Consumer complaint received 2023-11-12
Company: TD BANK US HOLDING COMPANY
State: CT
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low
Sub-issue: Bounced checks or returned payments

Complaint:
I no longer have access to the dates when the situation first began because TD Bank has blocked my access to my former checking account (? XXXX ) but I will do my best. TD bank will be able to provide the exact dates for you. 

Sometime in late XXXX or XXXX of XXXX, I was reviewing my online banking statement for my checking account ending in XXXX. I've had this account for probably 20+ years. I noticed that there were two withdrawals that I did not make. One was for {$1000.00} and the other was for {$1.00} and both were withdrawn by a company called XXXX XXXX. I knew this was a way to send money to people but it is not a method that I have e-v-e-r used. I notified the Fraud Dept. for TD Bank at their XXXX # instead of my local XXXX branch . I provided the details to the woman on the phone. She stated that to prevent further similar withdrawals, I would need to close my account ending in XXXX. I believe she said my account was " hacked. '' I was told that this would be investigated and I would likely be able to have these amounts credited back to my account. She stated that my checking account ending in XXXX would be closed out as of 30 days from the date of my phone call. She asked if I had outstanding checks but I wasn't sure if I did. I was told that all checks on this account would be honored for the next 30 days but that I should try not to write anymore checks from this account. 

I'm not sure of the date but a couple days later I met with XXXX XXXX at XXXX Bank on XXXX XXXX in XXXX, CT for the purpose of closing my account ending in XXXX and opening a new checking account. Upon opening a new checking account I was told that TD Bank no longer issues temporary checks with new checking accounts. I ordered new checks that day but also knew that my old checking account would still be open until XX/XX/XXXX, I believe. Knowing I was to try not to write checks from my old account, I only wrote checks that were urgent/emergent such as to my eye doctor and the IRS. 

A couple weeks later I received a letter from TD Bank stating that I had overdrawn my old checking account but that my check for {$35.00} to the IRS had been processed because I had overdraft protection on my accounts. Herein lies the basis of the problems I am writing to you about. Despite the Fraud Dept. stating that my account ending in XXXX would remain open until XX/XX/XXXX ( or 30 days ... ) and sending me a letter acknowledging that I had overdraft protection on my accounts, they began bouncing several checks on me despite the fact that I had sufficient funds in my checking accounts to cover each and every bill that I paid. Additionally, I called the Fraud Dept. after receiving their letter and the woman I spoke with asked me to provide her with a list of companies that I wanted TD Bank to pay their bills regardless of which checking account the check was written on such that I would not have any bounced checks. The list I provided her with included : The IRS, my mortgage company, my health insurance premium, my XXXX card online pmt, my XXXX XXXX card online pmt, and any doctor 's offices. She stated that she wrote them down and any bills from these creditors would be paid. 

Unfortunately, she either did not write this down or she did not communicate this information with the appropriate individuals because I suddenly found myself receiving letters from TD Bank, the IRS, and doctor 's offices stating that my checks had been returned!!! 

I met with XXXX XXXX at the local TD Bank in XXXX at XXXX XXXX. on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX to explain that my checks were bouncing because the Fraud Dept. did not honor their promise to pay all bills from the creditors from the list which I provided for them, nor did they honor my overdraft protection on my accounts ( something they even acknowledged they were aware that I had in one of their letters to me ). 

Although I was not charged any fees for returned checks by TD Bank, I received numerous fees from my credit card companies, my doctor 's office, and the IRS imposed a {$25.00} penalty on a {$35.00} returned check! XXXX verified that I did have overdraft protection on my accounts. She stated she did not know why then my checks were returned when there was sufficient funding in my checking account to pay all of these bills. She also stated that my account ending in XXXX had never been closed out by the fraud department. She closed the account and transferred the remainin $ 200+ amount into my new checking account ending in XXXX. XXXX stated that she did not have the authority to refund the bounced check fees to me but that I had been a long-time customer of TD Bank and that she would speak to her manager and she was hopeful that she would be allowed to refund all the fees especially since it was not a lot of money. 

A day or two later I received an apologetic call from XXXX at TD Bank. She stated that unfortunately the bank was not going to be able to do anything for me regarding all the fees I incurred regarding the recent issue with my checking account. I inquired as to whether there was a special form or process in order to contact the banking commissioner regarding my complaint. At this point, XXXX then offered to contact the Fraud Dept. at TD Bank to see if they'd be willing to reimburse me for all the fees I had incurred which were not my fault. She stated she would get back to me in a couple days. It has been a couple weeks and I have not heard from her. 

I have extensive documentation which I provided for XXXX and which she photocopied so TD Bank in XXXX also has a copy of the following documents : 1. Bill for {$8.00} from XXXX XXXX XXXX And XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for a late fee incurred as a result of my online payment being returned. 
2. Letter from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with copy of returned check in the amount off {$190.00} which had now incurred a returned check fee of {$10.00}. 
3. XXXX card statement from XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX indicating a returned check fee of {$30.00} for a returned online payment of {$1100.00} 4. Letter from the IRS requesting payment on a returned check for {$35.00} with an additional penalty fee of {$25.00} 5. XXXX XXXX statement from XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX noting a {$29.00} fee for a declined/returned check. ***Please note, I was able to get this fee credited back to my account. *** 6. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX premiums for {$140.00} which had been declined in XXXX and XXXX online. I didn't learn about this until I received a XXXX from XXXX stating that if I did not pay my premium for the month of XXXX, my health insurance would be canceled effective immediately w/o the ability to be reinstituted! I called XXXX immediately and paid {$430.00} over the phone for my premiums for the months of XXXX, XXXX, & XXXX. The customer service rep did not know what fees would be associated with the returned online automatic payments so this fee is still outstanding. 

If my math is correct and not including outstanding fees, the sum total of fees which I have incurred as a result of TD Bank not honoring the overdraft protection on my account and the Fraud Dept. not honoring their committment to pay all bills from the creditor list I provided for them, comes to {$73.00}. 

The only acceptable solution from my perspective as a long time customer of TD Bank and one who was not at fault for incurring these fees would be for TD Bank to reimburse me in the amount of {$73.00}.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter of complaint against TD Bank in XXXX, CT. I can provide you with all necessary documentation for the fees incurred. Similarly, the XXXX TD Bank branch also has a copy of all of my documentation. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief