Consumer complaint received 2024-03-26
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION, THE (CA)

On XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted an application for a short term apartment rental with the XXXXXXXX XXXX ( XXXX  ). I was seeking to rent an apartment for XXXX months and XXXX day at a total cost of {$5700.00}. I provided my checking account information on the submission form to facilitate payment. Shortly after I completed the request, I received an email from XXXX informing me I did not pass their credit check and therefore my application was denied. That did not stop them from taking my money. The next day. the full amount of {$5700.00} was debited from my checking account at Charles Schwab. 

In the denial letter, they told me that I would receive a refund of the amount paid, but in order to process it I needed to enter my account information on some third party website ( XXXX ). I was not at all comfortable with this and did understand why this was necessary. I provided my account information on their website. XXXX, for which they hold an SSL certificate. They directed me to enter my account information onto this formsite.com site with no explanation to why this was necessary. The transfer was handled by XXXX. Since I gave them the necessary information to charge my account at the time I submitted my application, they should already have the information they need to reverse it. Even if they dont have my account information themselves, as XXXX XXXX XXXX served as the middleman, common sense says they should simply go to XXXX XXXX XXXX and say " reverse this transaction '' I tried repeatedly to call them and sent them emails telling them I was uncomfortable entering my account information on some unknown website. Their response was simply to tell me again to enter my information on that unknown site. All attempts to call them by phone took me to a voice mailbox that was full. 

I immediately submitted a dispute with my bank, Charles Schwab. They requested I send them applicable documentation and sign a form. I promptly provided that information to them on XX/XX/XXXX. I heard nothing since. 

I called them last week, having allowed them well over XXXX months to reverse the transaction and asking why at the very least had they not given me a temporary credit as Regulation E requires they do. They told me it was a merchant dispute and thus does not fall under Regulation E. I disagreed. The merchant doesn't dispute they owe me a refund. The issue is in processing it. As I understand it. Regulation E covers the following three cases : - An unauthorized EFT. 
- An incorrect EFT to or from the consumers account. 
- The omission from a periodic statement of an EFT to or from the consumers account that should have been included. 
I believe my issue falls under the third type : I expected to see a credit for the services I paid for but were not provided. More than two statements have been and the credit has still not be issued.

Today I received an form email from Schwab following my phone call to check the status. It said " We have received your information and the case has been re-opened ''. This completely floored me as they never told me the case was closed. I haven't received anything from them since I submitted the dispute. Their case number is XXXX.