7 On Your Side Helps Man Unfreeze $20,000 Inheritance from Frozen Bank Account

Inheritance Frozen After Deposit

• 💡 A man from Queens, Chris Matellis, faced a significant problem when his bank account was frozen after attempting to deposit a $20,000 inheritance check from his late grandmother.
• 📌 Chris, who was raised by his grandmother, received the inheritance after her passing in 2016, and the funds were intended to help him pay bills.
• ⚠️ After depositing the check via ATM, he received a letter stating his account was closed, and he was denied a direct refund of the funds.

Seven On Your Side Intervention

• 🚀 Nina Pineda and the "7 On Your Side" team stepped in to help Chris retrieve his inheritance.
• ✅ Within four hours of contacting the news team, Chris's account was unlocked, and he regained access to the full $20,000.
• 👏 Chris expressed deep gratitude to "7 On Your Side" for their assistance in recovering his grandmother's legacy.

Preventing Account Freezes

• 🔑 Banks are actively combating check-cashing fraud, which can lead to accounts being flagged and frozen, especially with large, unusual deposits.
• 🏦 To avoid a freeze, it is recommended to deposit large checks directly at a bank branch rather than using an ATM or mobile deposit.
• 📄 Bringing documentation explaining the source of the check and multiple forms of ID to the branch manager can help expedite the process and prevent issues.
• ⚠️ The key takeaway is that it is easier to prevent an account freeze than to resolve one after it has occurred.