Checking or savings account -- Closing an account -- Complaint #4474984
Complaint Overview
Complaint ID: 4474984
Company: Bank Of The West
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-Product: Checking account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-Issue: Company closed your account
State: California
ZIP Code: 94606
Date Received: 2021-06-19T12:00:00-05:00
Date Sent to Company: 2021-06-19T12:00:00-05:00
Company Response: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Submitted Via: Web
Consumer Narrative
We received a letter purportedly from Bank of the West dated XX/XX/XXXX stating that they needed to update our information or they would close our account on XX/XX/XXXX. We believed the letter to be fraudulent because it was clearly a copy and had no signature line -- it did not look like other letters we had received from the bank in the past. Also, it said the bank had made " multiple attempts to contact '' us and we knew that was not true. On XX/XX/XXXX my husband went to our local branch ( XXXX XXXX ) with the letter and asked to speak to a manager. He spoke to one XXXX XXXX who made a phone call and then said the letter was legitimate. He confirmed my husband 's information and said he would need to speak to me personally to confirm mine, but that it could be done on the phone. The same day Mr. XXXX and I spoke by phone ; we updated my contact information, which was indeed out of date ( but my husband 's was NOT out of date ), and I gave him my CA driver 's license number and expiration date. He told us we were all set. On XX/XX/XXXX my husband went to the branch to deposit his paycheck, and was told he did not have an account there. He asked to speak the manager, who said he didn't know what had happened, but that our accounts had been closed. Our checking account there is used for all of our automatic payments, my automatic paycheck deposit, and has one check outstanding ( # XXXX written on XX/XX/XXXX ). That same day I phoned the number on the letter we had thought was fraudulent, asking to speak with XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). He said our account closure had been initiated by the bank branch. He said a check for our funds was sent out. We asked how it was sent out, and he said because of the amount ( around {$250000.00}, our live savings ), it would " probably '' be sent by XXXX not by regular mail. Except we are not at our address, we are at my mother 's house, staying for an extended period. We asked what the tracking number was, they didn't know. We asked if a signature was required, they didn't know. We asked if ANYBODY could just sign for it or if ID would be required, they didn't know. They said they would get back to us on it and did not.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Complaint #4474984 about?
Complaint #4474984 was filed against Bank Of The West regarding Checking or savings account specifically about Closing an account. It was received by the CFPB on 2021-06-19T12:00:00-05:00.
How did Bank Of The West respond to this complaint?
The company responded with: "Closed with explanation". The response was timely.
What is the risk level of this complaint?
See the risk assessment section for details on this complaint's risk profile.
How do I file a similar complaint?
You can file a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Select the appropriate product category (Checking or savings account) and describe your issue in detail.
Can I see other complaints against Bank Of The West?
Yes, visit the Bank Of The West company profile at readthecomplaint.com/company/bank-of-the-west to see all complaints, risk scores, and analysis.
Disclaimer
This analysis is AI-generated based on publicly available CFPB complaint data. It does not constitute financial or legal advice.