Consumer complaint received 2021-07-30
Company: Albert Corporation
State: NJ
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account
Sub-issue: Company closed your account

Complaint:
To Whom It May Concern : The following letter is the reason Im requesting you release my funds by check to the address on my Albert account or you transfer the funds to one of my linked external banks. If you are not releasing my funds to me, please send them back to the state of New Jerseys department of unemployment so they can release the funds to me using an alternate method. 

On Tuesday XX/XX/2021, I spoke with the State of New jersey department of unemployment by phone and was informed I would be receiving back payments for the months I was not paid for even though my unemployment claim was eligible. I set up my direct deposit to Albert cash by XXXX XXXX  on the NJ unemployment website successfully. On Wednesday XX/XX/2021, the albert cash account showed in the amount of + {$5100.00} pending to my balance in the total of 8 pending direct deposits from State of NJ-LA, Unemployment. The 8 direct deposits from the State of NJ-LA, Unemployment were sent in the following amounts of {$730.00}, {$730.00}, {$730.00}, {$730.00}, {$360.00}, {$360.00}, {$730.00} deposited to my Albert Cash account ending in XXXX made out to XXXX XXXX. On Wednesday XX/XX/2021, at XXXX I contacted Albert support through text message at the following number 639-37 asking why my direct deposits were still pending and not yet made available to my account balance. I then was asked to verify my albert cash account phone number with a verification code sent to my mobile device. I received the verification code from this number XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX at XXXX and verified the account as instructed. I received a reply from the support team on XX/XX/2021, at XXXX through text message from this number XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX not the number listed on the website, app, or support section stating the following : Hi XXXX For privacy and security reasons, it can take a little longer than usual as the system ensures that there are no issues with funds deposited by federal payroll administrations. We see that it should complete by end of business day on Friday. ( 23-day period here ) If it has not completed by then, please let us know and an Albert Cash expert will be able to look into the transaction for you.

After receiving the reply from Albert support, I was confused as to why this number that is not listed on the website, app, or support section was messaging me regarding my account, but thats where the verification code was sent from so, I assumed it was secure. On XX/XX/2021, at XXXX 4 minutes after receiving a response from the support team I opened my Albert app to my account overview to the following message directly under my balance : Account closed all funds have been transferred to your external bank account. I immediately responded back to the support text message at XXXX Now it says my account has been closed!! What is going on?? What external bank account was it transferred to? The support team responded at XXXX stating Hi XXXX - Our compliance team conducted a review of the activity in your account. Based on the pattern of activity, we identified transactions that are not consistent with Albert 's standards and guidelines. Based on compliance requirements, additional information can not be provided to you. Youll want to reach out to your payroll provider for the reversal of these funds and having them redirected to a valid checking account.

39 minutes after I was just told my funds would be made available to me if there were no issues it should complete by end of business day on Friday. ( 23-day period here ). There were no issues because the Albert cash account worked fine with no issues prior to this deposit and the Account is in my name which I can verify and prove which makes the account fully valid. The direct deposits that were sent to my account were in my name and is also my property which can be proved by the state of New Jersey and myself. So now in panic mode since the funds I have been waiting 4 months for are now not available to me I contact support again because I was not informed what external bank account my funds are being sent to nor a date as to when. This is the response I received from Albert cash support on XXXX XXXX at XXXX Hi XXXX Based on the pattern of activity, we identified transactions that are not consistent with Albert 's standards and guidelines. For security reasons, funds issued via federal payroll providers would require to be withdrawn directly through them. You will need to contact the unemployment office and payroll provider in order to initiate a reversal of these funds. 

Not only now was I misinformed regarding the availability of my funds deposited, but then my account was closed fully minutes following but now a day later after Albert cash accepted the direct deposits in my name to the account that they closed after acceptance but in order to obtain my funds NJ unemployment now needs to do the reversal of these funds. The proper protocol wouldve been to deny the ACH direct deposit if there was a security issue. Why would you accept funds into an account from the federal government if you are unsure of the payments being paid out? I sent a letter to NJ unemployment regarding this matter today XX/XX/2021, as well as to the FDIC who albert cash is insured by and their partner XXXX XXXX. Still in panic because now Albert cash has {$5100.00} of mine and I have no way of obtaining it currently nor do they offer live phone support assistance ( XXXX ) XXXX ( Phone support is a robot with XXXX options to have a robot instruct you on how to utilize their app ) to speak with a human I once again try contacting support on how do I get my funds back by e-mail ( XXXX ) and text message ( XXXX ). I received not one response by e-mail ( 8 emails sent ) and I then received a text message response stating I'm sorry for the confusion but the funds are not being returned to you. Your account is closed. If we have any updates, we will reach out to you. 

Once again, their text message response regarding this matter is contradicting the message stated on my albert account that my account is closed, and all funds have been transferred to my external bank account. I have read the terms and agreement on Albert cash account thoroughly and I have not breached any part of the contract. Also, I have not got the chance to use this account very often due to being without income for months so I do not understand how I could breach security measures when there isnt much of a pattern or transaction history at all. Im writing this letter because I need to obtain the funds in my name on this account. I believe what has happened with my account is unlawful. Even though is states you do not need to provide an explanation of how I breached the contract, and you have the right to close my account it does not state that you have the right to keep and hold my funds in my account, and it does not state anywhere in your contract regarding holding deposits made by the federal government. I feel as if Im being unlawfully treated because of the reasons listed above. I have not done anything wrong ; the funds and account are all in my name and I have not presented any suspicious activity. In the event you believed there was suspicious activity I dont believe that gives you the right to keep funds paid out by the federal government or the state of New Jersey XXXX I also do not understand as to why the direct deposits were not rejected and sent back to the State of New jersey, instead you accepted a large sum of money in my name from the government and then closed out my account following with refusing to return the funds or give valid explanation as to why this is happening. I have everything documented if further documentation is needed and will provide it as requested.

Company public response: Company believes complaint is the result of an isolated error
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief