My bank's app just locked me out for 3 days over a $5 transfer

So I tried to move $5 from my savings to checking on Tuesday morning, and BAM, my credit union's app locked me out completely. They said it was 'suspicious activity' because I'd never done a transfer that small before, which is wild. I called them and spent 45 minutes on hold before someone told me I had to come into a branch in person to reset my login. Problem is, I work 9 to 6 every day and the nearest branch is 20 miles away in a different town. Finally got it sorted this morning when I took a late lunch, but seriously, a $5 move triggered all that? Has anyone else had their bank freak out over tiny transactions like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliotadams18d ago

My credit union locked my account for THREE days over a $12 coffee purchase last year. Same exact nonsense, "suspicious activity" because I never buy coffee that cheap apparently. Had to drive 30 minutes to the branch on a Saturday just to prove I was me. These fraud detection systems are completely broken and punishing normal people for trying to use our own money. They don't care how inconvenient it is for us, they just want to cover their own backsides. It's honestly infuriating how little power we have over our own accounts.

eva90818d ago

Totally get it @elliotadams, it drives me crazy too. These systems flag the dumbest stuff, like that coffee purchase, but let real fraud slide for days. It's like they think we're all robots spending the exact same amount every time. You end up jumping through all these hoops just to prove you're you, which is ridiculous when it's your own money. They don't care about our time, just covering their assets. Honestly, feels like we have zero control over our own accounts anymore.