Consumer complaint received 2022-02-28
Company: TransferWise Ltd
State: TX
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: International money transfer
Issue: Money was not available when promised

Complaint:
CFPB, On Tues, XX/XX/2022, I submitted a wire transfer request to XXXX  for {$400000.00} to be transferred from my own US bank account to my own XXXX  bank  account to provide the euro funds necessary to invest in a XXXXXXXX XXXX-approved real estate project. I provided clear documentation ( redundantly, per XXXX  requests ) validating my bank accounts and the nature of the transfer. 

On Wednesday, XX/XX/2022 at XXXX US central time, XXXX  denied the wire transfer request without specific justifcation ( XXXX  provided no details ) citing excessive risk and announced they would issue a refund ( having concurrently sent a separate email one minute prior at XXXX US central time requesting my USD refund bank details ). Per XXXX  website, refunds are returned back to the bank from which the funds had been received, in the manner in which theyd been received. In this case, Id transferred the funds to XXXX  from my US bank via wire transfer the day prior. 

While I understand it is XXXX  right to refuse a wire transfer request at its discretion ( even if unjustifiably ), XXXX can not be allowed to 1 ) announce the refund, 2 ) request refund bank information ( via a link to clients account ) 3 ) having simultaneously ( one minute later! ) de-activated the clients account. Not being able to follow the refund-bank-information-request-link to log-in to my concurrently deactivated account, I obviously was unable to provide the necessary ACH routing # to enable the wire transfer refund. 

Suspecting a potential oversight, I immediately alerted XXXX  to the above ( b/c I couldnt log on to my XXXX  account, I continued the previous email thread and requested confirmation that the refund could indeed be sent per XXXX  stated intention to my US bank account XXXX  had received the funds from my US bank account per above, and Id downloaded many of my US bank  documents to XXXX  as part of their documentation-gathering process so I thought perhaps XXXX  had enough information to initiate the refund even without an ACH routing # ), without reply. The wire transfer wasnt ( and has not been ) initiated. 

Over the course of the last 4 business days, Ive sent 9 emails and made 3 phone calls, alerting XXXX to the above, and asking for simple clarification on the status of my {$400000.00} ( being blocked from the website, Ive been unable to confirm the existence of the funds ). Ive received no email reply nor call-back, just automated notification once that one of my ( 9 ) emails had been received ( I subsequently received confirmation from customer service dept on a recorded line that my emails and phone messages had indeed been received by the large transfer department, just not returned ). 

On Friday, XX/XX/2022, I sent an email including my refund bank accounts ACH routing # with supportive documentation. This wasnt specifically requested by the large transfer dept ( because per above theyve not returned my emails nor calls ), and I dont know if this will be viewed as adequate by the large transfer dept to initiate the refund ( b/c I cant access my deactivated account to enter the refund bank account information on the XXXX  website ). Ive asked to speak with other departments ( e.g. accounts, refunds I dont know if they even exist ), and asked to speak with the large transfer departments supervisor, to no avail. 

To summarize : On Wednesday, XX/XX/2022 XXXX announced as detailed above it would be issuing a refund ( with my confirmation of said refund issuance requested that same day ). As of today Monday, XX/XX/2022, XXXX has not issued our refund. For a wire transfer refund, per XXXX  website, 2-3 days is needed ( which XXXX has exceeded ). Per CFPB regulation 1005.34 ( b ), a remittance transfer provider ( XXXX  ) shall refund at no additional cost to the sender the total amount of funds provided by the sender within 3 business days of receiving senders request. Its now been 4 business days since XXXX announced ( with my confirmation request ) a refund would be issued, said refund has not been issued, putting XXXX  in violation of CFPB regulations. 

In short, our {$400000.00} is being held by XXXX against our will, in violation of CFPB regulation 1005.34 ( b ), at my expense and opportunity cost, with additional opportunity cost accruing everyday. Ive asked repeatedly for simple communication from XXXX to rectify the situation, and received none. Im a XXXX  taking care of sick patients every day, and have worked hard and long to save this very large sum of money. On account of XXXX  negligent business antics, with the unknowns surrounding our funds, I have become distracted and stressed to the point of illness. 

I need help please to resolve this matter.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation