Consumer complaint received 2024-11-10 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC.
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
Account # ending in XXXX - I called and talked to XXXX over a week ago regarding a {$200.00} payment to XXXX XXXX that I wanted to dispute. XXXX said that I would be hearing back from Ally. Of course, I haven't heard anything at this time and I'm wondering when the response will be forthcoming? 

On XX/XX/year>, I talked to XXXX ( XXXX ) at XXXX, asking to speak to XXXX from XXXX regarding the email received from her dated XX/XX/year>. Of course, I couldn't speak to her as no one is available in that department - and XXXX conveniently left off any personal contact information. That is the policy of Ally Bank- as there is a huge track record of no returned phone calls from XXXX XXXX especially. If XXXX doesn't acknowledge the issue and gather the information - that secures a good outcome for Ally Bank- as delivered by 'XXXX XXXX ( who lied to me when he knew nothing of the details of the case and told me that he would submit my concerns which he DID NOT do, as confirmed by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX had me on hold for an hour and twelve minutes yesterday and finally got XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  supervisor who couldn't answer any of my questions as I was extremely upset with this continued nightmare which began on XX/XX/year> and the lies just told to me by XXXX from her email response dated XX/XX/year>. Ally Bank maximizes people that are figure heads only - and especially the people in XXXX - who continue with the usual talking points that 'they have no further information ' and I should have a 'wonderful day ' in conclusion. 

XXXX 's email of XX/XX/year> has several untrue statements in the information sent - after she spent 3 paragraphs lecturing me on fraud. Supposedly, Ally Bank is on the cutting edge in preventing fraud - but did NOT protect my accounts or my funds. I called Ally Bank on XX/XX/year> and said : " I am the victim of identity theft and a money laundering scheme and I want my accounts frozen ''. Case # XXXX. WAS THIS MESSAGE ON MY ACCOUNTS- as how could anyone, in XXXX 's words demonstrate " award winning customer care ' and not shut my accounts down at that very moment? No, XXXX shuts my accounts down after my funds are gone conveniently and XXXX XXXX said that the wires were authorized - to support the XXXX fraud liability of Ally. Nothing unauthorized about a fraudulent XXXX from Ally 's Fraud Department on my computer initiating, creating and submitting wire requests- telling me that my accounts are being used to send money in and out and that 'this is an inside job at Ally Bank XXXX and must be investigated. I was continually threatened that I could not talk to ANYONE and that if I got on my accounts, I would be considered the3rd party. How could I - as XXXX had my computer screen locked for 5 days committing fraud in conjunction with a fraudulent person from XXXX and a fraudulent person from FTC? A person from the FBI told me that this is a common fraud scheme - so how could ALLY Bank, who is on the cutting edge of preventing fraud per XXXX 's email, not shut this all down when I am alerting Ally Bank that I am the victim of identity theft and a money laundering scheme and I want my accounts frozen BEFORE anything happened? 

XXXX said that I authorized a second transfer - don't know the amount - but I DID NOT. If anyone from Ally Bank would please review the 30-40+ recorded phone calls, maybe some truth would be known. For the first wire of {$9400.00}, I didn't even know the bank name - which should have been the second clear sign that the wire was fraudulent - AFTER the supposed notes on my account were never entered, that I AM THE VICTIM OF IDENTITY THEFT AND A MONEY LAUNDERING SCHEME AND WANT MY ACCOUNTS FROZEN. I was called by the award winning employee from Ally to verify whether I made a transfer of $ XXXX on XX/XX/year> and I said, " UHHH, I WILL HAVE TO CALL YOU BACK ''. XXXX, was that phone call reviewed- as I didn't even know that the fraudsters had made that transfer- which was certainly unauthorized? I NEVER called back, and then another women called and asked if I use an XXXX and a XXXX computer. She said something like 'that is pretty much all I need to know then '' - which proves what? I merely said yes - but since the fraudsters were on my computer with the screen locked that gives authority? XXXX, did you review that phone call - or does Ally Bank only cherry pick phone calls to support their narrative/decision only? 

