Consumer complaint received 2022-06-13
Company: ROBINHOOD MARKETS INC.
State: SC
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I have had a Robinhood account since XXXX. Some time back, they began offering a sort of checking account. This came complete with a debit card and everything. I have at this point had direct deposits scheduled to the account from my employment every other friday, and have used the account as any normal person might use any checking account. 

Robinhood recently began rolling out a new account type. It's a spending ( read : checking ) account, combined with a brokerage account in which I elected to round up the spare change from each transaction and park the change as fractional shares of XXXX stock. 

I waited to convert my account to this ( Robinhood is going to phase out the older account type ) until my paycheck was direct deposited on XX/XX/22, as I didn't want a change in account information to cause any delays in receiving my paycheck. The morning of the XXXX, I enrolled in the new account type, at which point the existing account was deactivated, funds merged into the new account, and a new debit card issued virtually as well as mailed. 

I get the virtual card set up in the Wallet app in my XXXX so I can pay my child support obligation of {$870.00} via XXXX XXXX, as I am ordered to do by a Florida court. Upon attempting to fulfill this obligation, I find out that my account has now been restricted. 

Robinhood will not let me access or transfer a cent of the {$2300.00} sitting in my account and I still have to pay child support, food, rent, cell phone, internet, gas, etc and am now left with literally nothing. Robinhood has remained uncommunicative, telling me multiple times that I've been sent updates via email, only for nothing to ever arrive. Nobody who can do anything will speak to me on the phone. 

I've provided them : My Florida Driver 's License ( Front and Back, which was then compared with a selfie that the app made me take. The Florida Driver 's License is also a RealID, meaning I provided enough documentation upon application that I am VERIFIABLY me.

The front of my Social Security Card. ( My SS card is very worn, as it is an old document, and it has been tucked away in a storage unit. This photo of the front of my card is not enough for them, they'd also like to see the back. That would be no problem, but the card is in a unit in another state ) I additionally sent them : Copies of three paystubs direct deposited in the account A picture of a physical business check that was edeposited into the account Pictures of two of my prescription bottles ( Smart-alecky, I know, but the whole situation seems like a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Pictures of my Health and Dental insurance cards A picture of a debit card Pictures of mail sent to the address that is on file with them I've corresponded via the phone number and email address on file on the account. AT this point I feel as if Robinhood is A ) having liquidity problems and my measly {$2300.00} are saving the day here or B ) They're just plain stealing from me OR C ) the organization is paralyzed and nobody is empowered to make rational decisions because they fear retaliation or reprisal from their leaders. 

I really need my money. If I can't pay child support, there is a very real chance I get arrested. That means that there is a very good chance I miss a non-significant amount of work, which means there's a higher than zero chance that I lose my job, which means that there's a higher than zero chance that I lose my car and place to live ( read : Being able to provide a stable life for my children ). All I want is my money, and Robinhood has been wholly unhelpful. 

Please, please, please ( as the late XXXX XXXX would say ).

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation