Consumer complaint received 2020-03-19
Company: REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I responded to a marketing campaign I received in the mail from Regions Bank. The promotion was as follows ( att : ached ) 1. Register at Regions.com/offer400 using your personal code. 
2. Open a new personal LifeGreen checking account by XX/XX/XXXX. 
3. Enroll in Online Statements and use your Regions Visa CheckCard to make 10 or more purchases that post to your account within 30 days of account opening. 
Your bonus will be deposited to your new checking account within 120 days of completing these requirements. 

I believe I met the requirements for this promotion. 
1 ) Opened account XX/XX/XXXX, signed up for online banking, and funded account XX/XX/XXXX. 
2 ) Made 13 CheckCard transactions by XX/XX/XXXX. ( statement attached ) I first contacted Regions ( via website ) on XX/XX/XXXX about timing of {$400.00} payment. 
Regions called me on XX/XX/XXXX to discuss. I was told that I did not qualify because I had not signed up for online statements. I said I believed I did because I signed up for online banking and could view my statements online. I was told it had to be online statements and I was receiving paper statements During the call, I was able to find where to sign up for the online statement. 
I told them I still disagreed that there was a difference between online banking and online statement. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email ( attached ) that Regions had identified new information needed to complete my request and to call Regions back. On the same day, I called Regions back and they told me that the ONLY reason I had not received the {$400.00} was because my account was considered dormant, and the account had to be active for the bank to post the premium. I found it surprising that the account was considered dormant in that short of time period. My last transaction was XX/XX/XXXX. Regions ' promotion stated " Your {$400.00} bonus will be deposited directly to your new checking account with 120 days of completing the requirements ''. 

First of all I believe I met the requirements as of XX/XX/XXXX, which was my last transaction. According to Regions then, without any other transactions made on the account, it would be considered dormant before even the 120 day timeframe occurred! I was told if I reactivated the account by making a transaction, I would then qualify. Therefore, that night I used my check card, thinking again, this was the last hurdle. However, I received a phone call from Regions XX/XX/XXXX and I was told again that I did not qualify even with the recent transaction. Per the customer service representative, the transaction of XX/XX/XXXX did reactivate the active status. That reactivation sent my account to marketing ( for approval ) and marketing denied it saying I did sign up for online banking within 30 days of account opening so I did not qualify. When I asked to speak to

Marketing, I was told Marketing did not take calls. I think step ( 3 ) of the promotion ( noted at beginning ) is not clear that enrolling in Online Statements had to
be completed within 30 days. It can be read that you have to " use your CheckCard to

make 10 or more purchases that post to your account within 30 days of account opening '' but the Online banking requirement just has to be completed. I feel like Regions kept changing the requirements needed to qualify for the premium. I have attached all relevant documentation that I have
.

Thank you

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