My Experience Completing the First Horizon Bonus
When this bonus came out earlier this year, it seemed like a good promotion since I live in one of the eligible states. The $450 bonus was very attractive and I decided to give it a try. At the end, I was a bit disappointed.
ONLINE APPLICATION
Initially, I tried to apply online, but was denied since this bank is very Chex sensitive. I considered passing on it after that, but ended up finding myself near a local branch and tried to apply in person.Â
IN BRANCH APPLICATION
I was able to apply in branch with a banker. During the application process, I noticed the banker got a notification and was surprised to see my Chex report. I’ve done a lot of bonuses this year and my Chex report reflected that. The banker asked me why I had many bank accounts. I explained that I completed bank bonus promotions when they become available and I also have savings accounts where I’m earning interest. The banker was satisfied with my answer and approved my account, adding the promotion code to my application. I then received an email confirming enrollment in the bonus promotion. I saved the email for future reference.
COMPLETING THE BONUS REQUIREMENTS
There aren’t many DPs for First Horizon, forcing me to switch my employer direct deposit to be on the safe side. The DD requirement was only $1,000. I signed up for the bonus in late July and completed the DD requirements one month later, using employer DD.
BONUS PAYOUT
This is where things became interesting. The T&Cs stated that the bonus would be deposited within 10 business days after requirements were met. Given the T&Cs, I should have received the $450 bonus around September 10th, 2024. Surprise to me, the bonus never posted. I waited for about a month and nothing. Since I used an employer DD, I knew that the bonus requirements were complete and I was qualified to receive the bonus. I gave it some time and finally decided to call First Horizon customer service in October. Customer service told me that they could not help me because I had opened the account in branch, and I had to call the specific branch where I signed up for the promotion to inquire about my bonus.
I called the branch, spoke to the branch manager, and was asked to submit proof that I had signed up for the promotion offer. Luckily for me, I saved the original email confirming my registration for the bonus. I emailed it to the branch manager. They initiated an inquiry, told me that all requirements were met, and told me that I should have received the bonus already. I was told to wait a few days for the bonus to post.
November – No bonus.
December – Still no bonus. I called the branch again after the first week of the month went by. They reassured me that the bonus would be paid, but explained that the bonus payments were delayed.
I waited another week and then filed a complaint through the bank’s website secure messaging option. I then received a call from the branch manager advising me that they were still working on it and would make sure that the bonus was paid.
Finally, on December 18th, 2024, I received my $450 bonus. In conclusion, I was disappointed with this bank. As mentioned, I completed my promotion requirements promptly. Having to reach out to customer service several times was frustrating and it should not have been needed. I also had to file a complaint online. I am not very impressed with this bank and I will be closing my account soon. They did not comply with their own T&Cs and that does not reflect well on them.
Link to our First Horizon Data Points page: First Horizon Data Points.