Consumer complaint received 2023-08-05
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed
Company: KEYCORP (CA)

On XX/XX/2023, I opened a high-interest online savings account with XXXX XXXX Key Bank XXXX XXXX ), and funded it with {$3200.00} transferred from my XXXX XXXX XXXX now XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX account. I opened this account, only due to XXXX XXXX advertised 4.5 % interest rate. 


XX/XX/2023 I tried to access my account online, but was locked out. I contacted Customer Service XX/XX/XXXX ( XXXX min call ) to ask why. Agent Couldnt tell me and told me to call back next day. 


XX/XX/2023 Called XXXX  again ( XXXX mins call ). Again, no one could tell me why I had been locked out of my account. Agent promised me to call back the same day with information. Despite her promise, she did not call back. 


XX/XX/2023 After not hearing back, I called XXXX again ( XXXX min call ). Still no one could tell me what the problem with my account was or why I had been locked out. No one from management was available to speak with me. I also asked why XXXX had not communicated with me about any problem with my account. XXXX said that usually they send a letter explaining the issue. Again, I said that I had received nothing. XXXX could not explain why I hadnt received a letter/email regarding an issue with my account. 


The XXXX agent then said that they had closed my account and mailed my funds to me by check on the previous day XX/XX/2023. When I again asked why my account had been frozen and closed, the agent said something about how XXXX of the people on my account had called to say they didnt want to be on the account. When I said Im the only person on the account, they had no response. I asked when they had frozen my funds, and why they never reached out to me. XXXX had no response and could not answer any of my questions. No details. No explanation. 


XX/XX/2023 I called XXXX again ( XXXX mins call ) to confirm that the check had been mailed to me. Agent confirmed that yes, the check had been mailed to me on XX/XX/2023. 


XXXX month later, I still hadnt received the check that XXXX confirmed TWICE that they had mailed on XX/XX/2023. I thought maybe I hadnt received it, because I moved to a new address on XX/XX/XXXX. So, I called XXXX again on XX/XX/2023. 


XX/XX/2023 On this call that I made to XXXX, for the first time ever, the XXXX agent suddenly informed me that XXXX didnt advise me that there was a problem, because he had called me in XXXX, and that I had asked to be taken off the call list and hung up. He didnt provide me with a date of the call or what number he had called. He was still unable to tell me what the problem was that had led to my funds being seized by XXXX. 


He said that because I asked to be taken off the call list and hung up, he put NO CONTACT on my account. I asked how take me off your call list equated to XXXX contact me with a problem with my account or XXXX email me or send me a letter. He had no response. 


He told me that a check had not been sent to me ( despite XXXX telling me twice that they mailed the check on XX/XX/2023 ), and that no check would be sent until I provided proof of change of address & proof that I had funded the account. Said he would email me the email of where to send the requested documents, but he did not. 


XX/XX/2023 Since the XXXX agent did not send me the email address as he had promised, I found an email address ( XXXX ) myself on their webpage. I emailed XXXX forms of proof of an address change ( Change of Address verification letter from XXXX and a lease addendum showing that I had been added to my apartment lease ). I also emailed my XXXX Bank statement from XXXX showing that I had transferred {$3200.00} to fund my XXXX  account on XX/XX/2023. ( The XXXX documents that I emailed are attached ). 


Later that day, I called XXXX again & asked for a manager. Was told no one was available. I was told someone would call me back. 


Received call from XXXX. I asked again why I hadnt been informed ( and still hadnt received any correspondence about any problem with my account ). Agent now repeated that I wasnt informed of anything, because when their call center called me in XXXX ( still no date provided ), I asked to be taken off the calling list and hung up. I asked why their call center would be calling me if there was any suspicious activity on my account instead of their Fraud department. They said that their Fraud department doesnt make phone calls. I asked why I had received no written correspondence from them. She had no answer. I asked why my funds had been seized to start with. She had no answer. 


The XXXX agent then said that they hadnt received the email I had sent them that morning with the requested documents attached. Then, later she confirmed that they had it. Said she would call me back about why a letter/email was never sent to me and what my funds had been seized. Yet again, no one called me back. 


XX/XX/2023 I received an email from XXXX acknowledging receipt of my XX/XX/2023 email and saying the documents had been forwarded to the Fraud Department for review and that they would contact me if anything further was needed. 


I waited 6 days, but heard nothing. So, on XX/XX/2023, I emailed XXXX yet again. 


XX/XX/2023 XXXX email XXXX help again asking why I hadnt heard from them or received the check. 


XX/XX/2023 In response, XXXX emailed me, saying that they were forwarding my email to management and that they would contact me. I emailed them back, saying that im tired of being jerked around and someone with authority and knowledge needs to call me immediately and take care of this. No one called. 


XX/XX/2023 XXXX emailed me saying that they wouldnt send me my money, because I submitted a Lease Addendum instead of an entire lease, and that the checking account statement that I submitted had all transactions, other than the transaction with which I funded my XXXX account, blacked out. They did not explain why they needed to see my other private and personal banking transactions, or why the Proof of Address Change letter from the Post Office, along with my rental addendum, was not sufficient proof of change of address. I responded that my other transactions are unrelated and irrelevant, and that there was no justifiable reason for requiring additional documentation of my change of address. 


As of XX/XX/2023, XXXX XXXX continues to hold my funds. Since XX/XX/2023 my funds ( {$3200.00} ) should have been in a high-interest bearing account ( 4.5 % ). Instead, XXXX seized my funds, failed to notify me, closed my account without explanation notice or explanation, and continues to withhold my money. 


To date, Ive received no correspondence explaining why they did this. XXXX has never explained why they flagged my account as suspicious to start with or why they froze my account and seized my funds.