Consumer complaint received 2020-01-13
Company: BB&T CORPORATION
State: VA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed

Complaint:
I opened a checking account at BB & T bank in response to a {$200.00} opening bonus offer : Open a new BB & T Bright Banking checking account by XX/XX/XXXX2019,  and complete one of the following within 75 days of opening : Enroll in and receive 2 direct deposits of {$100.00} or more each Use U by BB & T bill pay to initiate 3 online payments of {$25.00} or more each fine-print conditions : Must be new account Use code XXXX or XXXX One per household New client XXXX XXXX XXXX I opened the account on XX/XX/XXXX19 at a BB & T branch with the help of branch banker XXXX XXXX, who entered all the data. I made clear that the auto-deposit would be from XXXX XXXX and it would be my very first check on XX/XX/XXXX19, so I did not know how long it would take them to change the auto-deposit to BB & T. I also offered to hand-deliver the first check to make sure we met the deadline. I was told that was not permissable - it had to come directly from the source. XXXX assured me that I had made their opening deadline so I should be fine and added they were flexible and would work with me. That was key, because the {$200.00} bonus was the only reason I opened the account in the first place. 

I got on the XXXX XXXX site and changed the deposit to my new BB & T account that same day ( XX/XX/XXXX ) hoping to make my first two deposits on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, because 75 days only gave me until XX/XX/XXXX19. However, the XXXX did not make the change until the following month, so my first two auto-deposits were on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. I did not hear anything more from the bank. I finally stopped in the branch in XXXX and asked XXXX about my bonus. She called the home office and then XXXX. They didn't know. She finally called me two days later only to tell me that I " did not qualify '' for the bonus because the two payments were not within the 75 day window. To be clear, XX/XX/XXXX19 was the XXXX day and my second auto-deposit was on XX/XX/XXXX19. 

Forget about " we're flexible - we'll work with you ''. Just simply " you did not qualify ''. After meeting all of their criteria, including the pre-qualification, the fine print and the two direct deposits, they simply avoided payment of the {$200.00} bonus with the small print XXXX wording : within 75 days of opening. 

I followed up with customer service to see if they would actually work with me as promised. Their response was that it was already reviewed and no. I want to underline a couple of things about this : a ) The purpose of the {$200.00} bonus is purportedly not just to get 2 direct deposits but to entice people to begin a " relationship '' with the bank. I opened the account with that intent and made more than enough direct deposits. 
b ) I did everything humanly possible to keep my end of the bargain and meet all of the criteria. In fact, I did do everything they asked and I don't believe there was any breach of contract on my part. 
c ) The bank knows very well that a client reliant on the government for the deposit has no control over the outcome or the timetable. 
d ) The 75 day window serves no purpose other than to make it impossible for people reliant on the government for their deposit to comply with the red tape. This apparently gives the bank a convenient loophole to avoid payment. 

I have actually followed up with them several times since, with calls to their customer service line and a letter to the home office, which is why this has dragged on for XXXX months. However, they have not even made a pretense of being helpful. They were amazingly hard-nosed about the whole thing, which made me more convinced that this is a lucrative XXXX for them and there are many more like me who have been taken in by this bogus offer. 

Under the circumstances, I feel as though I did meet their criteria - certainly the intent if not the actual deadline. The {$200.00} bonus is important to me, yet for the bank, it is a small price to pay for the steady stream of recurring deposits month after month. Apparently, a banking " relationship '' is not as important to BB & T as a {$200.00} bonus. 

With that said, this is a very misleading offer, and considering how hard-nosed the bank has been with the qualification minutiae, I have to question the integrity of BB & T bank. I have had similar offers over the years, and have never before had a bank refuse to give me the bonus! I am going to close this account for obvious reasons, but now that they have benefited from my steady stream of direct deposits, I still expect to receive this bonus. I would appreciate it if you could take a look at this situation and help persuade them to do what's fair and honest and pay me the bonus they owe me. Thanks in advance for your help and support.

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