letter to close it?? Now this explains the behavior of the ladies in the XXXX branch as they knew exactly that my account was being closed, when I wasn't even aware. So, is this why I never received a call back from them or XXXX? If so, this is very unprofessional. Meanwhile I still never heard back from anyone in XXXX XXXX the corporate office! 

XXXX XXXX contacted me on XXXX XXXX and I again explained the whole story of my situation. He proceeds to assure me that he would work to figure out a way to keep my account open. He stated he would reach out to XXXX and XXXX and call me back. I explained that they were not going to help me and they had just said their decision was made and nothing I can do about it. XXXX said he would work to make this right. I have never heard back from him! 

On XXXX XXXX I received a call from XXXX XXXX, he explains that XXXX XXXX and a lady names XXXX ( from the XXXX XXXX branch ) called him, was in agreement with them ( XXXX and XXXX ) and that their decision was made. XXXX stated that he wanted to call me and explain again the reasoning that my account is closed. He proceeded to say that I had to many overdrafts, disputes, and that I would get upset and hang up on people??? I explained that this was out of my control -- > I should not have had the overdrafts, that things were not handled properly in my account, that I was advised to dispute my unauthorized transactions or expected credits from merchants. I never was advised that me reaching out to my bank for help would come back to cause all of this. I kept explaining to XXXX that I didn't do anything wrong nor to deserve the treatment that I have received. XXXX kept talking over me, explained that I just call to get mad or upset and hang up on people. He stated that he read through all my care reports and stated false information that I didn't even know about. So, why is there lies stated about me? He then proceed to tell me he was noting a customer care report about our conversation, I explained that we were getting nowhere but I was done with the conversation, I believe he wanted me to hang up or get upset so he could write in his report that I was upset and would hang up on him. I felt as if he wanted to make things worse and go against me. I waited until he was done not helping me, then we ended our conversation. 

I am appalled and disappointed at how things have transpired with this whole situation. I have been treated very unfairly and things have been handled very unprofessionally. I have been made to feel like I have done things wrong! I did what I was advised to do, I just wanted someone to help direct me and make things right. I was mislead, I was lead to believe everything would be taken care of. I do not deserve this as I have done nothing wrong, I trusted my bank would help me. The help I received turned into a backlash for me to be penalized and used against me. I also don't deserve to have things falsely stated about me or about something I didn't do!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation