Consumer complaint received 2024-06-25
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA (RI)

I am making this complaint because my Marcus by Goldman Sachs Online Savings Account was frozen by Marcus for almost XXXX months without any reason or explanation given. There had been no fraudulent or unusual transactions that occurred, with only monthly recurring payments that had always gone through in the past. During this time, I could not access my funds ( approximately {$20000.00} ). 

Over these almost XXXX months, I repeatedly spoke to Marcus customer service to unfreeze the account, but was given no possible options to do so until very late in the process. I believe Marcuss shockingly poor customer service and deficient internal processes led to this incredible delay in unfreezing my account and regaining access to my funds.

Throughout my repeated communications with Marcus, I was consistently given no or conflicting information despite repeatedly begging Marcus to be given a way to unfreeze my account and offering to provide any type of information or ID that would be required. 

It was only after I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau that the option of using an Affidavit of Identity was suggested 6 months after the issue had begun. 

Even after I complained repeatedly, mentioning several times I would submit a complaint to the CFPB, and began to be contacted by people from Marcus who seemed more knowledgeable, I still received conflicting and incorrect information about unfreezing my account. Marcuss internal complaints process proved entirely inadequate as well as I never heard back about a complaint I made early in this process. 


Timeline Early XX/XX/XXXX : My Marcus Online Savings Account was restricted at some point after a payment of {$280.00} went out. I was not notified in any way whatsoever that the account had become restricted. 

XX/XX/XXXX : After scheduled payments from my account did not go through, I called customer service to find out what had happened. I was told that my account was restricted and that without a US phone number tied to my name to receive a One-Time Passcode, my account could not be accessed to be unrestricted. 
I was told I would receive an email with further instructions within XXXX business days. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I received an email asking to call back. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I called back referencing the email I received on XX/XX/XXXX. 
I was again told that my account could not be unlocked without a US phone number tied to my name. I was told to call back in 7-10 business days. I asked for but could not get any more clarity on next steps for unrestricting the account.

I asked to make a complaint and was told the complaint would be internal. I asked for but was given no information on next steps for the complaint ( for example, how I would receive an answer and when ). 
I then asked to whom I could complain externally and was again given no information. 
The representative on the line, who I believe is named Shontazia ( and would not give her last name ) was very rude and repeatedly talked over me, not answering my questions, and saying I dont work in the back-office, I dont know how they work there. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I called in again having received no communication from the bank. 
I spoke to XXXX, then XXXX from security team. 
XXXX again said she couldn't send a One-Time Passcode due to the same phone number issue as before. 
I asked for but was still given no other potential solution. 
I was told I would get a call back in XXXX days and that I should follow up afterwards if I do not. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I called back after not hearing back from the bank. 
I was told there had been no progress, and that I would have to wait for an unspecified amount of time. 
I offered to send in any document or share any information to authenticate myself and unrestrict the account, but again I was given no options to unrestrict the account. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau ( attached ). 

XX/XX/XXXX : I missed a call from the bank and received an email asking me to call back. 
I called back and again was told that I can not be authenticated without a XXXX phone number tied to my name or a US state-issued drivers license. 
I was told that the issue needs to be escalated and that notes would be added to existing case. 
I was told the other team could potentially authenticate me through email. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : I called in and spoke to XXXX first. 
I was again not authenticated because of the phone number and drivers license issue. 
I asked to be transferred to a different agent. 
I was asked for previous addresses, the account number of the external account linked to my Marcus account, but again I could not pass authentication because the phone number on my account is not tied to my name and because I have no US state drivers license.

I asked what system they use for phone number verification and said that I had checked with my phone provider who confirmed my name does show up on my account. I was told Marcus doesnt disclose that information. 
I asked to speak to a supervisor. 
I was transferred to XXXX, a supervisor, who said he created a new case and said that back-office team are working on it. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : I received an email from the bank asking me to call in. 
I spoke first to XXXX, then XXXX. 
They said they are sending an Affidavit of Identity to my address on file, which I verified to be XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
I also noticed I had received {$25.00} Goodwill Credit to my account, which barely covered the cost of notarizing the XXXX and mailing it. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : Marcus indicated they sent the Affidavit of Identity. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : I sent the filled-out Affidavit of Identity through USPS Certified Mail. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : USPS Tracking confirmed the Affidavit delivered ( to a neighbouring ZIP code, however ). 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : I called in, spoke to XXXX, then to XXXX. 
I was told the Affidavit was not showing up as received yet. 
I was told to check back in XXXX business day, and that I could then proceed with authentication. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : I called in and spoke to XXXX then XXXX again. 
XXXX said he would expedite things, and that delays were because back office had lots of similar cases in last month. 
I was told to call on XX/XX/XXXX as the account should be updated by then. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : I called in and spoke to XXXX than XXXX. 
The Affidavit still doesnt show up as received or processed. 
XXXX said he would escalate the case and that I should receive a call from Marcus to authenticate me. 
He said he also copied in his supervisor to get things moving. 
He said I should call back if I hear nothing by Tuesday. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : USPS updated the tracking information to indicate Delivery Confirmed for the Affidavit of Identity picked up from post XXXX ( this time, at the same ZIP code as the one I had sent it to ). 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : I called in and spoke to someone and then I was transferred to XXXX. 
Again, I was told I could not be authenticated through my phone number as someone elses name appears on my account. 
I was however told that the restriction on the account was lifted because I sent in the Affidavit of Identity. 
I asked to confirm if I could transfer money in and out and was told yes. 
Shortly after the call, I tried to initiate transfers out of the account, which still didnt go through, showing the same error as before. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : I called in, spoke to someone, and was then transferred to XXXX. 
XXXX called my number to verify me and said she had full access to my account. I can not understand why this option had not been used before. 
She said the Affidavit had not actually been received, as the system just shows it as having gone out, and that her colleague must have been mistaken when she said it had been. 
She told me to wait to be contacted another XXXX business days. 
I asked to be put in touch with a supervisor and was connected to XXXX. 
She said she needed to verify me again by calling me, which she did. 
XXXX accessed my account and said someone responsible for receiving documents from the security back-office team will call me back in XXXX business days. 
I said I would file a complaint with the CFPB and she said she noted that. 
XXXX also said she didnt know of any case ever taking so long to resolve. 

