Consumer complaint received 2025-10-22 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Closing an account — Can't close your account
Company: Comerica
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Comerica Bank has illegally held my legitimately earned funds totaling approximately $ XXXX for over 2 years ( since XX/XX/XXXX ) based on XXXX discrimination and baseless fraud allegations. I am a XXXX XXXX woman with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  living in California. This was a one-time contract job - I was not their regular contractor, employee, or someone with ongoing business relationship. I did the work, they paid me, the job was complete. This is why I have no ongoing contact information for the XXXX  it was a single transaction for cleanup services. 
I PAID MY EMPLOYEES out of my own pocket to complete this job, after getting notice that there will be a delays in the deposits I made to my bank and I figure I will be ok when the checks cleared. Both checks deposited XX/XX/XXXX and CLEARED THE SAME DAY with no fraud reports, returns, or issues CHECK 1 : Credit card check from one of the property renters CHECK 2 : California state check for {$5300.00} payable to XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX ( the homeowners ) because at the time they only had that for payment as they was waiting on XXXX to pay them in which now they are millionaires now. 
Comerica admits they are ONLY questioning the California state check ( {$5300.00} to the XXXX ). They make NO mention of the other check. Yet they are holding ALL my funds including the unquestioned check. This is illegal conversion of my property. Even if they had concerns about XXXX check ( which they dont after 2 years ), they have ZERO legal justification for holding the other deposit. 

XXXX and XXXX XXXX were wealthy homeowners now and displaced when XXXX bought their property in XXXX. I was their contractor for one-time demolition work from a word of mouth inquiry offer before XXXX finished XXXX concrete, demolition we are not friends or family. The property has been completely demolished by XXXX. The four houses are gone. I have no way to contact the XXXX XXXX years later after they were displaced and relocated. 
Comerica demands : The XXXX  need to go into a banking center with valid identification and acknowledge their signatures. 
This is IMPOSSIBLE because : The property no longer exist no forwarding I hired an investigator which cost me XXXX out of pocket to end this madness to prove am no liar to my own bank who obviously dont care unless you are of any race but XXXX XXXX.and thought I had located them but they was not the correct rabagos after our findings. I dont know where they are. They were wealthy one time clients who moved on with their lives. I have no contact information. This is not my legal obligation - once a check clears, the transaction is complete. 
MOST IMPORTANTLY : If the XXXX  didnt endorse the check or give it to me, they would have reported it to California XXXX their bank, and law enforcement IMMEDIATELY in XX/XX/XXXX. The fact that no fraud has been reported for XXXX years PROVES the check was legitimate and they endorsed it willingly. Wealthy people dont ignore {$5300.00} in stolen money- they report it immediately. 
THE CHECK WAS ISSUED BY CALIFORNIA AND CLEARED : The questioned check was issued by the STATE OF CALIFORNIA. Californias own treasury processed and paid this check in XX/XX/XXXX. If there was ANY fraud, California would have records and fraud reports. The fact that California paid the check and has made no fraud report for 2+ years is definitive proof the check was legitimate. California regulators have direct access to verify this. 
XXXX DISCRIMINATION - DIRECT EVIDENCE : During an in-person visit to Comerica, a bank manager made this discriminatory statement to me : How can I confirm that a person like you was endorsed a check or confirm it was even signed over to you? 
I am a XXXX woman with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  This statement clearly referenced my race and appearance, implying someone who looks like me couldnt legitimately receive payment from wealthy homeowners. This violates the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 42 U.S.C. 1981, and Californias Unruh Civil Rights Act.

ALL CHECKS BOUNCE - COMPLETE ECONOMIC DESTRUCTION : Comerica returns EVERY check - both checks I write ( outgoing payments ) AND checks written to me ( incoming payments ). They claim they wont charge me bounced check fees, but this generosity is MEANINGLESS when : My dog DIED : I wrote a check to the XXXX  for emergency care. Comerica bounced it. The XXXX  refused treatment. My dog died. Not charging me a fee doesnt bring back my dog. 
My vehicle was REPOSSESSED : I wrote checks for car payments. Comerica bounced them. My car was repossessed. I lost my transportation and ability to get to work. 
I am now HOMELESS : I can not afford stable housing. Landlords wont rent to me because of the returned checks and XXXX reports Comerica caused. I am living in hotels, paying far more than normal rent. 
I lost my BUSINESS : I havent completed a single demolition/cleanup job since XX/XX/XXXX. I can not receive payment because Im blacklisted from banking. I lost my employees who I couldnt pay reliably. I paid workers out of pocket for the XXXX job and was never reimbursed. My entire business and livelihood are destroyed. 
I am BLACKLISTED from all banks : Every returned check creates XXXX reports. After XXXX years of returned checks, I have dozens of negative reports. Every bank in XXXX denies me now. I can not open accounts anywhere. I can not work because I can not receive payment. 
Every bill bounces : Rent, utilities, everything. Each creates late fees, service interruptions, and damages my credit. Comericas fee waiver doesnt stop any of the actual harm. 
I can not receive ANY money : Anyone who tries to pay me has their check returned. I can not work, can not receive income, can not receive help.

