Consumer complaint received 2019-07-27
Company: M&T BANK CORPORATION
State: MD
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
This is regarding M & T Bank, the XXXX XXXX Branch in XXXX, XXXX I just moved to XXXX, XXXX  from XXXX  and wanted to open an account at a local bank, as XXXX and XXXX XXXX are way too far to realistically bank at anymore. I met XXXX XXXX He gave me a business card of a female employee ; he was using her desk ) and the FIRST THING I told him was that I would be using the cashiers checks I was depositing to fund a home with escrow closing on on XX/XX/XXXX to make sure the money would be available to me in time. This was the FIRST thing I wanted to clarify. He assured me that it would be available no problem and told me about the home he just purchased. I actually used {$25.00} cash to open the account this first day. 

I came the next day with the cashiers checks made out to my husband and endorsed to me and the teller, XXXX, informed me that my husband would need to be ON the account to do this or would need to come in in person. My poor husband used his lunch 1/2 hour to appear after being up ALL NIGHT on call at the hospital and didnt get to eat that day. Now, AGAIN, when I handed him the checks ( funny, I dont trust that people are being straight with me ) I wanted to make SUPER sure I would be able to access this money in time for my escrow to close. He assured me that it would be no problem, that the checks would be held for FIVE business days and be all mine after that, which was last Tuesday. I was shocked, since these were CASHiers checks ( literally has CASH in the name, so I was shocked they were being held AT ALL, especially since I sat right there for 20 minutes while he called both banks they were written from and they vouched for their authenticity ), but whatever. I know banks make interest on all the billions they are holding at any given time, but I digress. So Tuesday comes and I have to put my dog to sleep, so you can imagine I am not thinking about banking, and especially not worrying since I was ASSURED by TWO MEN in this branch that I would have the money in plenty of time, no problem. 

I start bright and early at XXXX this morning at the XXXX XXXX branch and start the process with a gal at a desk there. I did not get her name, because I had no idea what a total nightmare this was going to turn into, but she didnt tell me lies ( although I suppose she might be trained to lie, like XXXX and XXXX clearly are by corporate : anything to meet those quotas! ). Nice lady. Anyway, I didnt have the routing number of my XXXX account and realized I had an appointment, so I had to leave. I came back one hour later with the routing number in hand and she informs me that I cant do a wire transfer from an account this new ( 8 business days old ) but that I could go to the XXXX XXXX branch, where XXXX usually works so he could authorize the transfer at his discretion. I drive over there thinking to myself, Hmmm.I told him I was buying a house, is he really so XXXX that he didnt t think to tell me I wouldnt be able to WIRE MONEY that soon!? Didnt he just buy a home? Doesnt he know there are WIRES involved?! Well, he was too busy to help and I was so upset by the time I finished with XXXX XXXX that I didnt even think to see if his customers had finally left. All I could think about was the LONG drive to and from XXXX  that I now had to do and how MAD my husband was going to be at me. Im getting ahead of myself. She told me since I couldnt get a wire, perhaps a cashiers check or official check XXXX no word about the 10 day hold being applied to THESE ). My alerts went up about how that would only get held and I didnt have time to waste on another 5 business-day hold. I called XXXX and asked how that would go, XXXX gave me her card and said they could call her directly to release the funds and the man at XXXX said that would work but couldnt 100 % say it would be immediate so I opted for green money, real cash. XXXX was away from her desk for 10 minutes and came back saying they couldnt find that much cash even from all 4 local branches by today. OK, there goes that idea, lets just do a cashiers check. Shes gone another 10 minutes and tells me that XXXX XXXX at the XXXX XXXX Branch XXXX deposited the cashiers checks wrong, so you should drive to that branch and see him personally. By now, I am dumbfounded, have texted my husband who is blowing me up via text and I am just blind with fear and worry and frustration. I dont even think to see if XXXX is available. 

I drive to the XXXX XXXX Branch in XXXX  XXXX. XXXX asks for my ID. NOW he says he cant give me a cashiers check because my license address doesnt match the address on my bank account and asks me WHY..Um, because I moved. People move ; its quite common. This is what I brought XXXX to open my account with. At this point, I feel as if I am being messed with intentionally. Every person has told me a DIFFERENT reason why I can not access money I was ASSURED multiple ways by TWO MEN in this branch that I would be able to. He says he needs to call the security department about the ID. ( Side note on your security department : XXXX was able to open my account with my name spelled wrong, just saying, their security seems to be lacking ) Then I offer up my social security card I have in the car with the current address and married name on it to verify, which is what XXXX used to open the account and he says, Im going to wait for her to call me back, plus the money needs to have been available in your account for 10 business days anyway, so I cant do it either way. I can barely SEE STRAIGHT at this point. It really seems like this money is simply being kept from me with ever-changing stories. I thought that was the WIRE TRANSFER rule. Now, all of a sudden its also a cashiers check rule. And when I logged on to set up XXXX, thats blocked as well. I spent MORE time on the phone with 2 different representatives who couldnt remove the XXXX block. They said I needed to do it in the branch. 

This is a complete .sorry, I cant think of any non swear words to describe this situation. These two men are LIARS or XXXX  not knowing their own banks policies. I want know why both of these men are not aware of it when they are being handed money but well aware of it when money is being requested. I opened another local account in the midst of my 4 trips to your 3 branches today and they were DUMBFOUNDED at this practice you have. I have spoken to XXXX and XXXX XXXX about this and THEY are scratching their heads. This is CRIMINAL.

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