What to do if a bank won't give you your money?

File a Complaint With the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. If contacting your bank directly does not help, you can complain to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) about: Checking and savings accounts.
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Can a bank refuse to release your money?

Banks can hold deposited funds for various reasons, but, in most cases, it's to prevent any returned payments from your account. In other words, the bank wants to make sure that the deposit is good before giving you access to the money.
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How long can a bank legally withhold your money?

The Federal Reserve requires that a bank hold most checks before crediting the customer's account for no longer than a “reasonable period of time,” which is regarded as two business days for a same-bank check and up to six business days for one drawn on a different bank.
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How do I force a bank to release funds?

If your bank is a national bank or federal savings association, and you believe it is holding your funds longer than allowed, file a written complaint with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's (OCC) Customer Assistance Group.
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Can a bank just keep your money?

Can banks take your money without your permission? A bank can't take money from your account without your permission using right of offset unless the following conditions are all met: The current account and the debt are both in your name. The position is a bit more complicated with joint debts and joint accounts.
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WARNING: Banks Aren’t Giving You Your Money | Bank Run



Why do banks hold your money?

Banks place holds on checks to make sure that the check payer has the bank funds necessary to clear it. In addition to protecting your bank, a hold can protect you from spending funds from a check that is later returned unpaid. That's important because it could help you avoid accidental overdrafts and related fees.
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How do I file a complaint against a bank with the FDIC?

You can submit your complaint or inquiry online at the FDIC Information and Support Center at https://ask.fdic.gov/fdicinformationandsupportcenter/s/. Alternatively, you can submit a complaint via mail to the Consumer Response Unit at 1100 Walnut Street, Box#11, Kansas City, MO 64106.
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Can I ask my bank to release funds?

Contact Your Bank

You can ask your bank to provide an explanation for the hold or sometimes even to release the hold. In most cases, you won't be able to do anything about the hold though, and because all banks have them, you can't switch banks to avoid them either.
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Can I call my bank to release a hold?

When figuring out how to remove a hold on a bank account, you can often contact your bank and find out what caused the hold. If it was a pre-authorization hold placed by a merchant on a debit card transaction, you might be able to contact them directly and have them remove it.
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How do you release blocked money?

In order to apply for a specific license to release blocked funds, you are encouraged to file an electronic application to have blocked funds released by visiting the following link: https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/ofac-license-application-page.
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How much money can a bank hold for you?

Very small banks may only keep $50,000 or less on hand, while larger banks might keep as much as $200,000 or more available for transactions.
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Can a bank close your account and hold your money?

What Happens When a Bank Closes Your Account? Your bank may notify you that it has closed your account, but it normally isn't required to do so. The bank is required, however, to return your money, minus any unpaid fees or charges. The returned money likely will come in the form of a check.
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Can banks touch your money?

Yes, a savings account can be garnished. A bank account garnishment makes no distinction between checking accounts, savings accounts, money-market accounts, safe deposit boxes, online savings accounts, or CDs. It applies to all varieties of financial accounts.
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How do you start a complaint against a bank?

Where can I complain if I have a problem with my Bank? You can raise your grievance on the Digital Complaint Management System (CMS) Portal: https://cms.rbi.org.in/cms/IndexPage.aspx. This this is the unified portal for Banking, NBFC as well as Digital Transactions related grievances.
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What is bank negligence?

Banking related negligence can include when a bank refused to refund money to a client following a bank account error, a bank sold you an unsuitable financial product or made mistakes leading to financial loss when you attempted to transfer money.
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Can you sue a bank for holding your money?

Holding your money and not giving it back when you ask isn't exactly fair. In California, the Unfair Competition Law also lets you sue to stop unfair business practices. And in Texas, the Deceptive Trade Practices Act does the same. Most states have similar laws.
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Why would my bank put my account on hold?

Account holds may be the result of a court order or imposed by the bank itself due to a customer failing to meet certain requirements or obligations. A hold may also occur when the account holder has unpaid debts to creditors or the government, or when there is suspicious activity detected through the account.
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How long does it take for a $30000 check to clear?

Generally, the whole check should clear within two business days, except for amounts larger than $5,525. HelpWithMyBank.gov, U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
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How long should it take a bank to release funds?

The exact time that a mortgage lender will release funds varies depending on your lender, but as a general rule of thumb, you are probably looking at between 3 and 7 days.
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Who investigates banks?

Complaints about banks and lenders chartered in California may be filed with the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI).
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Can I report a bank to the FTC?

The Federal Reserve urges you to file a complaint if you think a bank has been unfair or misleading, discriminated against you in lending, or violated a federal consumer protection law or regulation. You can file a complaint online through the Federal Reserve's Consumer Complaint Form.
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When should you file a complaint with the FDIC?

A civil action may be filed after 180 days from the date of filing an individual or class complaint, If an appeal has not been filed and final action has not been taken, and within 90 days of receipt of the EEOC final decision on an appeal.
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Can police track your bank?

The NSW Police Force announced last week that it will be seeking broad new powers to access bank data without a warrant, provided that police claim to suspect that a person is engaging in criminal conduct.
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Where do banks hold your money?

Banks have two choices for your money. They put most of the money in a local Federal Reserve Bank and keep the remaining cash in a vault. The vault helps banks provide customers with quick withdrawals while they earn interest on the money in a Federal Reserve bank.
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Can someone steal my money in my bank?

If fraudsters can combine your bank details and other easy-to-find information — such as your ABA or routing number, checking account number, address, or name — they can easily begin to steal money from your account.
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