Consumer complaint received 2016-12-23
Company: HANCOCK WHITNEY BANK
State: LA
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
I have had a small checking account with Whitney Bank for about five years which I formerly used to cash checks when I came to visit XXXX XXXX from my home in XXXX ; normally I kept a balance of {$250.00} to avoid a monthly service fee. Account statements are only available online and I rarely logged into my account because I rarely used the account. I HAVE NOT WRITTEN A CHECK ON THIS ACCOUNT IN OVER 6 MONTHS ; MY ATM CARD WAS SURRENDERED TO A BANK OFFICER. 

Timeline : XXXX XXXX, 2016 I left XXXX and spent the month of XXXX in XXXX XXXX area while my house in XXXX was for sale. My mail was sporadically forwarded to me during that period. 
XXXX XXXX, 2016 Having received some of my mail from XXXX, I realized that there was a problem with my account, so I went to the Whitney branch on XXXX XXXX in XXXX, XXXX and spoke to XXXX XXXX. She filed a formal dispute of the erroneous charges on my account and gave me a receipt to certify that my debit card was closed as of XXXX/XXXX/16, however, subsequent debit card billing charges have appeared on my account since that date. 
XXXX XXXX, 2016 A charge labeled " ATM '' appeared on my statement. Apparently someone used my debit card ( that was closed on XXXX/XXXX/16 ) for cash at an ATM. I WAS NEVER ISSUED A REPLACEMENT DEBIT CARD ALTHOUGH XXXX XXXX PROMISED ME ONE WOULD BE MAILED TO MY TEMPORARY XXXX XXXX ADDRESS XXXX, 2016 I rolled my wheelchair into the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX branch and met with XXXX XXXX. I carried with me a self-prepared spreadsheet analysis of my account, along with copies of documentation to show that my ATM card was " closed '' but still being used. I also gave XXXX my new home address in XXXX and he appeared to be changing it on his computer as I sat there next to him. XXXX studied my spreadsheet and stated that my balance should be about {$140.00} positive, not ( {$77.00} ) overdraft as shown on bank records. He referred me BACK to XXXX XXXX and also XXXX XXXX, to correct the problem. I was not able to resolve the issue with either XXXX of them. 
XXXX XXXX, 2016 Having tried unsuccessfully to login to my online account, a call to their website XXXX help number landed me with a collections person ( XXXX in XXXX ) who informed me that my account had been closed. When asked she refused to tell me the date it was closed and referred me to their legal department. I typed a letter ( attached ) to the President of Whitney Bank, XXXX XXXX, asking for the help of his office to straighten out this problem, however, the fax number listed by the XXXX for his office turned out to be a wrong number. 
XXXX XXXX, 2016 I called a branch bank of Whitney Bank and asked for the phone number of XXXX XXXX, however, it turns out I was given the number of his brother, XXXX XXXX, who in turn gave me XXXX XXXX ' direct number. I called XXXX XXXX and told him I had a problem, had chronicled the issues in a letter and asked for the help of his office ; when asked if he would prefer email or fax, he gave me his email address XXXXXXXXXXXX. To date I have received no response from XXXX XXXX or his office. 
XXXX XXXX, 2016 I sent a dispute letter ( attached ) to Whitney Bank by certified mail asking for a journal of my account from XXXX XXXX, 2016 to XXXX XXXX, 2016 XXXX XXXX, 2016 As of this date, no written correspondence or accounting ledger of my account to justify the Whitney Bank 's alleged {$180.00} outstanding balance has been received by me from the Whitney Bank. 
CONCLUSION : I checked today ; I am still locked out of online access to my account. I have no problem paying {$180.00}, and will do so immediately if it is my debt, but quite frankly, I feel as if I am a victim of a legal EXTORTION scheme, and I suspect there are others like me out there being scammed.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation