Consumer complaint received 2024-09-07
Product: Checking or savings account — Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account — Problem accessing account
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION (SC)

Approx XXXX, my XXXX fathers online access to his bank accts at Fifth Third, was locked. He called in-they asked his personal info to verify him. He was slow to respond and missed a # - was told he could not be verified and he had to visit a branch to resolve. He is on XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX His long-time partner with whom he lives, helps provide care. She assisted in calling back & had trouble hearing the rep. Again they would not unlock since they could not verify him. He was told the only way to unlock it was to come to branch. My father called a 5/3 banker XXXX XXXX in XXXX he knew for 40 yrs and she was not able to help. This is when I got involved. 
I am joint owner on all accts & his Attorney in Fact. I made a phone appt with a branch rep from the XXXX XXXX location in XXXX, NC. I was advised to come to a bank with my POA and to update some info & we would go from there. I made this appt for Sat XXXX. The banker for this appt, XXXX XXXX, called the day prior for more info. He advised that while he is a branch manager, its best to come in on a weekday in case we needed higher authority. 
XXXX, XXXX XXXX made copies of POA & asked me to update my fathers signature card ; I signed his name as Attorney in XXXX. While there, he called the dept ( XXXX ) needed to regain online access. XXXX XXXX told them he had POA in hand, but they stated it had to be uploaded for review. However, the phone rep said that even with the POA, my father still needed to call in to be verified. Phone rep refused to talk with me even though XXXX XXXX was verified as a branch mgr. XXXX XXXX restated my concern, if I have POA I should be able to do anything he would do at the bank. XXXX XXXX requested a manager. We stayed on hold for a long time and then we were told there was no supervisor available to help. XXXX XXXX requested that someone call him back to resolve. XXXX XXXX then told me that he would reach out to me when he had more info. 
After several days, XXXX XXXX told me ( XXXX ) he was unsuccessful, but all paperwork was uploaded & I could get access. Since I am a joint owner, I always had access. My original query and issue were getting my father back his online access. XXXX XXXX told me that my father needed to call that same number. I reiterated that he did this many times and my POA should allow me to act on his behalf. XXXX XXXX was told that was bank policy not to give password info etc. to anyone but the account holder. XXXX XXXX told me that they have noted he is in XXXX, and my father would not need to physically come in and he needed to call back. 
I told this to my father ; he sounded quite with it, so I suggested he call right then. The rep put him on hold and then the line went dead. He called back and tried again. The rep, XXXX was confused about what he needed, and his partner just said 1 word to my father- ONLINE, so that he would tell them it was for online access. The rep said that if he was on speaker phone, they would not help him. He took the phone off speaker as requested & he did perfect in relaying all his personal information to be verified. However, the rep said since someone was in the room with him and he was limited to what he could do on his phone, they would not unlock his online access even though they gave him the account balances with her in the room. My father is not always able to do this on his own. He sometimes needs assistance in dialing # s, etc.

We have gone through all the routes and done what was asked. My complaint is this : I have valid original legal Power of Attorney paperwork stating that I act as his Attorney in Fact for financial matters. They are not following this and not allowing me to act on his behalf. We understand and appreciate customer protection ; however, this is overkill. Thank you.