Consumer complaint received 2024-01-30
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem accessing account
Company: BMO Bank, N.A. (VA)

I opened a two checking accounts with BMO on XXXX XXXX XXXX They were offering a promotion to receive a bonus if you transferred a certain amount into your account. The amount then has to sit in your account for 4 months in order to receive the bonus. I stayed on the phone for almost 3 hours while XXXX verified my information. He then told me that he would have to give the back office my information to verify me. Then he told me that the they would send me paperwork the next day for me to sign. Instead, he called me on the next day on XXXX XXXX XXXX and requested that I give my banking information to transfer my funds from my current bank ... Although, I was not a customer at the time yet. He also asked for my debt card number and security code. This was not needed because I already gave him my account information. I have never had a bank make me give them my account information from my old bank before I had even become a customer with them. Then after I signed the paperwork I tried to set up my online banking on XX/XX/XXXX so that I could transfer more funds into my account. The online banking sent me a verification code but would not allow me to finish. Then on XXXX XXXX XXXX I called over the phone to finish online banking. However, when I tried to sign in the made it so that I could not use the option to verify myself via email ... Only by phone or text. I could sign in if I changed my password only. The next day a rep told me she was going to call me back. She never did so I called. They already had some of my money transferred to my accounts with BMO. No, I was on the phone all day with them trying to access my accounts. By the end of the day they had a person accusing me of not being who I said I am. She sent me verification form to be notarized to prove who I was ... Although I had verified myself on XXXX XXXX XXXX. Now, they had my money and were saying that they did not believe me. They were being XXXX, and XXXX about while they had my money! I went the next day on XX/XX/XXXX and I had the form notarized by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I then called back on XX/XX/XXXX and I spoke with a rep. He was mean and rude too. When I asked to speak with someone else, he refused. When I said I was going to file a new CFPB complaint he yelled at me and said, " Go ahead. '' Then I pressed the issue for access to my account because I had proven again I am the person I said I was signing up. Then I got access to my account. After I now gained access to my account... I heard a strange sound on the phone. I asked the male rep ... '' What is that sound. '' His reply was, " Does it sound like something rubbing against the phone? '' XXXX!!! Then they sound stopped immediately. I finished me call and I got off the phone. I received a reply back from BMO via mail only after my XX/XX/XXXX complaints. I requested that they call me and to this day they have not called me. I then called them back in XX/XX/XXXX. Again, the rep on the phone said he verified me via my voice but then gave me hard time when I asked to be connected to someone in the XXXX or XXXX. I filed another complaint because no one had called me. In that complaint I mentioned that the rep I talked to in XX/XX/XXXX had a strange sound in the background. It sounded very inappropriate. Right after that I noticed a week ago that no BMO had taken {$3.00} from my accounts. I called and spoke with XXXX last week. I told him when I called in XX/XX/XXXX I asked if I was going to charged any fee 's? I was told " No, not for the first 60 days, '' Then I asked XXXX about closing my accounts. I told him I would need a legal document saying that my accounts were closed. In the conversation he told me that he could see that BMO had Never returned any of my calls. That they had just sent me letters. He reimbursed me my {$3.00}. However, over a month later I just received a letter mentioning nothing about closing my accounts. However, they sent me my money back via checks. I felt like they were still trying to see who I was because on XX/XX/XXXX it said I had to sign for the package. Then they changed it and the package arrived XX/XX/XXXX. I called them and asked if they closed my accounts without my permission? I asked to speak to someone in the XXXX and not their 3rd party. They refused to speak to me XX/XX/XXXX. However, the rep told me that my accounts were closed. However, I was able to sign into my accounts today XXXX XXXX XXXX This was part of my complaints. That these banks offer a bonuses for you to open accounts then they try to find ways to make you angry and go away. Then keep your accounts open for their investors. They are saying they closed my accounts for no valid reason. Now, they still have my accounts open. They are refusing to send me legal papers showing that my account is closed. Now, after all they have taken me through I can't get my bonus which I signed legal papers. I had up until XXXX XXXX XXXX to add more funds. XXXX I spoke to today was very mean. I told her that I had to add more funds and keep those funds in my account for 4 months before I could receive my bonus. I have the legal documents that show this. I had until XXXX XXXX XXXX  to add more funds. Instead, they closed my account... Then they are refusing to put this in writing. That is because they know it is a breach of contract after I signed the paperwork on XX/XX/XXXX where I signed up for the bonus with a marketing code. XXXX told me last week that I don't have to put in writing I am closing my accounts. I told him that is not true ... I told him I will need to have BMO send me paperwork showing my accounts are closed. I did not give them access to close my accounts. I have had access to my accounts since XX/XX/XXXX since I proved to BMO I am who I say I am with getting the paperwork notarized. I feel like BMO is in breach of Contract for the bonus after I complained to CFPB and XXXX about the inappropriate sounds on the call back in XX/XX/XXXX. I just complained to you all about this XXXX weeks ago. This was a awful experience dealing with them and now I do not even get my bonus. They treated me like I was a criminal over and over again! I signed a contract to get my bonus if I transferred more funds to before XX/XX/XXXX. When I said this is what I accused BMO of ... Opening accounts for share holders to see ... XXXXThen trying not to keep up their legal part of the contract to give new customers their bonuses. That is a scam! I do not live near a branch and they know it so they try to use it to their advantage to get you to go away. Meanwhile they tell their share holders that they have new accounts. IT IS DAFAMATION OF CHARACTER WHEN A BANK DOES NOT BELIEVE YOU ARE WHOM YOU SAY YOU ARE ... WHEN ARE PROVING THEM WRONG OVER AND OVER AGAIN! BUT NOT ONLY THAT THEY TOOK MY MONEY BACK ON XX/XX/XXXX AND JUST NOW RETURNTED ON XX/XX/XXXX WHEN I COMPLAINED AGAIN ABOUT WHAT I HEARD THEIR REP DOING ON THE PHONE! I HAVE HAD ACCESS TO MY ACCOUNT SINCE XX/XX/XXXX. LIKE i SAID THEN THEY TOOK {$300.00} DOLLARS FROM BOTH OF MY ACCOUNTS AND SAID I DID NOT SIGNUP FOR PAPERLESS. I DID SIGNUP FOR PAPERLESS ON XX/XX/XXXX WHEN i WAS ABLE TO ACCESS MY ACCOUNT ON THAT DAY. THAT IS A TOTAL OF {$6.00} THEY TOOK OUT OF MY ACCOUNT IN XX/XX/XXXX. WHEN i COULD NOT EVEN ACCESS MY ACCOUNT FROM XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX THEY THEN WERE LOOKING IN MY ACCOUNT AND TELLING ME I ACCESSED MY ACCOUNT OVER XXXX TIMES. THAT IS ANOTHER LIE! I WAS ABLE TO ACCESS MY ACCOUNT ONLY A FEWS TIMES ON XX/XX/XXXX BEFORE LOCKED ME OUT COMPLETELY OUT OF MY ACCOUNT ON XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX