Consumer complaint received 2023-03-21
Company: Branch Messenger, Inc.
State: OH
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Payroll card
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer
Sub-issue: Card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase or transfer

Complaint:
I am a divorced XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and have an XXXX debit card ( hereinafter " card '' ) through XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, managed by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( hereinafter " Branch '' ) to which my earnings are deposited to. I use the card to secure a rental car through XXXX XXXX hereinafter " XXXX '' XXXX as I do not own a vehicle. I am single and XXXX is my sole source of income. 

At the initiation of the contract XXXX puts a hold on an amount on the card for the initial week and a deposit. For three weeks thereafter XXXX puts a hold on additional amounts to extend the contract up to 30 days. At that time the contract is closed, payment processed and another contract is entered into or the following month. I have been renting from XXXX since XXXX of XXXX utilizing the XXXX card through XXXX XXXX until the beginning of XXXX. XXXX changed from XXXX XXXX to XXXX beginning approximately XX/XX/XXXX. Beginning XX/XX/XXXX I used the card to secure a car through XXXX ( Rental Record No. XXXX ). This contract was closed out on XX/XX/XXXX. The payment was completed and deducted from my account on XX/XX/XXXX. As of XX/XX/XXXX the holds on the contract had not been released so I contacted XXXX who advised me it could take up to 30 days for the pending charges to clear even though the funds have been deducted from my account. I then contacted XXXX, obtained the release codes and provided them to XXXX who created an expedited incident report ( No. XXXX ). I had several follow up calls with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and was advised they were working with XXXX to get a better communication process with them to solve this issue and in another call advising me that it could take up to 30 days for the funds to be released. It took until XX/XX/XXXX before all the amounts on hold were released. There were at least 7 separate charges on hold during this time. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I entered into another rental agreement with XXXX ( Rental Record No. XXXX ). This contract was closed out on XX/XX/XXXX. The payment was completed and deducted from my account on XX/XX/XXXX. As of XX/XX/XXXX the holds on the contract had not been released so I contacted XXXX, obtained the release codes and provided them to XXXX at XXXX who created an expedited incident report ( No. XXXX - XXXX XXXX ). I advised her that the holds should have been released immediately upon processing the payment and it was my understanding after speaking with XXXX at the CFPB that under XXXX regulations they had XXXX business day to release the funds. On XX/XX/XXXX I replied to an email from XXXX at XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX confirming the prior month 's amounts were released advising them that they were doing it again and provided the amounts and the release codes. I received back a form response that addressed getting pending charges released early, which obviously wasn't the situation I contacted them about. I responded and made it clear the holds were on charges that had already been deducted from my account and they were breaking federal banking laws. There has been no further response to the email. I also made calls to XXXX directly and XXXX in which I was livid trying to get the funds released. I have the exact times if you need them to get recordings. On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX again to check the status and was advised that they were working on it but couldn't give me a date or time the funds would be released. 

They are currently holding funds totaling {$1500.00}, detailed as follows ( with XXXX release codes ) XX/XX/XXXX : {$560.00} ( XXXX ) XX/XX/XXXX : {$130.00} ( XXXX ) XX/XX/XXXX : {$61.00} ( XXXX ) XX/XX/XXXX : {$410.00} ( XXXX ) XX/XX/XXXX : {$360.00} ( XXXX ) Due to their failure to release these funds I have been unable to extend my XXXX contract for another week, buy groceries or pay utility bills. I depend on the rental through XXXX XXXX XXXX a living as I do not own a vehicle so they are leaving me no way to earn a living. These funds are my earnings from XXXX and it is not a credit card. I live hand to mouth and do not have the funds to replace what they are holding after the payment was processed and taken out of my account, nor do I have credit cards to cover the difference. 

According to the internet, there are approximately 5 million XXXX drivers. I would imagine that a good majority of them use the debit card. I get the distinct impression from the representatives I spoke to at XXXX that this happens frequently and they're not particularly concerned about it unless it's more than 15 days since it should have been released. If that is the case, they are most likely earning millions on interest by denying us access to our money. This has to stop. The actions of XXXX and XXXX are criminal and we need protection from these unscrupulous businesses preventing them from engaging in such activities and not just manage complaints of those of us who report it after the fact.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation