Consumer complaint received 2021-02-04
Company: REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: TX
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest
Sub-issue: Problem with fees

Complaint:
I have a Regions Bank CC, but I had not used it in over a year until a recent charge. When I was actively using the card, I always received an email notification of a pending bill/statement ready for review. I often received a bill via US Mail as well. I did not sign up for 'paperless ' service ; but the company stopped sending me bills. They continue to send me promotional items regularly, however, and I have received several letters from them in the US Mail AND in emails this year. 

Recently, I was surprised to receive an email informing me that I had missed a payment that resulted from a newspaper subscription renewal, which I originally signed up for in XXXX XXXX ( my last 'intentional charge ' on the card ). Prior to receiving the notice that my bill was past due and that the amount due now included a {$25.00} late fee, I did not receive any email or other notification that a bill was pending. Upon learning of the charges, I immediately paid the full amount of the subscription service ( {$54.00} ) and then requested that - in light of the Bank 's failure to notify me of a bill, as well as the nature of the charge - the Bank removed the late penalty. So far, the Bank has refused. 

I sent my request via the Bank 's internal 'secure email system ', although difficulties with the system have been a great impediment to communicating with the Bank XXXX In a 'regular email ' ( sent thru my XXXX address ) to me on XXXX XXXX, the Bank acknowledged problems with the system, writing " Our programmers are working to fix the problem. We do not have a set date for these updates. Im sorry for any inconvenience this issue may cause you in the meantime. '' In the same email, the Bank wrote that " Security is very important to Regions. That is why we can not provide any account sensitive information through normal email. We can not vouch for the security of individual email providers. '' Further, in another email, the Bank wrote that they " can only refund late fees if the Bank is in error ''. 

I have explained to the Bank the error that was made on their part, and expressed my disappointment in their refusal to remove the late fee, as well as their dishonesty regarding their ability to remove the fee ( ie they obviously CAN, but are CHOOSING not to ). The bank has not responded to my email in any substantive way except to say that there is a 'message waiting for me in their notification center '. I am not inclined to spend anymore time searching for this on a website that doesn't work properly, I can see that the {$25.00} fee remains. This is the sum of my balance, and - for obvious reasons - I now wish to close the account and cease doing business with the Bank. 

Thank you for your assistance in helping me to close this account and settle this matter.

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 monetary relief