XXXX said that the wire requests were received via XXXX from my savings account. Since I have NEVER requested a wire and have no idea what XXXX  even means, why does no one figure out that they are on my computer as I said on XX/XX/year> that I was the victim of identity theft and a money laundering scheme and wanted my accounts frozen BEFORE anything had happened? No notes on account to protect me and my funds? Regardless, XXXX said that Ally Bank has cutting edge technology to prevent wire fraud. No unusual or suspicious activity on my account when XXXX wires were sent in the matter of 3 days to wipe out all of my funds in the amount of {$54000.00}. What are they looking at, as I am being threatened continually to not say a word to anyone as this is an inside job and the investigation is ongoing from XXXX from Ally 's Fraud Department through a spoofed phone number and my computer is locked. 

Before the third wire was sent ( which included the fraudulent $ XXXX transferred funds ), the wire was apparently requested some time in the morning by the fraudster, creating and submitting the wire request, and kept calling me to check on the wire throughout the day, why the wire wasn't completed. When XXXXXXXX XXXX ( wire cutoff time per the fraudster ), I was told that I had to call and ask why the wire wasn't approved as this had to be completed immediately for the 'inside job investigation '. What about me calling and asking why the wire wasn't sent yet, because it was submitted in the morning, is not fraudulent or a major RED FLAG - and why didn't anyone ask me if I was being told to do the wires, etc. - as my total funds are about to be wiped out. No suspicious or unusual activity here as there are now XXXX wires in 3 days wiping out my total account balances. The fraudster kept telling me to not talk to anyone for the inside job investigation as I was continually being threatened and under GREAT DURESS. I would be considered the 3rd party - as the wires are going to the XXXX I was told. 

XXXX, what about the XX/XX/year> phone call from XXXX from XXXX where she said " After a lot of bad things, I finally have good news as your funds are going to be returned with interest, by hopefully the end of next week '' which would have been XX/XX/year>? Of course, when nothing happened and no funds were returned to me, I called again and the talking points started in again. XXXX, did you review that phone call and who authorized XXXX to say that? Ally Bank only reviews phone calls that support their narrative. In addition, on two separate recorded phone calls ( XXXX with XXXX XXXX XXXX ) I was told that Ally Bank has XXXX fraud liability if reported in 60 days 'which I have done '. XXXX, have those phone calls been reviewed? 

However, the best 'award winning " customer service is the phone call I made to Ally Bank XXXX XX/XX/year> -eventually reaching XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in the XXXX Department, after XXXX fully verified. I made that phone call on XX/XX/year> between XXXXXXXX XXXX and was extremely upset with my boss sitting at my desk trying to help me when I realized that the first $ XXXX was missing. ( XXXX XXXX told me that the funds were just in a subaccount - and would be merged with the conclusion of the 'inside job investigation '. XXXX wouldn't talk to me because there was a 3rd party with me- and I kept saying that I had fraud on my account. Guess what, XXXX just hung up the phone- when I am desperate to try to tell Ally that I have fraud on my account and that my funds are missing. XXXX, did you review that phone call - for award winning customer care? XXXX, why didn't you include that fact in your email of XX/XX/year>? No one can ead any notes on my account- as apparently award winning customer care doesn't know to put any notes on my account that " I was a victim of identity theft and a money laundering scheme and wanted my accounts frozen ''? No wonder fraud happens all of the time as Ally certainly failed in protecting my accounts and funds. 

