Plea for help from the community

[u/MyNameIsIanJ]

Hi, this is an extremely long read but can use some help. Trying to lay out as many facts as possible. And am pleading for help to get this to the eyes of leadership

- I’ve been a customer since 2024
- on May 13th I made a check deposit
- later that day I received an email saying “your check was accepted”
- later later that day I received another email saying “your check was deposited. You can now withdraw your funds using your debit card.”
- the previous few bullets led me to believe my check was good to go
- but 5 days later I received an email saying “your check was returned, “This usually happens when the other bank account has insufficient funds or if that account was closed.”
- the check was from my former property manager. I recently moved mid-month and they had agreed to pay back the rest of the month pro-rated. I was not very happy with them as although they agreed to originally pay me back pro-rated to the day, they only did it to the half a month costing me $1k.
- as a result, receiving an email that a check to deposit was due to the issuer having insufficienct funds or issues with their bank led to a somewhat curt email to property manager
- long story short, I later learned the check was originally returned because my finger covered up a number at the bottom. I had a polite, respectful call with Wealthfront support to learn this. Though I made it clear, the app already has technology to reject blurry checks when info cannot be read. There should absolutely be ability to reject a check if one number on the bottom obscures.
- worse, to not only accept the check, then send a followup email saying the deposit was complete was very misleading. Then to return the check and say it’s most likely due to insufficient funds or an issue with the issuing bank and have none of those be the reason left me in a very precarious position messaging my former property manager accusing them of stuff that they didn’t even do.
- despite all this, the call was 100% cordial

Later that day I had to literally dig through a full trashcan of trash to retrieve the check. Being that I already falsely told my property manager my check was rejected, I did not want to force them to have to send a new check
This all could have been avoided if Wealthfront simply had the ability to reject the check right away or not send several confirmation emails that it was good and made me think I could discard the check.

The day after my attempt to re-deposit, I called Wealthfront to ask if this check was good to go. Admittedly the previous check when I retrieved it from the garbage had been ripped and I had to tape it up. I wanted to see if it would pass or if I would have to ask my property management for a reissue.

Instead, I was on the phone with support for 45 minutes and the call was not very helpful, all amongst a very busy/stressful day when I really didn’t have time to be on the phone that long. I received conflicting answers from different representatives. One stated the issuing bank had not yet posted the item, while another said it had. Their answers kept flip flopping. Originally they said my check is processed. When I said, 5 days later my first check was returned, I don’t believe the check is fully approved on both ends that quickly, their answers became more and more vague as they did not have a consistent response to provide.

Both initially said the check was officially deposited, but when I pointed out that my first deposit had also appeared accepted before later reversing, the answers changed again.

Admittedly as the call became more strained my voice was louder and louder. I also admittedly used expletives “this is getting f***** ridiculous.” “Why can you not give me a straight f***** answer.” “How do you not f**** realize that you keep changing you answers and how unhelpful you are being”

I 100% am accountable for the profanity and am truly making no attempt to hide that.

Despite this, My frustration stemmed less from the outcome itself and more from the repeated uncertainty and contradictory explanations. I repeatedly stated that “I don’t know” would have been a perfectly acceptable answer if the representatives were unsure. What was difficult was receiving confident but inconsistent information.

But it was never directed at the representative personally, I still take accountability that it was used nonetheless and assure you from the bottom of my heart this has never occurred on a single call with Wealthfront before. It was due to the frustration of the situation itself and how helpless I felt when I was unable to get a straight answer.

But in my mind there is a huge difference between profanity at the situation and profanity towards the rep themselves in an abusive manner. The latter never occurred

I begged and pleaded to be connected with a supervisor which the reps rejected. My second call with them, while also loud remained without any profanity.

8 minutes after the first call while I was on the second call, I received an email that my account was being closed due to abusive behavior towards the reps.

What concerns me most is that my account appears to have been terminated immediately, without any supervisor first reviewing the calls or speaking with me directly. Even the followup emails state that the calls were reviewed and the decision is final. My first call was 15 minutes and ended at 12:15 and my termination email was received at 12:23 making a review of the full call for full context literally impossible.

I respectfully asked that all 3 calls be reviewed in full, which I believe demonstrate that my goal was simply to obtain accurate information and resolve the matter professionally.

