Consumer complaint received 2023-09-23
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC.
State: NC
Product: Credit card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with balance transfer

Complaint:
The week leading up to XX/XX/XXXX, I attempted to log in to my bank accounts at Ally Bank. ( account numbers : XXXX & XXXX, username : XXXX ). Upon logging into my bank account, I realized that my account had been frozen. I had just received my direct deposit from work for XX/XX/XXXX. When I called Ally and spoke to a representative, she explained to me she could not tell me why the accounts were closed, only that I should of received a physical letter ( which I never did ) letting me know the accounts were being closed. 

By the following week, I did receive a letter from Ally, stating they had closed my checking accounts per their deposit agreement, but never actually provided a description ( fraud, illegal activity, etc ). In this letter, was a check for the amount of {$1000.00}, what was left in my checking account XXXX. 

Since I was blind sided by my bank XXXX XXXX XXXX randomly shutting my accounts down without explanation or a proper heads up, I went to XXXX XXXX  that week and was able to establish a new checking account. 

At this time, I was also a customer of Ollo Credit and had a reoccuring account with them since XXXX. I had received notification that Ally Bank was purchasing Ollo Credit and that a merger was going to occurr. I had tried to log in to my Ollo account through the month of XX/XX/XXXX and showed no payment due. Then on XX/XX/XXXX when I logged into my Ollo Account I was directed to finsih the merge to Ally Bank. I noticed I was provided my same log in credentials from when I was a banking customer, XXXX. I was puzzled as I had no longer been a member of Ally bank for over a month. They closed my checking accounts down over a month ago and yet still maintained my log in & personal data, for a new credit account they purchased from another company. Upon finishing the log in process, I noticed my Ollo credit card account had been transferred to Ally, as expected. When I looked further, I noticed my 2 checking accounts that were " closed '' XX/XX/XXXX, were not all closed. The XXXX account had a statement saying " Closed XX/XX/XXXX '' but the XXXX account was still open and now displaying a - {$35.00} charge. I reached out to Ally on the night of XX/XX/XXXX, the first customer care associate was no help. I spent over an hour and a half on the phone with him, only for him to tell me supervisors were not available. I hung up the phone, called back shortly after and spoke to a wonderful woman, whos name I don't recall, but I told her to immediately pass me to a supervisor. She understood my tone and was able to connect me to " XXXX ''. I explained my concerns to XXXX questioning why this account was still open and the experience I had earlier with the associates. XXXX was not able to provide me with an explanation, only that an employee at Ally had re-opened my checking account XXXX, after XX/XX/XXXX to " process merchant charges ''. I expressed to XXXX my concern, " How can an employee at a bank, who closed my account at their disgression, then re-open an account without my knowledge or consent? '' I asked him to provide me a signed agreement after XX/XX/XXXX, in which I authorized this. XXXX was speechless, as he knew that someone messed up regarding this situation. As I looked further on the statement for account XXXX, the - {$35.00} I had on the account was processed XX/XX/XXXX, 16 days after Ally bank closed my account. After having a long conversation with XXXX, I expressed to him I had filed reports against Ally, as my privacy had been breached by one of their own employees. 
I have reached out multiple times to Ally support and have 2 case numbers involving my recent inquiries into these faults one is # XXXX, the other case number, XXXX is from a chat assistant XXXX. 

Then on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a phone call from Ollo Credit ( XXXX ) XXXX. When I called the number back I spoke to a XXXX (? ). When she verified some info from me, she asked me " How can I help you today? ". I expressed to her I had a missed call from them and was returning it. She took some time to look up my credit card account and said they were reaching out because there was " a returned payment on XX/XX/XXXX for an amount ~ {$800.00} ''. I expressed to XXXX that Ally Bank had recently purchased my credit account from them. She seemed oblivious this buy out of her company had even taken place. I continued to ask her about this returned payment and upon her admission, Ollo Credit had tried to process an ~ {$800.00} payment to my Ally checking account XXXX that was illegally reopened by an Ally employee after the date of XX/XX/XXXX. I explained this situation to XXXX and the only thing she expressed to me was to fax over some information to prove these details. 

I am concerned as my privacy and personal data has been breached and abused by Ally Bank and possibly Ollo Credit. I have reached out to Ally and demanded the name of the employee who re-opened a bank account in my name, without my knowledge or consent. I have not received any correspondence back as of XX/XX/XXXX. I was a victim of identity theft while a customer of Ally in XXXX. Someone was able to create a fraudulent checking account in another state in my name and send ~ {$9000.00} without Ally even questioning it. They were able to return the money after I called them the day the transaction occurred. I am reaching out to all entities in hopes to find resolution and protection from from Ally & Ollo 's negligence. If they were able to continue these charges and process these charges without my knowledge, it could of financially ruined me down the line if I was not conscience and persistent in noticing these faults.

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 explanation