GREENSBORO, N.C. — SunTrust and BB&T have merged to become Truist bank.
On Feb. 19, the merger was set to go through. Customers were told to activate their new debit and credit cards on the 21st, which was Monday, a federal holiday.
People on social media complained that they weren’t able to access their money. Days later, customers are still having issues.
This merger between SunTrust and BB&T has been in the works for years, but now, the two are officially Truist.
WFMY received several comments on our Facebook page from viewers saying they can’t access their money and whenever they call Truist, they are on hold for hours.
At Food Lion, Tim Johnsey was waiting in line to check out with his groceries.
When it was his turn to pay, his card didn’t go through.
"I used my Truist card and they didn’t send a pin number with a new card, so I was hoping it was the old pin number but it wasn’t,” Johnsey said.
So, Johnsey pulls out his SunTrust card. It was also declined.
"I ended up having to use a credit card to pay for my groceries, which likely I carry a backup credit card, just in case for emergencies,” he explained.
It is an emergency when you aren’t able to access your money. Johnsey said he was pretty stressed out by this, not to mention embarrassed.
“Everyone behind me is wondering what’s going on, and it’s like well, it’s not in my control,” he said.
Truist is headquartered in Charlotte and has branches in 15 states.
On Feb. 19, the merger was set to go through. With new cards ready to activate and use on Feb. 21.
But Feb. 21 was a federal holiday, so banks were not open for people to call if their new cards weren't working.
Dozens of people complained to Truist on social media, saying they couldn't access their money and were on hold with support staff for hours.
On the Truist website, there’s an advisory at the top that says:
“We deeply regret any challenges our clients may have experienced as we transitioned to Truist. We thank you sincerely for your continued patience.”
Truist issued the following statement:
"As part of our transition to Truist, some clients—after activating their new Truist debit card—are experiencing a delay of up to a few hours before they are able to use it. Our teams are working diligently to restore these services, and we encourage our clients to visit Truist.com where we’re posting updates. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused for these clients and appreciate their patience as we transition SunTrust products to Truist."
But for many customers, an hour wait time has turned into a few days.
Johnsey said he applied for a new pin and was told it’d be three to five business days before he'd receive it.
“Right now, my biggest fear is all of my automatic payments; are they still going to work, or do I have to try to remember to get all of those set back up? That’s my big fear right now,” Johnsey said.
The Truist website also stated: "While there will likely be higher-than-normal wait times in the coming days, our branch, social media, and contact center teams are committed to working through this transition with you successfully."