Comericas we wont charge you fees makes me LOOK like I write bad checks : When the vet, car lender, landlords, and others see check returned, fees waived, they think IM financially irresponsible, not that Comerica is illegally holding my legitimate funds. This damages my reputation and makes me appear to be the problem when COMERICA is the problem. I have made over 200 calls to Comerica customer service over 2+ years. Agents lie, make up stories, provide contradictory information, and refuse to help. Multiple agents told me they would hold my funds indefinitely - I researched and learned banks are legally PROHIBITED from saying this. Calls to corporate employees go unreturned. When I reach them, theyre rude and dismissive, treating me like a criminal. Only XXXX letter was sent in XX/XX/XXXX, then complete silence for 2 years until I filed a CFPB complaint. : My case fits Comericas documented pattern : XXXX v. Comerica ( XX/XX/XXXX ). This explains why my XXXX calls went nowhere and why no proper investigation occurred. 
XXXX XXXX case ( XXXX ) : When I previously filed a CFPB complaint. Comerica responded on XX/XX/XXXX demanding I produce the XXXX. This is impossible - XXXX demolished their property, they moved, I have no contact information XXXX years later. This demand proves discrimination, not legitimate investigation. 
COMERICAS INVESTIGATION IS A SHAM : A real investigation would : Contact California ( check issuer ) to verify no fraud reported. Contact the paying bank to verify check cleared properly. Check law enforcement databases. Use bank resources to locate XXXX. Set reasonable XXXX day timeline. XXXX XXXX XXXX with proper notice and updates. 
Comerica did NONE of this. They sent XXXX letter in XX/XX/XXXX, went silent for 2 years, put entire burden on me, made impossible demands, and only responded when forced by CFPB complaint. Industry standard for fraud investigation is XXXX days maximum. Comericas 2+ years is not investigation - its theft through discrimination.Before Comericas discrimination : I operated freelance construction cleanup crew. I had housing, had a vehicle, had my dog, could bank and work normally.

After 2+ years : HOMELESS living in hotels. My dog is DEAD. My vehicle REPOSSESSED. My business DESTROYED. Lost all employees. Havent worked since XX/XX/XXXX. Blacklisted from all banks. Can not receive payment. Can not work. Out of pocket thousands for employee wages never reimbursed. Destroyed reputation - everyone thinks I write bad checks. Complete economic annihilation. 
I am a XXXX XXXX woman with XXXX who built a business through hard physical labor. I paid my employees out of pocket. I completed professional work. I earned legitimate money. The checks cleared in XX/XX/XXXX. The Rabagos - wealthy people displaced by XXXX - moved on with their lives. The property no longer exists. No fraud was ever reported by anyone for XXXX years. 
Meanwhile, Comericas racial discrimination has made me HOMELESS, killed my DOG, destroyed my BUSINESS, cost me my EMPLOYEES, taken my VEHICLE, and economically annihilated me. I can not work. I can not bank. I can not rebuild. I am trapped in homelessness while Comerica holds money I earned XXXX years ago. 
LEGAL VIOLATIONS : Comerica has violated : Equal Credit Opportunity Act ( XXXX discrimination in deposit accounts ), 42 U.S.C. 1981 ( denial of equal contract rights based on race ), Regulation CC ( holding cleared funds 2+ years exceeds any permissible timeframe ), UDAAP ( unfair/deceptive/abusive practices including impossible demands and indefinite holds ), UCC Article 4 ( improper hold on finally paid checks ), California Unruh Civil Rights Act ( minimum {$4000.00} statutory damages per discriminatory act plus treble damages ), California Fair Employment and Housing Act, Conversion ( holding unquestioned deposits ), Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress ( dogs death, homelessness, business destruction ), and Defamation ( falsely portraying me as bad check writer )

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief