Consumer complaint received 2023-01-16
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Opening an account — Unable to open an account
Company: TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION (VA)

Complaint : I was denied a checking account for no apparent reason and have not received the adverse action letter which is required by law. There was stonewalling at the local branch and at the telephone centers. I had to take time off from work because it is not clear if I am a victim of identity theft or something else. This issue had left me with mental anguish and uncertainty as to why I was targeted for potential banking fraud. I do not know if I was even illegally discriminated against or not. 
Here is the background. I went to the XXXX XXXX  branch on Sat XX/XX/XXXX to set up a new checking account as I am planning to move up to XXXX  in the near future. Branch manager took down all personal info after discussing what I wanted to do. My father and aunt set up similar accounts the prior day, with a different manager there. It was my familys intention to transfer a sizeable amount of money to Truist upon our move. Manager assured me that the starter checks could be mailed to my current mailing address- which is listed on my current drivers license. The new PA address is currently under construction as she was informed. I never received the checks in the time frame she suggested -which should be approx 10 days after the visit. ; so stopped by the same branch on Sat XX/XX/XXXX. My father and aunt received their checks correctly sent to the XXXX mailing address and imprinted with the XXXX  address, on XX/XX/XXXX. On the XXXX, one of the front desk tellers took my info and then went to get manager over to assist.Manager told me that my status was flagged for potential fraud could not provide any further details or even printouts to show such. The account was closed on Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX, cant be reopened. All of this was done in the lobby of the bank ; and caused embarrassment and shock. I will continue to feel this way. Manager gave me Truist Fraud department number ( XXXX ) XXXX but said they were not open on the weekends. Manager then had me sign Truists Client Information Change Request Form. The area that shows Change Physical Address now had YES checked and the VA mailing address listed on it. She was initally not willing to give me a copy of this form but I pressed to get the signed copy for my own records. I do not recall her asking me to sign this earlier, although later learned that my father & aunt has signed such a form the day they established their checking accounts. I have NEVER ever had any issues with a bank. Since time was of the essence, I went to another financial institution that I have been going to for over ten years no problem on their side. I have checked with the following agencies : three credit reporting bureaus, my credit card issuers ; and XXXX which has XXXX XXXX  monitoring. Further inquiries with XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX came up with the same result : no issues found.When I called into the number for the Truist fraud department, I asked Why flag me? Were the address ( es ) inputted wrong by this manager? 
The answer, from XXXX at your customer service center, was that she could find no flag.There was no answer to : Why not contact me immediately by phone, email, text? Instead Im told a physical letter, an adverse action notice, would come any day now- which has not shown up. There was no answer to : I want the {$500.00} check I used to open the account back ASAP. That check was cashed, funds withdrawn form my current bank account on the XXXX. I asked, When can this be sent to me? No answers as to what the next steps would be or how to get corrected.As of Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, I still did not have any adverse action notice and called again to figure out how to get my money back. Customer Care told me that it could be given at the XXXX XXXX. I had to call out of work and then went to the XXXX branch. As we waited for the same teller to get into my account, she had to make two phone calls herself for figuring out a way to return money to me. This took forty minutes! She also had to wait for manager 's approval to obtain the {$500.00} and then asked how I wanted it. I asked for cash, concerned that Truist would later reject their own check. Without teller 's assistance, I would still be dealing with the concern of how and when I would get my money back. Basically speaking she knows the true definition of customer care.After receiving my money, I received the report from XXXX XXXX XXXX, that showed no negative information, only that the current account status was listed as Post No Debits. I called again to customer service to obtain further information. There were several phone numbers and representatives in customer care centers that do not know the meaning of customer care. A representative name unknown, told me that the account was flagged and visit the local branch. We had been already to this branch, said that the local branch ( XXXX ) XXXX was not a help and I needed to speak with a supervisor. XXXX- later learned full name was XXXX XXXX in client escalations took all info and then went to check with yet another dept. Internal dept does not need a reason for not giving out information, they dont need to tell me! was the answer she came back with. 
I reached XXXX in claims again, and XXXX at another extension, both who could not deal with the issue once given the synopsis to date. XXXX transferred to XXXX internal dept only, who stated that she could not help public, only Truist employees. She was ready to disconnect but offered another phone number to try - Truist Customer Care ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX at the above number picked up my case ; then referred us back to the XXXX number and reached XXXX in fraud dept. XXXX then took the synopsis and read the various notes to see what was going on. I described that this was taking up a work day ( since this department is only open Monday to Friday during business hours ) and causing me increased stressXXXX was not able to tell to see any specific flags and put us on hold to check with unnamed coworker. They could not tell WHY initially but said it was possible that it had to deal with the XXXX  address; refused to identity or let us speak with who had placed the flag ( made the decision to deny the account ). She refused to respond when told father & aunt had opened accounts earlier XXXXwithout any issues and then proceeded to read a statement that they, Truist, could close account if it did not fit profile, etc. She then informed my father and I that the call was recorded, and proceeded to rudely hung up when we told her that we recorded the conversation. Under the XXXX of XXXX  law, we were in our right to do so.To resolve this problem : I would like a written statement within 15 calendar days from your bank explaining exactly what went wrong with my account. There was no adverse reason to close it. Truist should notify XXXX XXXX XXXX that the account was closed without cause.