Consumer complaint received 2025-07-30 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Closing an account — Can't close your account
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
Subject : Formal Complaint Against U.S. Bank : Obstruction of Account Closure, Blocking Access, and Questionable Dormancy Practices Dear Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, I am filing this complaint against U.S. Bank due to their deliberate obstruction of my request to close my personal bank account, along with what I believe are unfair, deceptive, and manipulative practices involving false dormancy claims, digital access blocks, and the creation of fee-generating scenarios without legal justification. 

Account Closure Request and Blocking of Access On a recent call with a U.S. Bank representative named XXXX, I inquired about closing my account. He instead suggested that I deposit additional funds via check. I informed him that I preferred to close the account entirely. Following that call, I was immediately locked out of my online banking account. Prior to that call, I had full access and could even add money to the account. The sudden revocation of access after rejecting their suggestion to deposit funds appears retaliatory and lacks justification. It is evident that the bank unilaterally XXXX my access for its own internal gain. 

False Dormancy Claim The bank later mailed a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, stating : We may close the account if you do not respond within 30 days from the date of this letter. 

I responded within the XXXX window by calling on XX/XX/XXXX, clearly satisfying their stated deadline. However, the bank proceeded to claim the account had become dormant and demanded that I complete a questionnaire and await approval to reactivate the account before I could request its closure again. 
This requirement is not mandated by any federal or New York State law, and I was never informed of this process when I initially requested closure. Furthermore, U.S. Bank 's premature classification of dormancy, despite my call within the deadline, creates a manufactured barrier designed to delay closure and continue applying maintenance fees. 

Scheme to Drain Account via Fees My account currently has a positive balance of approximately {$19.00}, and I have not overdrawn or violated any terms. Nonetheless, the bank 's decision to restrict access while continuing to apply fees will soon deplete this balance. After that, I risk being sent overdraft notices for an account I attempted to close. U.S. Bank is essentially taking money from me without service, while denying me any ability to intervene.

I have found no legal support for U.S. Bank 's actions. In fact, multiple laws and regulations affirm my right to close an account without obstruction or exploitation : Legal and Regulatory Support 1. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Guidance : Once you have made a request, state law generally requires banks or credit unions to close your account in a reasonable amount of time. 
( Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Federal Law Dodd-Frank Act ( UDAAP Protections ) : The Bureau may take any action authorized to prevent a covered person or service provider from committing or engaging in an unfair, deceptive, or abusive act or practice... 
( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX The banks behavior blocking access after a closure request, inventing approval processes, continuing to charge fees on a blocked account, and placing arbitrary restrictions potentially qualifies as an unfair and abusive practice under federal UDAAP standards. 

3. New York State Law Banking Law 9-I : No banking institution shall charge its customers a fee for the withdrawal of all funds from any account resulting in the closing of such account provided that such account was opened for a period of at least XXXX XXXX XXXX consecutive days prior to its closing. 
( New York XXXX XXXX, XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX This law supports my demand that no closure or maintenance fees should be applied when I am trying to withdraw and close the account after more than 180 days. U.S. Banks refusal to close the account while quietly applying fees appears to be a strategy to extract money while undermining my legal protections. 

Final Summary This entire experience demonstrates how U.S. Bank is weaponizing its internal policies against its own customers. They are leveraging technical control over access, false dormancy narratives, and bureaucratic roadblocks to extract fees from accounts they refuse to close, despite lawful requests. 

I am requesting the CFPB to conduct a full investigation into U.S. Banks handling of dormant account closures and their delay tactics designed to generate revenue through unjustified fees. This practice is likely harming many consumers, not just myself.

References Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. ( XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX ). Can I close my account whenever I want? XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX- Prohibiting unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices. XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX New York XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). New York Banking Law 9-I : Withdrawal of all funds ; prohibition against fee. XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation