Consumer complaint received 2022-08-24
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed
Company: AMERIS BANCORP (GA)

My Grandfather was diagnosed with XXXX this year, at which point I was made his power of attorney both for financial and Medical purposes. I went to set up an online account and found that one had been made already even though my grandfather did not even own a computer. I attempted to log in and found that there were two different phone numbers attached to the account and I didn't recognize either of them. I called on XX/XX/2022 to reset the password and change the phone number on the account. Almost instantly I was aware there was something wrong, there were several unexplained charges and a huge amount of money had been spent in a very short time, and that a check that was not his was deposited and then rejected by the bank. A day or so later I was able to visit him at the XXXX home and I checked his bill fold and found that he no longer had his Debit card which confirmed at least in my mind that something fraudulent was happening on the account. on XX/XX/2022 I called to report the issues to try to minimize the damage done, however because I wasn't officially on the account as the POA the representative wouldn't allow me to make any disputes and referred me to the branch where the account was originally opened. On XX/XX/2022 I went in person to His branch and spoke to the manager who refused to take the documents and told me to leave, so I tried another near by branch. On XX/XX/2022 the XXXX branch took the POA papers and submitted them to legal to be reviewed, I was told by XX/XX/2022 that this entire mess would be straightened out. The XXXX came and I went again to the bank only to be told that I would have to again take my POA forms to the home branch and submit them there, and the bank account was now frozen, leaving me unable to access my grandfather 's social security check and pension which I needed to provide the care he needed at the time. I once again went to the branch and was turned away, once again I was not given a reason as to why. this continued for almost a month until I received a letter in the mail saying the account would be closed on XX/XX/2022. Unfortunately my grandfather passed away on XX/XX/2022. I proceeded to make funeral arrangements as a normal person would, I was assured by the Funeral home that my grandfather too very good care in prepaying through savings bonds and cash deposits and that the Funeral costs were fully covered and was told not to worry. On XX/XX/2022 I buried my grandfather and was told to wait two weeks for the death certificates in order to settle his affairs. When the two weeks was over I returned to the Funeral home to be told that the costs were not covered as expected, I now personally owed for the cost of the Funeral as well as most of the other bills that he and I had discussed. On XX/XX/2022 I went to Ameris again to get the check for the funds left in the account and was informed the account had not been closed on the date initially stated in the letter, and they refused to close it at that time, They claimed they did not see any beneficiary on the account even though it was clearly labeled a POD account on every bank statement and told me to go to probate to get executor. So I then went back to Ameris as the sole heir of my grandfather, again I was turned away and told this time that I had to get appointed by the probate court as the executor of my grandfather 's estate even though he died without a will and his only bank account was a POD account. I went on Monday XX/XX/2022 to the XXXX XXXX courthouse, I was made executor which turned out useful because the Funeral home needed me to be executor in order to receive his death benefit from the XXXX of XXXX. I again went to The Same Ameris, and the same woman then told me she would submit the paper to legal and the next morning it would be approved, I returned the next morning and the same woman not only said that I could not do anything with the money but that the bank itself would pay out to the Funeral home instead of me and that I could not access the account still. They are now taking XXXX dollars out of the account mostly for fees, I asked that to be waived and they told me that they would not. I have now found out that the Funeral home director who was overseeing my grandfather 's funeral is also on the board of directors for Ameris. I have been denied access to the account entirely but legal approved the court documents and they would not open an estate bank account to move the funds to at my request.