Ugh, banks and their endless loops...been there myself. Keeping records definitely helps—smart move with the spreadsheet. Haven't gone the lawyer route personally, but I'd imagine mentioning legal action might suddenly jog their memory a bit faster. Hang in there!
Banks can definitely drag their feet... had a client once who faced something similar, and the spreadsheet idea was a lifesaver. Didn't need to threaten legal action, but firmly mentioning "consumer protection bureau" got things moving surprisingly quick. Worth considering before shelling out for lawyers, imo.
Mentioning the consumer protection bureau can help, but honestly, I've seen mixed results with that route. My buddy had a similar issue—he tried dropping the name casually, and the bank barely blinked. Ended up spending weeks chasing them down anyway. The spreadsheet idea definitely has merit though; documenting everything meticulously saved him later when he eventually had to escalate. Sometimes banks just won't budge until there's an official letterhead involved... unfortunately.
I've seen similar things happen, but honestly, sometimes a quick call to your state's attorney general office can shake things up faster. A few years ago, my sister had some weird unauthorized transactions pop up, and the bank dragged their feet forever. She ended up filing a complaint online with the AG's office—took maybe 10 minutes—and suddenly the bank was way more cooperative. Might be worth a shot if the consumer bureau route isn't getting traction...
Good tip about the AG's office—I hadn't thought of that route. Usually, I just bug the bank until they cave, but your sister's method sounds way less stressful...might bookmark that idea for next time, lol.
