Consumer complaint received 2025-07-07 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: BMO BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
Case # XXXX ( XXXX office ). I filed a complaint with the FDIC on XX/XX/XXXX. My initial issue has not been sufficiently addressed by BMO Harris Bank and they continue to engage in suspicious banking practices. BMO Harris Bank mailed out a letter of explanation " dated XX/XX/XXXX '' AFTER I spoke with bank representative and filed a report with the FDIC. I was advised that due to " confidential reasons '' my in person payroll check deposit would placed on a 10 day hold. This payroll check was issued from a publicly traded company on XXXXXXXX XXXX My employer, XXXX, was stunned and clueless. My deposit was made in person with proper identification on XX/XX/XXXX and funds were released on XX/XX/XXXX. I was able to cash another payroll check at the issuing bank, XXXX ( no banking account ), with two pieces of identification in five minutes. It remains unclear why BMO Harris Bank took such actions but they did breach their own contract by holding my funds for more than 7 days. This check was written on XXXX XXXX  so the legitimacy of the check could have been provided within 24 hours. This was a HUGE inconvenience to me and my family. I would like to know from where their " confidential '' source comes and when my payroll check was actually presented to and cleared by XXXX XXXX. Equally important, I would like to know if this check made any pitstops to other institutions. To further aggravate and punish me, BMO has failed to close this checking account after I personally walked into the bank and pleasantly requested closure on XX/XX/XXXX. I withdrew most of my funds and and left a small balance in my business account. I was not given any warnings or disclaimers about closing this personal checking account. To date the account remains open with BMO. In fact, I have received another service fee. I was told that my account would remain open until I cancelled all subscription charges. I have never encountered such nonsense. Although, I am not closing this account due creditor fraud ( just BMO internal bank fraud ), what if I'd had those concerns. I have since re-routed my subscriptions. If my account had been closed when I requested it ( 11 days ago ), any subscriptions payments concerns would have gone to my email with a request to update payment method. None of these subscriptions were critical or essential and they were not of any concern to BMO Harris. BMO Harris Bank has even charged me another service fee. BMO Harris ' job is to honor their policy and our legal contract. I requested that my personal checking account be closed on XX/XX/XXXX. It remains open for no reason other than BMO refuses to close it for their " confidential reason '' but most likely in retaliation to my filing that initial complaint. I would REALLY like to know from where their " confidential '' source came and when my payroll check was actually presented to and cleared by XXXXXXXX XXXX This information can be obtained from my employer but I would like for BMO to provide their timeline as a part of this investigation. Bank relationships are not unilateral but reciprocal relationships. Customers need to be able to trust banking institutions to honor their policies and customer rights. BMO Harris needs to understand it is not above the law. Your assistance would be very much appreciated.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation