Consumer complaint received 2019-10-31
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: BBVA FINANCIAL CORPORATION (VA)

On XX/XX/2019 I sold and closed on my home in XXXX, XXXX  and moved the proceeds of that sale ( {$170000.00} ) to my Savings account at BBVA. I moved from XXXX, XXXX  to XXXX, XXXX   and contracted to buy a home in the XXXX area set to close on XX/XX/XXXX. My intent was to wire my down payment from my BBVA savings account to the title company as the closing date neared. I received my cash to close amount and went to wire the money early, so attempted to initiate a wire in the amount of {$220000.00} on the morning of Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX to the title company. The online banking system notified me that I had a limit of wiring only {$5000.00} electronically. Therefore, I called BBVA Customer Service ( XXXX ) to inquire how to wire the amount I needed. I was told the only option was to go in person to a branch. Unfortunately, there are no BBVA branches in XXXX. I asked what the other options were to verify my identity in a state for which they had no branch presence. They said this was not possible. I spoke to no less than 5 people over the course of the day asking for options to access my money that was sitting in my Savings account within the next 48 hours. I was told to sign up for Premier checking which would raise my wire transaction limit, but approval for that upgrade would take 3-5 business days ( I only had 48 hours before closing ). I was told they could not send a cashiers check without physical presence in a branch. I was told I could online bill-pay myself but that the high dollar amount of the check would get flagged and delayed, plus once I got it there would be a hold wherever I deposited it, thus not supporting accessing my money within 48 hours. I was told I could not add someone to my account over the phone, only physical presence in a branch could do that. I was told that I could have wired that amount over the phone, but that I would have needed to obtain a code that I could only get at a branch location. I was told I could close my account, but that it would take 5-7 days to get the check in the mail for the balance. I was told to call my local branch manager who would have discretion to allow a wire through a faxed request, and when I spoke to the branch manager, XXXX, at the XXXX XXXX XXXX branch he said it was impossible and that he did not have that type of discretion. I offered to obtain a notarized signature of a wire request and that we could video call so that they could watch me and the notary sign the wire request form and fax it to him, and he said this was not possible. I asked if they had arrangements within any organization outside of the states they do business with to perform identity-proofing on their behalf for out-of-state clients and they said no. Finally, I requested an emergency request to raise my debit card cash advance so that I could access my money that way. They stated I would have a {$99000.00} per day transaction limit and I said fine, I had two days and I could get the remainder of the down payment another way. They told me their supervisor had approved this emergency request but that it had to be approved all the way up to the Site Manager and that would take 3-5 hours. At this point it was about XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. When I called back near the end of the day, I was told they would not have an answer today and that it would take 24 hours. I called back the next morning explaining that if I did not get this approved and my first transaction in by mid-day, then this option would not allow me to get the amount I needed from my account. The rep said she had escalated it and it was on the Site Managers desk and that she would call me back one way or the other by XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. By XXXX I had not heard back so I called. I was told by another representative that my request to increase my cash advance limit had been denied and she was not clear why no one had called me back to tell me this. The only option they stated was to online bill pay myself or write a check to myself to a new bank account existing in XXXX from which I could do the wire. This is what I did and I am told by the bank that I will not have access to my funds for 9 days. All of this has resulted in a delay of closing, inability to move into the home as scheduled, reschedule of movers, reschedule of assemblers, reschedule of utilities, reschedule of deliveries, loss of 2 work days, and additional cost for temporary housing. I am making this complaint because I do not find it ethical or legal to deny access to my existing funds for 9 days without any other resolution. This is holding my money hostage.