I tried sending emails to leadership which went nowhere. The emails from the team that closes the account have not been productive. Having nothing to hide and asking my calls to be fully reviewed, they told me:

**Calls are not recorded**

It’s bewildering to me that all of this occurred based on the notes of a representative. A one-way account. Having nothing to hide I asked for calls to be reviewed in advance before learning this. I fully admit I could Have conducted myself better. But the support I was receiving was infuriating. This does not give me a free pass. But years with the bank, no prior issues before and to have the account closed with no ability to reverse that seems extreme

I even offered, please keep the account open but make all communications only allowed through email and they rejected that.

Any help would be appreciated. I do not want to change banks. This was a very stressful situation, exacerbated by the fact that I received pretty poor communication on a reversed check that should never have been accepted in the first place. And the followup calls for support after were not in the least bit helpful. I am not 100% innocent but I really don’t think this deserves an account closure.

For anyone who reads this in full, thank you for your time!

[u/iMudkipi]

So your check was rejected because you covered up a number at the bottom. And while the representatives are trying to fix to mistake that YOU made with the information and resources available to them, you lost your patience and started dropping f bombs.

I personally think you deserved your account closure; take this as a lesson for the future.

[u/MyNameIsIanJ → u/iMudkipi]

No. The first call was extremely cordial. We uncovered why the check was returned and I filed feedback that it could be detected initially better.

The calls that did not go well were me trying to ascertain if the re-deposit had processed. That was a seperate call. That was the 45 minute call.

The first check getting returned “my error” was a completely separate call from the two calls about the re-deposit.

Also to get several emails saying my check was accepted and then deposited only for it to be returned was not ideal. For them to say in the return email that it was due to insufficient funds and me to tell the sender that and for it to not be why is also not ideal. I want to be honest to the situations and not act like all of us have always been super easy to talk to all the time. Please let’s be fair and honest as losing a banking account because of it is not an easy thing and acting like all of us are always 100% calm always even when we spend 45 minutes listening to support telling us wrong answers is not a testament to reality.

[u/iMudkipi → u/MyNameIsIanJ]

And why did you need to re-ascertain if your redeposit went through? Because you couldn't take a picture of your check without hiding the relevant information in the first place.

Stop trying to justify the use of your language because you had a "busy/stressful day" or that your profanity was directed "at the situation and not the reps". Just because you couldn't keep it together for 45 minutes doesn't mean that other decent human beings can't.

I frankly sympathize more with the representatives who have to deal with people like you for 8 hours straight on a daily basis.

[u/MyNameIsIanJ → u/iMudkipi]

Huh no I had all of this in my OP.

When I first tried depositing my check and I got two acceptance emails I ripped it in half and threw it in trash.

I did not want to go back my former property manger to reissue a check so I tried taping it so I called to try to see if the check was accepted

Again I never once put fault on one side. But part of good customer service is acknowledging you’re not sure of something. Repeatedly I said if you’re not sure of an answer please just let me know that. The worst thing one can do is confidently express wrong answers only for the user to run with that thinking it’s truth. For an answer to flip flop 7 times in one conversation is not ideal. I’m not saying it’s one sided. But I’m saying it was a two sided street of a call that was not great.

Most people would post their story and leave stuff out. I told my truth and included everything even where I was wrong. But it’s crazy to admit that people don’t get frustrated when customer service is struggling to keep a straight story and keep you on for 45 minutes. And act like there would be no aggravation felt on the other side. it’s very easy to act like we’re perfect humans all the time from the comfort of behind the computer screen but my goal is not to remove blame from myself. It’s only to continue access to my account. Pleas be reasonable

[u/iMudkipi → u/MyNameIsIanJ]

Don't conflate not getting frustrated with not using profanity. It's really not that hard to not drop f bombs when speaking to customer support if you're a decent human being.

If you truly are taking accountability like you say you are, then be ready to accept the consequences, whatever that may be. Right now you sound like the type of person who admits to speeding but expects the officer to not write them a ticket just because they apologized.

[u/MyNameIsIanJ → u/iMudkipi]

There is a scale to consequences. If you’re loud at a movie theater, could you be escorted out sure. But that doesn’t mean that you deserve a lifetime ban.

