Consumer complaint received 2020-03-02
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: NC
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
This problem deals with both a checking account ( no access to funds for a month ) and a credit card closure where on XX/XX/2020 I have a written letter from the Office of the President that the account would remain open. They have closed the checking account and I have two letters that once closed I would receive the balance from the account, but I have received no money and not even allowed to transfer it to a 5/3 credit account to pay a balance due amount. The closure was due to a risky transaction but noone will tell me and everyone refuses to let me know which transactions could possibly be turned risky. 
I called to get a status on one of my disputes and was denied and they transferred me twice to some Customer Service Department and he told me they were severing all relationship with me and 5/3 Bank. I told him I had not been contacted by phone, email, fax, US MAIL and he advised me it just happened that day. He would not tell me anything but that there were risk adverse transactions in my account and they were closing it. I received a letter later from XXXX XXXX, Office of the President later the closure of 3 accounts, my checking, and 2 savings accounts. I am unclear how a savings account could be risk adverse and still unclear why I can not be told which transactions are risk adverse. They may be referring to my recent dispute of {$210.00} which was recently ruled in my favor. I also have been writing letters to the Branch manager and other Corporate members of how rude they were compared to branch office personnelle and they were not doing a Fifth Third better. I think it is more than a coincidence that all my accounts then get closed soon after. It is close to retaliation or attempting to punish me. Well, they have caused 'damages ' such as my debt ratio and available credit and an account closure hits your credit score as well. This has been unprecedented in my dealings with a national bank. Anyway, XXXX XXXX advised me in writing on XX/XX/2020 that my credit card ending in XXXX will remain open. I talked to Customer Service and they said they have no idea what the Office of the President does nor the Disputes department and that the credit card is to be closed. Also XXXX XXXX informed me that once the accounts were closed, a check would be issued to me for the balance, again in writing. When I call Customer Service and escalate to 2 higher supervisors I am told that a check will NOT be issued until the dispute is over and today is day 22 and we will send a check on day 35. I am not cognizant of another dispute being open. One was opened by mistake, case # XXXX, and eventhough XXXX XXXX says it could take 45 days from XX/XX/2020 ; I have already been informed by 5/3 in writing that the case has been closed. I received another letter from Bill, Fraud Analyst III that stated a check would be issued when the account is closed. I can not use my checking account, I attempted yesterday over the phone to transfer over {$140.00} to my credit card payment due and they refused that action. This has been going on since XX/XX/2020 and my funds are being help against my will and I keep receiving false promised of a return. I was unaware a bank had the regulatory right to hold a customer 's funds without cause for almost a month now. I doubt there are any risky transactions but feel I have the right to be told which ones the bank thinks are risky and it is my property. Is it not possible for the 3 departments to communicate? Especially when they are placing promises in writing to clients that they have no intention of following though and each department appears to be in a power struggle on who makes the final decision. I would think the Office of the President would have the final say here and I am holding them to their promise of my credit card remaining open. I do need a way to logon to administer my credit card for charges and payments. I also need the last two statements of my checking account as I am unable to verify anything. This has been very frustrating and has gone on way too long, almost a month now with no access and no permissions from anyone from Customer Service to move any of my funds even to pay off 5/3 debt.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation