A 24-year-old faced with this nightmare scenario came to 7 On Your Side, which reached the bottom of this mystery.
“I felt like I was losing my savings and it was very frustrating,” Andrew Alexander said.
First, he lost his job, then all his money, a total of $ 80,000.
The money went to his education and froze during what Alexander believed to be a routine bank transfer.
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“There were promotions with Citibank that if you opened an account with a certain amount of money, you would get $ 700. So I was just trying to get that extra bonus,” Alexander said.
He transferred $ 50,000 from his Chime online account just before Christmas and was then “screamed at.”
“Basically, the next day, both accounts were frozen and Chime says my funds were not eligible for the return,” Alexander said. “I still have no idea why both accounts have been frozen.”
Chime wanted Alexander to provide unemployment verification, but Citibank did not ask for any documentation and did not disclose why all his money was frozen.
“Every time I contacted them, they didn’t give me any reason,” Alexander said. “They said the block out of their reach was going to the branch when I went to the branch, they told me they were calling me on the phone.”
With rent and bills pending, Alexander lost.
The 24-year-old’s job disappeared when he closed the establishment where he worked due to COVID.
He has been clear on the moon as a personal trainer and has re-enrolled in college, so he was desperate to unlock his tuition money.
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“I needed to buy presents. I couldn’t even buy food, my girlfriend took care of me,” Alexander said.
Until he decided to call 7 On Your Side to take a crack and his money with ice.
The 7 On Your Side team asked Chime and Citibank to investigate.
We never knew what caused the freeze because neither bank has permission to discuss customer accounts. But just 48 hours after the call, the great cooling of Alexander’s “Benjamins” thawed.
“I definitely felt relieved. I felt happy and grateful, I appreciate it a lot,” Alexander said.
Citibank sent a check for $ 50,000 and Chime unlocked $ 30,000.
“If it weren’t for you (7 On Your Side), I wouldn’t be able to get my money,” Alexander said. “I appreciate the participation of 7 On Your Side. Thank you very much and keep helping people.”
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