BankUnited

On December 16, 2011, I happened to go to an ATM to use my BankUnited ATM card. It was rejected without explanation, and I went to the local branch of Bank United, where they know me, and I asked them what was wrong. I assumed they would tell me the ATM wasn’t working. What they told me was the most shocking thing I had ever heard. I was told that, without my knowledge or consultation, they had closed my two bank accounts (one checking and one money market, with a substantial amount of money in them), and had mailed the remaining amounts to me. If I had not gone to the ATM, I would have had no idea that these accounts had been closed and the money was no longer at the bank. I would have continued to write checks that would have bounced. When I asked why they didn’t have the courtesy to call me (we have had the same phone number for 10 years), the bank officer expressed irritation that I should ask. She actually seemed irritated that I should even ask for an explanation, which she wouldn’t provide. Then I found out that they had mailed these two checks (separately) to a condo address we hadn’t used in about eight years. Strangely, all of our monthly statements and check orders had been sent for numerous years to our current and correct address. There is no reasonable explanation as to why they would send anything to that address. I headed over to the condo where they had sent the checks and, miraculously, the check from the money market with the bulk of the funds was being held at the security desk. I eventually tracked down the second check as well.
I was amazed that no one even apologized for all the inconvenience I was caused. No one even seemed concerned about the checks that would bounce because of this action. Also, let me be clear — to my knowledge in all those years I don’t believe we ever bounced a check until this situation occurred. The only explanation I can think of is that we froze our credit to protect us from identity theft, so that no person or business can check our credit without our giving access, though I can not imagine why the bank would need a credit report after ten years of doing business. I cannot believe that this kind of behavior could be legal, although the bank officer insisted that it was. If it is legal, it shouldn’t be.