A couple of hours later, I was called back by XXXX, who authenticated me with a one-time passcode to my phone number. I can not understand why this was now possible to do when apparently it had not been possible before despite me providing evidence that the phone number was under my name as part of the XXXX complaint I had submitted. 
He reviewed my account details and said I would still need to wait for the AOI to be received and processed. 
This call was essentially pointless, with no new information exchanged. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : I was called by XXXX from the complaints team. 
She acknowledged the very long wait to get this issue resolved. 
She said the XXXX had been received and was currently under review, seeing a note on my account indicating such as of XXXX minutes prior to the call. 
She said someone will contact me to get my account unlocked, and that the process is awaiting approval from Fraud team. She said it would XXXX to XXXX business days for review. 
She also said she would be getting in touch with agents who handled my case to understand what had happened and what went wrong. 
She mentioned my initial complaint on XX/XX/XXXX had been logged, but had not been followed up and I was not contacted about it. She mentioned this was Marcuss policy, but that they are changing it to at least acknowledge and confirm to customers when complaints are filed. She also told there me there are different stages of the complaints process, and that only later stages warrant a response. She also said Marcus do not want to respond unless they have a solution for the issue in the complaint. 
I offered to send her my notes about the whole process, but she did not accept. 
I mentioned that I believe my XXXX complaint on XX/XX/XXXX was what caused Marcus to offer the option of an Affidavit of Identity moving. She said she would look into whether these events were connected. 
I mentioned the complaint I would be making to the CFPB was ready to be sent. 
I also mentioned I had been told my account was unfrozen but then was told it was not actually unfrozen. She said she would review the call that provided false information. 
She offered me her direct phone line but said she would be out of office for the next 2 days. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : I received a call from Marcus and was told that the XXXX had not actually been received. The agent told me that management had told her that same day that it had not received. 
I asked about the call I had had on the previous day and the note on my account I had been told about ( which said that the XXXX had been received and was being processed ), but she said she had been told the case had not been created by the receiving team, which meant the Affidavit had not actually been received. 
She mentioned she was informed by the management of the complaints team but that shes part of the fraud team. She wasnt clear on the different teams involved and which was saying what. 
She said the agent I had spoken to yesterday had said the Affidavit was being reviewed, but that the agent had meant the Affidavit had only been sent out and not received. She said the agent got confused. 
I asked if I could send the Affidavit via email to enable a faster and simpler resolution. 
She said I should keep a copy but that I would need to mail it again. 
She also said that she would call me back that same day to tell me if I can send it through email. 
I confirmed her name is XXXX, she is from the fraud team, and she said she didnt know XXXX XXXX the complaints team ( who had indicated to me that the Affidavit had been received and was being processed ). 
She said Marcus would overnight me a new blank Affidavit to be filled out and sent in again. 

She later called back to say emailing the Affidavit was not acceptable and asked me to mail another one in again. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : I received a call from XXXX XXXX not the same XXXX I had spoken to before ) and she authenticated me by asking me security questions. 
She said the Affidavit had been misplaced internally, but had now been found and processed, and that my account was now unlocked. 
To confirm, I tried a transfer for {$1.00}, which appeared successful in the Marcus app. I then transferred the rest of the balance, which also appeared successful in the app. 
XXXX said she could see the {$1.00} going through on her end, but could not see the transfer for the remaining balance that I had also initiated. 
She asked me if the transfer was through ACH or a wire, and I said I dont know, but that it was to my linked account. 

XXXX XX/XX/XXXX : The funds were successfully transferred from my Marcus account to my checking account ( in a different bank ). 

I have attached proof that the phone number on my Marcus account is indeed tied to my name. I have also attached the XXXX  complaint I had submitted.