Consumer complaint received 2015-04-21
Company: BANK OF THE WEST
State: CA
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Other bank product/service
Issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I have XXXX accounts with Bank of the West. Checking account # XXXX and Savings account # XXXX. On XXXX/XXXX/2015, I walked into my domicile branch of Bank of the West on XXXX XXXX, in the city of XXXX, California. I presented {$2500.00} cash to the teller and asked to purchase XXXX cashier checks for {$2000.00} and {$500.00}. 

I made a deposit of {$500.00} to the XXXX Account and the {$2000.00} also, but the teller at XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX informed me that there would be a hold on the {$2000.00} check for few day and I asked why, because there should n't be a hold on a Cashiers check, because it can be confirmed immediately by calling the bank? She could n't give me a reason and I asked for my check bank and I immediately logged online into my XXXX XXXX account and deposited it into my XXXX XXXX checking account through mobile deposit, which was made available at XXXX. But in the morning, I was in the city of XXXX at the mall and I received an email from XXXX XXXX, stating that the {$2000.00} cashiers check was returned. 

Since I still had the paper copy of the check in my possession, I walked into the nearest Bank of the West branch at the XXXX XXXX in the city of XXXX and presented the {$2000.00} cashiers check to the teller, who then asked me to wait and presented it to another member of the banking staff named XXXX, who called the branch that issued the check and I was told the check has been negotiated by XXXX XXXX. I then went to XXXX XXXX and I was told the check was presented XXXX, that 's why it was returned. I then told them at XXXX I only have XXXX account with them, and it shows the said check was deposited only XXXX into my account. The banker at the XXXX XXXX then said it could have been maybe a friend or someone went into my backpack without my knowledge and deposited into another XXXX account without me knowing, thus making it get returned. I called Bank of the West XXXX branch to pass this information to XXXX. I guessed this made her put a stop payment on the check. 

It was later revealed that there was no multiple deposit at XXXX XXXX. It was deposited into XXXX account, which is my account. And the only reason it could have been returned was because there was a stop payment placed on it by XXXX at the XXXX XXXX branch of Bank of the west. 

I was then advised by my branch to hold on till XXXX XXXX send me the returned legal copy of the check, which they did and I took it to my branch on lakeshore and after getting clearance from the back office, XXXX XXXX, the CSM of my branch deposited the {$2000.00} check into my checking account on Thursday XXXX and {$100.00} was made available and {$1900.00} held. On the next morning of Friday XXXX/XXXX/2015, the {$1900.00} held funds was released. I then made a transfer of {$1800.00} into my savings account. After an ATM withdrawal from my checking account, my checking account balance was {$9.00} and savings account balance of {$1800.00}. 

Before noon of Friday XXXX/XXXX/2015, I checked my account online, only to find out that my savings account which I transferred {$1800.00} into, is on hold, placed by my branch CSM XXXX XXXX, without calling or notifying me. I immediately went to the branch and she said the same check was presented by XXXX XXXX, and thus they are looking into it. 

She told me she 's in contact with the back office and the Check Adjustment Dept. and that the check has n't been paid yet, so its been investigated. 

Let 's not forget I walked into the bank with cash and bought cashiers check, deposited it into my account and it was returned. I took the returned legal copy back to the bank and it was cleared to be negotiated because the funds has n't been paid. The question is why does Bank of the West have to hold my money while the investigation is being conducted? I 'm not asking for a provisional credit here, but my own money.

Company public response: Company chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation