Consumer complaint received 2024-02-16
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Opening an account — Didn't receive terms that were advertised
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC. (CO)

From XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX Ally Bank was running a promotion named Get200. 

The requirements : XXXX key steps : XXXX. 
For a limited time, no later than XX/XX/XXXX ( we may shorten this timeframe without notice ), open a new Ally Bank Spending Account by using promo code GET200. Remember! You must fund your account ( with any amount ) within 30 days of opening it, otherwise the account will automatically close. 
XXXX. 
Set up a Qualifying Direct Deposit ( QDD ) and receive QDD payment ( s ) totaling a minimum of {$1500.00} within 90 days after opening your new Ally Bank Spending Account. 
XXXX. 
Keep your Ally Bank Spending Account open and in good standing until we deposit your {$200.00} bonus, which will be within 30 days after you reach the {$1500.00} QDD minimum within the XXXX period outlined in XXXX XXXX. 

The terms : Defnitions New Customer Someone who does not currently have, nor within the last XXXX ( XXXX ) months has had, an Ally Bank Spending Account ( s ) [ formerly known as Ally Bank Interest Checking Account ], at any ownership level, whether it be primary owner, joint/secondary owner, or fiduciary owner. Additionally, customers who received a cash bonus from Ally Bank within the last XXXX months for setting up QDD, regardless of account type, are not eligible for this bonus and not considered a New Customer. 
Eligible Account New Ally Bank Spending Account, opened by a New Customer, with standard ownership structure ( formal trust, Uniform Gift to Minors Act ( UGMA ) accounts, Uniform Transfer to Minors Act ( UTMA ) accounts, and other fiduciary ownership are excluded ). 
Account Opening & Funding Period To receive the {$200.00} bonus you must open your new Eligible Account no later than XX/XX/XXXX, and we may shorten this timeframe without notice. There is no minimum funding amount to open ; however, your new Eligible Account must be funded within XXXX ( XXXX ) days of account opening, otherwise it will automatically close. Note a trial deposit may be required when setting up the transfer from your other financial institution this trial deposit is not considered to be a funding transaction. 
Direct Deposit Requirement Youll have XXXX ( XXXX ) days from when you open your new Eligible Account ( during the Account Opening & Funding Period ) to receive a minimum of {$1500.00} of Qualifying Direct Deposit payments in your Eligible Account to qualify for the {$200.00} bonus. 
Qualifying Direct Deposit ( QDD ) Your Qualifying Direct Deposit needs to be an electronic deposit from an employer payroll, payroll provider service, or benefits payer ( such as Social Security or Military Pay ) and must be clearly identifiable by Ally as such. Person to Person payments ( such as XXXX ) are not considered a QDD. Electronic check deposits made via your device ( eCheck ) are not considered QDD. 
Rules Only New Customers who open and fund an Eligible Account using promo code GET200 are eligible to participate. The offer is limited to XXXX ( XXXX ) bonus per customer ( even if you open more than one Eligible Account, you can only earn XXXX {$200.00} bonus ). A joint owner on the same Eligible Account will not receive a separate, additional bonus. 
You must open your Eligible Account within the Account Opening & Funding Period. Note : its common for QDD transactions to take longer than XXXX ( XXXX ) days after account opening to be setup successfully ( some may not take effect until XXXX ( XXXX ) payroll cycles ), so you may need to fund your account with any amount from another source to ensure your account remains open ( also note that trial deposits do not count as a funding transaction ). 
To be eligible for the bonus, your Eligible Account must receive a minimum total of {$1500.00} of QDD payments within XXXX ( XXXX ) days from when you open your new Eligible Account ( Direct Deposit Requirement ). If you havent yet met the {$1500.00} minimum, any QDD payments that are still pending or in process after XXXX ( XXXX ) days from when you open your new Eligible Account do not qualify for the bonus. 
Your Eligible Account must be open and in good standing at the time of the bonus payout to receive your bonus. If youve followed the eligibility requirements, well pay your bonus to your Eligible Account within XXXX ( XXXX ) days of satisfying all applicable terms of this offer. At the time of the bonus payout, if you have more than XXXX Eligible Account, well pick an account to fulfill. Remember, even if you open more than XXXX Eligible Account, you can only earn XXXX {$200.00} bonus. 
We wont pay your bonus by check or by transfer to another financial institution. We reserve the right to refuse to open an account or pay out a bonus at any time and for any reason. This Spending Account offer is subject to change and may be cancelled at any time without notice. Any disputes relating to these Terms & Conditions must be made within 150 days after the end of the Account Opening & Funding Period. 
By participating in this offer, we reserve the right to consider you ineligible for other offers that involve opening a Spending Account and/or Savings Account, and/or other offers that involve establishing direct deposit payments, that Ally Bank may have in market, both present day or in the future through XX/XX/XXXX. If you participate in more than XXXX offer at the same time, the first offer for which you meet the requirements will be the one that we fulfill. If we believe youre trying to game or abuse this offer or any other offers, we reserve the right to revoke your eligibility for this offer and any other offers. 

I opened the account XX/XX/XXXX, funded the account the same day with {$50.00}, I direct deposited {$3000.00} on XX/XX/XXXX, I am a new spend customer/have not had a spend account ever and I made a qualifying direct deposit from a payroll system. 

Reached out to customer service and they did a review and determined I did not make a direct deposit at all. I have attached the terms, screenshots of the direct deposit going into my checking account ended in XXXX ( on the right hand side ) and the paystubs that show on page XXXX that {$1500.00} from each check was deposited into Ally.