Consumer complaint received 2023-03-30
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem accessing account
Company: KEYCORP (NY)

On XX/XX/2023 I opened a new checking account online with KeyBank under terms of a written offer ( for new-account cash bonus ; please see attachment ) mailed to my home address in XXXX, NY. I received notification online from KeyBank the same day, stating that my account application was approved and my account was open. Four days later when trying to log in I saw a note stating my account was blocked and instructing me to call a number. Over the next 3 days, 4 telephone representatives from Key Bank provided conflicting information about how to remove the account restriction. Two of the 4 demanded that I visit a bank branch and present my driver 's license. Key Bank has only one branch in all of XXXX, situated an hour from my home. That made the bank 's request a burdensome, additional condition that was absent from the written terms of my account agreement with them ( the offering circular stated in part, " Offer valid when opening an account online or in branch '' ). Nevertheless, I followed the advice of those 2 reps ( although contradicted by 2 of their colleagues ) and on XX/XX/XXXX I personally visited KeyBank 's sole branch in NY at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Eventually a staffer there, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ), got on the phone with the bank 's fraud department and informed me that to remove the restriction, I should fax or email him a copy of my Social Security card. I did so that evening and was able to log into my KeyBank checking account the following morning ( XX/XX/XXXX ). Today, however ( XX/XX/XXXX ), I received a phone call from someone claiming to be from KeyBank 's " Executive Offices '' and using the name " XXXX '' ( all KeyBank reps I spoke with except XXXX XXXX decline to give a last name ). Her information was ambiguous, but when I returned home and tried to log into my account, access was once again blocked. ( " Your Online Banking account is restricted ..... '' ) In the interim, KeyBank has received a {$500.00} deposit from an external account in my name ( on XX/XX/XXXX ), and I initiated a second deposit in the amount of {$4600.00} ( on XX/XX/XXXX ). I have informed multiple KeyBank representatives that the account is scheduled to receive a Direct Deposit from a past employer on XX/XX/XXXX, which possibly could be initiated a day earlier, on XX/XX/XXXX. During my 4 previous phone calls with KeyBank representatives, at least one of them falsely stated that my initial {$500.00} deposit had been denied or reversed by the external bank ( XXXX ) and that was their reason for restricting my account. I subsequently contacted XXXX 's fraud department who informed me that KeyBank 's verbal statement ( made during a call recorded by me ) was categorically false. 
In light of the above, KeyBank has been : 1. Denying access to my initial {$500.00} deposit which went through without incident on XX/XX/XXXX and remains withdrawn from my XXXX account as of today ( XX/XX/XXXX ) ; 2. Falsely advertising in writing, through mass mailings to consumers in my area and elsewhere, that account-opening bonuses will be provided to customers who open new checking accounts and fulfill certain conditions stated in the opening circular ( the bank 's arbitrary, unexplained, and deceptive actions are denying me the opportunity to fulfill those conditions, although I have the means and the intent to do so ). 
3. Imposing additional conditions beyond those stated in the offering circular for the new-account bonuses. The demand by bank representatives to visit a branch ( when the offering circular clearly states that online application is fully sufficient ) constitutes a material new condition, whose unilateral imposition without compensation is a material breach of the bank 's written contract with me as provided in the offering circular. 
4. Knowingly providing false information to consumers who lend funds to KeyBank and subsequently have occasion to contact KeyBank telephone representatives to inquire about the status of their accounts.