In closing, the absolute worst information from XXXX is that even though I called Ally Bank on XX/XX/year>, early in the morning, less than 24 hours since the 3rd wire in the amount of {$29000.00} was sent, and eventually talked to XXXX, stating that my funds are gone, I asked that the wires would be recalled. XXXX spent time lecturing me about pronouns when I accidentally called her a him - rather than taking action to get the funds back - as I was once again beyond words and hysterical. I said that I wasn't concerned with a new account as that could be done later. Oh no, the award winning customer service took forever and was finally told that she would recall the wires which led me to believe that would be done immediately. If Ally Bank is on the cutting edge of wire fraud- why did ALLY BANK WAIT 6 MORE DAYS TO RECALL THE WIRES- not until XX/XX/year> per XXXX 's email of XX/XX/year>? We all know that fraudulent wires to fraudulent accounts have the funds wiped out immediately. XXXX states that the recovery of funds from an external financial institution is not guaranteed - but what is guaranteed in that the funds WON'T be recovered in their entirety when Ally Bank waits 6 days to even try to get the funds back. Ally Bank DID NOT protect my funds and does not care about the fact that my funds are gone through all of this inept customer service. XXXX said that fraudsters are aggressive - which is why I called ALLY BANK ON XX/XX/year> and I said that " I was the victim of identity theft and a money laundering scheme and I want my accounts frozen '' - BEFORE anything had happened. What Ally returned was my two estimated tax payments that didn't go to the IRS and IL Dept of Revenue and will cause me to incur penalties and related trouble for me, but XXXX states that I unfroze my accounts which is not a true statement. I was told by the representative on XX/XX/year> that I would have to call for each transaction on my account as it would REMAIN FROZEN. Since I have been schooled in 'fraud ' from the XXXX paragraphs in XXXX XXXX email, the second employee unfroze my accounts on XX/XX/year> when the fraudster told me that i had to call to move the {$9400.00} from my savings account to spending account - as the funds had come in fraudulently and would need to be wired to thXXXX XXXX  to try to get the money back to the rightful owners. The fraudsters knew that if i called to move the funds, the accounts would be unfrozen more than likely - because Ally Bank 's employee did not read any warning message on my account- because the first Ally Bank employee on XX/XX/year> apparently never put anything on my accounts. Why else would all of this been missed by any number of employees- especially those supposedly approving wire transactions? Award winning customer service all around because NONE OF THIS IS SUSPICIOUS AND UNUSUAL ACTIVITY to the tune of wiping out my accounts in 3 days for {$54000.00}. Where is the cutting edge technology of Ally Bank to prevent fraud- as stated by XXXX? 

In closing, the slogan of " We're all better off with an ally '' rings hollow and very untrue. Also, XXXX used the talking point that 'we empathize with any inconvenience this XXXX have caused and appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concern '. XXXX can't be reached so how does one discuss - since I am disputing the truth of her statements- as I don't know if this is the LEGAL RESONSE OF ALLY BANK OR NOT? Then she uses the 'Questions ' call Ally Bank as our award-winning customer care is available 24/7. Not true - as no one will talk to me regarding this issue, as I must continue to deal with XXXX only and now because of the level of angst with this unbelievable situation that has ruined my life- no one will take my call, correct? 

How does one contact your CEO XXXX XXXX XXXX- as it all rises and falls on leadership? 

Is XXXX going to be contacted for me - as I can't reach anyone in XXXX? 

I would like to request a response from someone in ECR or the CEO for all of my issues- as I have been violated, humiliated, embarrassed and have become very angry with all of the untruths from Ally Bank. 

The statements of the email from XXXX that I called and asked for my accounts to be unfrozen was under the information told me on XX/XX/year> - that I would have to call for EACH TRANSACTION - as my accounts would remain frozen ( Case # XXXX ). XXXX, have you listened to that recorded phone call? I NEVER CALLED FOR ANOTHER TRANSFER OF FUNDS- so that is another untrue statement in your email. The $ XXXX transfer was done on my computer without my knowledge- which I have stated about XXXX times. Please review the phone calls. I did not speak to XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/year> to confirm the wire in the amount of {$29000.00} as I believe that the wire department were the ones that called and I merely 'verified " wire information - as once again, the fraudster initiated the wire, submitted the wire request - and then called me later on to tell me what to say for wire information 'verification '. However, if you say that Customer Care verified the wire information - no wonder they don't know what to ask to verify anything- especially when no one can see the message that " I am a victim of identity theft and a money laundering scheme and I want my accounts frozen ''. The {$29000.00} wire is doubly fraudulent - first because I didn't request the wire and secondly, since it contained $ XXXX that was transferred from my spending account to savings account WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION. 

With all due respect, I am exhausted by the total denial of Ally Bank to define fraud, and hide behind XXXX fraud liability - by merely having XXXX, XXXX, XXXX and XXXX state that I authorized the wires by selectively cherry pick phone calls- and now XXXX providing an email response to a situation with inaccurate and false statements. Ally Bank should have shut down my accounts immediately on XX/XX/year> and especially on XX/XX/year> when I called Ally Bank and said to XXXX ' that I HAVE FRAUD ON MY ACCOUNT. Ally Bank 's response - no fraud here - too bad. Ally Bank did not protect my accounts and doesn't care to try to recover any funds in a timely manner as well. " We're all better off with an ally ''.

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