Consumer complaint received 2022-11-11
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Banking errors
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC. (NY)

My name is XXXX XXXX, and I have been a longtime Ally customer. I have happily referred many friends to Ally, because I believe in the service and value Ally has offered over other banks. 

My experiences over the past two months have brought me to a place I never thought I would be : thinking about moving my money elsewhere and discouraging anyone from banking with Ally. 

I know you're all incredibly busy, and I so appreciate any time you spend reading this. 

On XX/XX/22 we discovered that someone had written fraudulent checks and stolen {$10000.00} from our checking account. We went through the investigation and found that a relative 's savings account at a different institution had been compromised. The criminal transferred all of their funds out and downloaded images of all recently deposited checks. They then started using those images to create fake checks for many of my wife 's relatives. We know three who had a similar situation happen as to what happened to us. This was Ally XXXX # XXXX. 

We went through the process of putting restrictions on the compromised checking account with the Loss Prevention Team. We filled out the affidavits, got a police report, and we did everything that was asked of us. Throughout the process, I asked for a call from our investigator. I was told often we would receive one promptly. I have still to this day never talked to an Investigator. 

We did eventually get the {$10000.00} back, and the general Loss Prevention Team was able to help me transfer it to our new Checking Account, but we were still told we could not close the comprised account until the investigation was completed. I asked to speak to the investigator, and we did not hear back from them until XX/XX/22 when she left us a voicemail. 

My wife and I are both XXXX and young parents, so it is hard for me to pickup during XXXX, but I called less than 40 minutes after the investigator called hoping to speak to her. I called again later that day; left two voicemails and still have never heard back. 

That brings us to XXXX. I got an alert that a large transaction had been posted to the compromised account. I was confused since the account was supposed to be restricted. I had to pay fees for checks I wrote from this account that bounced after it was restricted, so I wasn't sure how a large check could even be cashed. This is in reference to Ally Dispute # XXXX. 

Someone had written a fraudulent {$8000.00} check to the compromised account, and the money was taken from our Savings Account through an Overdraft Transfer. 

I immediately called the Loss Prevention Team, and what they discovered on their end was that without our permission the Investigator, who we have never directly communicated with, had reopened the compromised account and turned on Overdraft Transfer Protection. This was on an account I had wanted to close when this process started and was told I could not! 

We were never notified that the compromised account was " turned back on, '' or that Overdraft Transfer Protection was enabled again. 

The team at Loss Prevention was kind, the rep I spoke to was empathetic, re-restricted the account, and talked to two levels of supervisors to try to figure out what happened. No one had an explanation, and they all found this quite upsetting. While this was comforting to know that they viewed this as an error Ally caused, it was frustrating to not immediately have my money returned. 

It is now XX/XX/XXXX. My wife and I have called the Investigator at least once every three days, left messages for Supervisors, contacted Ally through social media, and called the general fraud line countless times. If you look up our case you will see how often we have contacted them. Everytime we call the general fraud line they confirm that we have turned in all the necessary documents, they are confused why this has taken so long to resolve, and they promise we'll hear back soon. 

Often they have been able to get our investigator on the line, who they both present as the person who created the issue that caused the {$8000.00} to be taken by un-restricting the compromised account without our permission, and the only person who can help us. It makes sense why she would not want to talk to us. When they get her on the line they say either she is unable to talk to us, or she promises she will call you today, or call her direct line back in an hour, and she'll update you. We have done all of this to no avail. 

My wife and I are now again nervous about our financial stability. The first incident with the {$10000.00} I understood was a fraud that was not our fault or Ally 's. That was resolved in 10 days too. 

This time really feels like it was Ally 's fault though. Decisions were made without our permission that caused this to happen, and we have been told that Ally was in error. Yet now we are at 34 days and the {$8000.00} taken has not been returned. 

I tonight have no timetable on when our money will be returned or if I will have to go through this whole process again for a mistake that someone at Ally made. 

I would love either an e-mail or phone call back ( XXXX ). Thank you so much for your time.