Consumer complaint received 2024-04-19
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account — Can't close your account
Company: COMMERCE BANK (WA)

My family moved out of state in XXXX, XXXX and would no longer be able to functionally use our Commerce Bank accounts and credit card. I was told I'd be able to easily close my accounts over the phone and chose to keep my accounts open for 6 months to ensure there were no outstanding debts or credits to my accounts. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted Commerce Bank and was told that all of my accounts ( 1 checking, 2 savings accounts, and 1 credit card ) had been successfully closed. I updated my mailing address and was told I'd receive a letter in the mail in 1-2 weeks. On XX/XX/XXXX, a charge from a subscription went through my checking account for {$91.00}. This caused my overdraft protection to charge my credit card {$100.00} cash advancement, {$10.00} cash advancement fee, and a {$7.00} service charge to my checking account. None of this I was aware of because I thought all my accounts were closed. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, my subscription refunded my account because apparently the product had been returned to them as undeliverable. On XX/XX/XXXX I was charged another service fee to my checking account for {$7.00} and on XX/XX/XXXX my credit card was charged a {$2.00} interest charge on the overdraft protection. Because there was then a balance in my checking account from the subscription refund, my savings account that had also not been successfully closed, automatically transferred over money like I had previously established. It was around this time that I noticed emails from my subscription saying there was a problem with delivery that I discovered that my accounts had not been closed as I'd previously been told. 

I contacted Commerce Bank and they admitted to fault- the accounts had not been properly closed. Because so many departments were involved, it took a long time to sort through the paperwork while I sat waiting on hold. I was told they would put a restriction on my account so that no outside entities would be able to pull from my accounts. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, my checking account was refunded the {$14.00} in fees it had been charged and on XX/XX/XXXX, my credit card was refunded the {$110.00} it had been charged. Somewhere around this time, I was monitoring my accounts and saw that one of my savings accounts had been successfully closed and my other account was at a {$0.00} balance. All of my accounts had now reached a {$0.00} balance, but I'd been told by Commerce Bank 's representative that it would take an additional 24-48 hours for it to be closed and then I would get a letter in the mail in 1-2 weeks. I assumed because of the progress I'd seen and what I'd been assured by the bank 's representative, that this issue was a problem of the past. I made sure to update my banking and mailing address with my subscription ( again ) and went about my life. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, the subscription charged my Commerce Bank account again! Remind you, all my accounts had been " closed '' twice and they said prior to that they were restricted so no outside entities could withdraw or charge my accounts. On XX/XX/XXXX, my credit card issued a cash advance for {$100.00} and charged an overdraft protection fee of {$10.00}. My checking account was then charged a {$7.00} service fee, as well as another service charge for {$1.00} on XX/XX/XXXX, bringing that account balance to {$0.00}. 

My credit card was then left with a {$110.00} charge for a product I never receiver- nor did I authorize Commerce Bank to issue payment. Today, XX/XX/XXXX, I spent another hour and a half on the phone with them. I was told that a supervisor authorized to close my checking and savings accounts, but I have yet to see proof of this. When I was then transferred to the credit card department, they said they wouldn't reverse the charges because my checking account was at {$0.00} and they had paid the overdraft protection. The bank representative I spoke to said that he would have to inquire about having the charges reversed/refunded, but wouldn't be able to respond until next Monday or Tuesday ( XX/XX/XXXX or XXXX, XXXX ) to let me know Commerce Bank 's decision. 

This is unacceptable. This is either gross negligence on Commerce Bank 's part or fraud. I refuse to pay a cent to Commerce Bank for something I did not receive and pulling money from accounts that I was told had been closed- TWICE! I was a loyal customer for 17 years. There should be an investigation into how many other patrons they are or have done this to.