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The client's bank account is frozen for due to "security reason". The client followed the bank's instructions to lift the account. The bank promised on phone that if the client visit a branch in person with IDs, then the restriction can be lifted. However, after talking to two branches, the restriction is not lifted due to the bank's internal problems. Lots of time and money of the client are wasted.

In this case, is it possible that the client is able to get compensation from the bank?

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You would likely have to show actual damages. And for example if you had a chance to buy a car worth $11,000 for $10,000 and couldn't because of the bank freezing your account, you'd have to convince a judge that the $1,000 possible profit was actual damage.

Next you need to show that the bank explicitly guaranteed that your money would be accessible at any time. And assuming that blocking your account to prevent fraud against you was reasonable, how negligent were they when they couldn't unfreeze your account as quick as you would have liked?

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  • "how negligent were they when they couldn't unfreeze your account as quick as you would have liked?" I was surprised, too. I talked to the phone-banking, fraud department, and the branch manager several times, and I've been following all their instructions. The phone-banking ask to connect to the fraud-department, the fraud-department ask me to go to a branch, in the branch the manager says they cannot do anything and ask me to call instead, when I make a call in the branch the phone-banking lady ask me to talk to the branch, and the circle goes on
    – dodo
    Jul 20, 2022 at 1:33
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Probably. But it depends.

  • What availability was negotiated in the contract between the client and the bank? When the bank guarantees certain availability and failed to do so, then the client might hold them liable for any damages they incurred due to the unavailability of the service.
  • Were there legal reasons? When the bank would like to unfreeze the account but there are legal statutes which prohibit them from doing that, then it is usually not possible to hold them liable.

Consulting a lawyer can help you to assess what options you have and if they are worth pursuing.

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