Consumer complaint received 2018-01-30
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: TD BANK US HOLDING COMPANY (OR)

I write in regards to my checking account with TD Bank. As explained below, TD Bank has unreasonably restricted my access to the funds in my checking account by refusing to issue a replacement debit card and refusing to restore my online banking access. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I logged in to TD Bank 's online banking site to make a transfer from my checking account. The website would not allow me to proceed and said my account had been " suspended. '' I called TD Bank 's customer service line and the TD Bank telephone representative stated that my debit card had been locked because the bank suspected possible fraud. I checked my transaction history online, and did not see any unauthorized charges. However, the TD representative said that there were several suspicious transactions from XXXX, so the debit card, as well as online banking, was locked by TD Bank. The representative said I would not be able to access online banking to transfer money to my external account, nor would TD be able to issue a replacement debit card until I physically made it into a TD branch. 

I explained that I am on the west coast and that there are no local branches. After 35 minutes of being on hold, the representative instructed me to send a " secure email message '' to customer service through TD 's online banking website. The phone rep stated that the email message should specifically request that a replacement debit card be overnighted to me and that I must specifically state in the message that " I take full responsibility for delivery of the card to this address. '' As instructed, I sent the secure message through TD Bank 's online banking system that same day ( XX/XX/XXXX ). After the message was submitted, the website said that a response would be received within 24 hours. 

Four days later, I still had not received a response to my XX/XX/XXXX message. I sent a follow-up message through the online banking site on XX/XX/XXXX. I received the following response : " Thank you for contacting us in regards to your debit card request. Your debit card request was received today ; however, we are unable to process your request as we show there is an account currently in a Charge Off status in your name. We ask that you please contact our Recovery Department at XXXX to resolve the Charged Off account. Once this has been cleared, we will be able to issue a new debit card. '' I was unaware of any " charge off '' account and do not have any loans or credit lines with TD Bank. I was confused as to how the alleged " charge off '' prevented TD Bank from issuing a replacement debit card for my checking account and how the bank could use the alleged " charge off '' to restrict me from doing an online transfer. 

I called the " Recovery Department '' as the email message from customer service instructed, but the automated telephone system would not let me proceed, nor would it connect me to a Iive representative. The automated system kept requesting an account number and each time I entered my checking account number, I heard " we don't recognize that account number '' and I was re-routed to the general customer service line, where the automated system said that the hold time exceeded 20 minutes. I stayed on for 45 minutes without ever reaching a representative ; I tried again and waited over 25 minutes. I then sent a reply to the email message I had received stating that I had tried the " Recovery Services '' number provided, but was not getting through. TD Bank responded via email : " We have reached out to our Recovery Department for assistance with this matter. They have confirmed that they do not have record of a phone call with you within recent history. '' Next I tried contacting the branch in XXXX where my account was originally opened in XXXX. I explained that without notice TD Bank had completely cutoff my access to the money in my checking account. I read the branch rep the email response I received and explained that I had no idea what the charge off was about and that I had been unable to reach anyone through the number that was provided. The branch rep confirmed that my checking account was in good standing, but he said that my old savings account ( which I had not used and did not keep a balance in ) had accumulated unpaid " maintenance fees. '' I explained that I had previously spoken to a number of reps about closing that savings account, but the rep said the only way to actually close the savings account ( and stop accumulating the monthly fees ) would be to physically visit a TD Branch. Again I explained that I am on the XXXX XXXX, that I receive Social Security income, and could not travel to the XXXX XXXX. The branch rep told me that there was nothing that they could do ; TD would restrict access to my checking account funds until I paid whatever " charge off '' amount TD had assessed in connection with the unpaid savings account fees. I asked for more information and documentation concerning the savings account " charge off '' as well as information as to what authority TD had to keep me from accessing the unrelated checking account. I was told to contact customer service via phone. No one was able to even tell me how much the " charge off '' amount was for. In the meantime, I have gone nearly six days without being able to access my money because TD Bank refuses to issue a replacement debit card and TD Bank refuses to restore my online banking access so that I can transfer my funds to an external account. 

Thank you in advance for your attention to this urgent matter. 

Best, XXXX XXXX