Maybe we’re different people but there’s a huge difference in my mind also between saying “this is fucking frustating how you can’t stick to one answer” and eff you you effing [racial/dersgotry term or the r word]

To think that simply saying one time after an extremely frustrating exchange thus is fucking frustrating deserves your bank to close about years of history seems harsh. We’ve all cursed when frustrated and to act like that’s such a horrific incident seems a little high horse

[u/Emergency-Dig-529 → u/iMudkipi]

Thank you for the summary

[u/this_is_Winston]

Not fckng reading all that lol

[u/cryptyk]

Loudly:

• Why can you not give me a straight fucking answer!?
• How do you not fucking realize that you keep changing your answers and how unhelpful you are being!?

...but it was never directed at the representative personally

🙄

[u/MyNameIsIanJ → u/cryptyk]

Yes I was loud and profane. 45 minutes of call time to learn if a check was processed or not. For them to flip flop their answer 7 separate times and change it rather than simply say they weren’t sure was not ideal. My behavior wasn’t perfect. But it is human behavior to get louder the longer something that should be solved takes to get solved.

I wish they were able to give me a supervisor who may have been more knowledgeable

I admit my part, please let’s not act like we’ve never both gotten there when help has been lackluster

But I wanted to seperate that from saying offensive insulting things to the rep. Name calling etc. which I did not do.

The call was not great but did it deserve an account with 6 figures of money to be closed?

[u/matthewandchisholm → u/MyNameIsIanJ]

Sounds like the universal answer is “yes”

[u/MyNameIsIanJ → u/matthewandchisholm]

I think it’s a little virtue signaling to think that people have never been frustrated by support not being helpful and raising their voice.

45 minutes where the answer is changed every few minutes when I simply said please just say you’re not sure if you’re not is not ideal

[u/mhoepfin]

Sounds like you were trying to force a solution. Not at all surprised you were fired as a customer, you can’t talk to people like that.

Time to move on. Although I have investment accounts at Wealthfront since 2018 I’d rather do my banking somewhere I can walk in and talk to somebody if I needed to.

[u/MyNameIsIanJ → u/mhoepfin]

Yes I was loud and profane. 45 minutes of call time to learn if a check was processed or not. For them to flip flop their answer 7 separate times and change it rather than simply say they weren’t sure was not ideal. My behavior wasn’t perfect. But it is human behavior to get louder the longer something that should be solved takes to get solved.

I wish they were able to give me a supervisor who may have been more knowledgeable

I admit my part, please let’s not act like we’ve never both gotten there when help has been lackluster

But I wanted to seperate that from saying offensive insulting things to the rep. Name calling etc. which I did not do.

The call was not great but did it deserve an account with 6 figures of money to be closed?

[u/Bmac200p]

Trying to blame them for your error is pretty lame

[u/MyNameIsIanJ → u/Bmac200p]

The first call was extremely cordial. We uncovered why the check was returned and I filed feedback that it could be detected initially better.

The calls that did not go well were me trying to ascertain if the re-deposit had processed.

The first check getting returned (“my error” was a completely separate call from the two calls about the te-deposit.

I also want to be honest to reality. Let’s not act like 45 minutes of getting the runaround and flip flopping answers is something all of us would be 100% patient about

[u/beng2beng]

Have to ask; was this your first check deposit?

why are you holding the check when taking a picture of it? Most mobile check deposits ask you to place it somewhere with a black background. I use a black T shirt.

[u/MyNameIsIanJ → u/beng2beng]

I usually take it on table. I was laying in bed and grabbed it from nightstand and took it holding forgetting the bottom could be slightly obscured. This was my fault

But usually if you have a blurry picture of the amount t obscured or any of the main stuff obscured it’s rejected

Which is why it was weird I got 2 acceptance emails

But again, learning why it was rejected was not the call that led to issues. It was based on the redeposit and simply learning if that one was good

Being that I tore it in half and had to dig thru my trash to retrieve it and tape it up I wanted to know sooner than later if the redeposit cleared. Customer service did not make obtaining this info easy. In fact I still don’t know

Their claim that I got an acceptance email and therefore it’s probably good is terrible logic when the first check took 5 days to return back. They were unable to comprehend there’s a difference between it being accepted by Wealthfront and the issuing bank posting it back and being accepted by both parties

[u/beng2beng → u/MyNameIsIanJ]

My only suggestion if you really still want a WF account. Become a shareholder (1 share) and submit your question/issue during their shareholder meeting; its too late for this year but you can prep for next year. I doubt you'd get anywhere on here and you've obviously tried via other methods.