Consumer complaint received 2016-09-26
Company: BB&T CORPORATION
State: FL
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
BB & T 's fraud company called me in XXXX regarding a series of attempts by a vendor to submit charges against my checking account. The dollar amounts were random. Once contacted by the fraud dept. I informed them that the charges were not authorized and I closed the debit card to prevent further access. A complaint was filed with the fraud investigation dept. within 24 hours. 

Later in XXXX, I 'm sitting in my branch handling business and was told that my checking account was overdrawn by {$600.00}, I was shocked because, as a banker myself, I manage money well. I called the corporate office to inquire and was told that the fraud investigation did not rule in my favor because the vendor provided a contract for charges that BB & T says justified them releasing funds that were not on deposit. This is the same vendor who tried to process numerous charges unsuccessfully. 
Come to find out that my husband canceled the event in sufficient time based on said contract. BB & T did not have this information as part of their investigation. 
BB & T refused to allow the account to be closed until the {$600.00} overdraft was paid. They assessed a {$21.00} fee. 
Last week ( XXXX/XXXX/2016 ) my husband tried to retrieve money from another checking account at the same bank. The account was frozen. BB & T used it to offset the {$600.00} deficit in the other account. Thus, my husband could not access his payroll in order to provide for his family, pay his mortgage, and cover transportation costs to and from his job. 
My issue here is that BB & T is accountable for the {$600.00} that they allowed to clear an account that had less than a {$100.00} deposit balance. Further, the {$600.00} charge was unauthorized by the consumer and BB & T was aware of it. Rather than admit their mistake ( and let the consumer and the vendor work out contract disputes ), they chose the low hanging fruit and stiffed the consumer by taking money from an unrelated account with them. If their policy stands, then it makes no sense that my husband can not cash his payroll check at his BB & T branch unless there are sufficient funds on deposit to cover it. In fact, BB & T 's branch manager told my husband that the bank 's policy, if it were properly followed, would have prevented a {$600.00} transaction to clear if the account balance was not sufficient to cover it. The transaction should have been disallowed and the customer charged a {$35.00} overdraft fee. There were no other charges that did not clear other than the {$600.00} that BB & T approved. 
These tactics have caused my husband and I financial harm since he was not prepared to lose an entire week 's pay but had no choice. The bank got their money at our expense. 
My request is that BB & T be held accountable for allowing an unauthorized charge to overdraw our account and to return the {$600.00} to the consumer. We are a two-income household and I have been looking for work since XXXX. Every dime counts to keep this household afloat.

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