ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A metro Atlanta woman said she was racially profiled at her local bank.
Alexis Vaughn said when she tried to get a new debit card the day before Thanksgiving, a bank teller at the Ameris Bank in Alpharetta froze her account.
“I’ve never had this happen,” she told Channel 2’s Audrey Washington. “That was unconscious bias mixed with racism.”
Vaughn, a prominent businesswoman with four accounts at the bank, said she knew something was wrong when the teller made her wait for nearly an hour, called a supervisor, checked and rechecked her account. She says they even checked her business on the Secretary of State website.
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“She talks about my balance and my account, and I’m like, ‘Ma’am, what is happening?’” explained Vaughn.
Vaughn said she finally received a new debit card, but when she tried to use it, she learned someone put an SOS freeze on her account.
Vaughn said another teller at the Ameris Bank in Acworth told her what was notated on her account.
“Literally says do not allow this person to get another debit card,” Vaughn said.
Vaughn and her attorney believe racial profiling was at the root of the account freeze.
“I think she absolutely did not believe that any of that money was legitimate that was in my account, and that she did not believe that it was me, even though the business was my name which makes zero sense,” Vaughn said.
“So, it’s those hybrid of factors; the delay, the inconsistency, scrutiny, you have a policy, she being denied normal financial transactions,” explained Vaughn’s attorney James L. Walker.
During the interview, Walker played a voicemail the bank president left for Vaughn.
“Things that you mentioned, racial profiling…not acceptable with us. We don’t do that at Ameris Bank. I am sincerely sorry and apologetic.”
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An Ameris Bank spokesperson sent Channel 2 Action News a statement that read:
“For privacy reasons, we are not able to discuss the details of any individual customer’s situation publicly. However, we take all customer concerns very seriously, and we are committed to providing excellent service to all our customers. We do not engage in racial profiling and certainly did not do so in this case.”
Vaughn said the bank finally unfroze her account on Thursday. Now she said she wants the teller held accountable.
“Training needs to be put in place so things like unconscious bias doesn’t happen on a regular basis,” Vaughn said.
Ameris Bank promised a full investigation into the matter.
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