Consumer complaint received 2024-03-30
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem accessing account
Company: SOFI TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (WA)

SoFi 's employees at the member security department are very rude. They talk and act to me imperatively and condescendingly and present themselves as they are superior to me. Their abrupt measures to my account are causing tremendous inconvenience, my funds in SoFi accounts being inaccessible, delayed delivery of ACH transfer, and a total loss of interest on my funds. 

Specifically, around XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, I got a call from an unknown number. Below is a brief transcript of the short phone call : The caller : Hi, I'm calling from SoFi bank, can you verify your name? 
( The caller, with a heavy accent, didn't provide any reason why he needed to verify me. I was a little suspicious about the phone call since I was concerned about a scam. ) Me : My name is XXXX XXXX. May I ask why you need to verify me?

( I gave him my name anyway since I thought it won't do much harm to me even it's a scam ) The caller : I'm from the member 's security department. I can not give you the reason for this verification before you are verified. Now, can you please tell me your social security number? 
Me : Is there something wrong with my accounts? I just logged into my account via SoFi mobile app and didn't notice any issue.

( While talking to him I logged into my account successfully without seeing any issue. ) The caller : That I can not tell you before you are fully verified. 
Me : This sounds strange to me. My accounts work okay. Why do you need to verify me? 
The caller : That I can not disclose. 
Me : Sorry, please understand my concern. It is you calling me. I never reached out to SoFi. I never talked to you before. Your number is not the SoFi customer service number. I'm concerned about a scam. I can not just give you my social security number without knowing the reason.

The caller : Okay. But I am not allowed to give you the reason.

Me : But how do I know you are really from SoFi? My accounts don't have any issues at this time. My Social number is important information that I can't just give out randomly. 
The caller : Okay. It's up to you. 
Me : What would happen if I don't give you my social security number? I mean what's the consequence? 
The caller : Sir, again, that I can not tell you. 
Me : But do you understand my concern? I also need to verify you. You know what. I can call the Sofi customer service number. 
The caller : okay Me : Alright. I'll call the customer service line. 

Right after this phone call, I received an email at XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX from SoFi saying my account had been frozen.

I immediately called SoFi customer service and asked them to connect me to the member 's security department. The customer service confirmed that my account has been restricted and I won't be able to receive any payments including interest on my funds. I was later connected with a person named XXXX at the security department. After saying my account had been frozen and a case had been submitted to their specialist team for review, he acted very rudely, like I was some kind of criminal that does not deserve any respect. I asked the reason for the review. He said he can not disclose. He gave cold responses with a rude tone. He Basically, he refused to give any information. 

Later, I called customer service again and got connected with a different agent. This third representative asked me to read out my recent activities. After going through my recent activities, he said probably it was probably because of my recent activities. I explained that my transfers were between my bank accounts. The only one incoming transfer from someone else 's account was from wife. We live at the same address. I can prove it if needed. At this point, there is nothing he can do. No timeline for review is provided. No way for me to talk to their supervisor directly. The only way I can do is wait. While waiting, I can not receive direct deposits including interest payments on my funds. My outgoing ACH transfer submitted will be delayed ( the fund has been withdrawn from my Sofi bank but has not shown up in my receiving bank ). I won't be able to use the fund and will lose the interest. 

If CFPB deems the following proofs are useful, I can provide them upon request : - Screenshots of phone calls showing the time ; - Email from SoFi notifying me account frozen right after the phone call ; - Screenshot of the dashboard of my Sofi mobile app showing a message of account frozen