Consumer complaint received 2023-01-06
Company: HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK, THE
State: OH
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed

Complaint:
A check from my personal account at Huntington Bank stolen from USPS XXXX XXXX in XXXX Ohio altered and cashed on XXXX. 
Bank informed over the telephone of the altered check on XXXX. 
I then visited the main branch in downtown XXXX and was instructed on how to fill out a claim form that would be transmitted to Huntington Banks 's headquarters in XXXX, Ohio. At no point during these instructions was I informed that an affidavit was required in order that a claim could be entered by the bank. 
On XXXX I received a letter from the Domestic Collections Dept of Huntington informing me that my submission was incorrect and did that it not include a required affidavit. 
I was provided a blank affidavit and a pre postage paid envelope to return the affidavit and that once it was received a claim would be entered. 
I completed the affidavit and it along with other supporting documents were sent to Huntington in this envelope.

Another altered check claim from my business account emanating from this same theft from USPS blue box on the same date suffered the same circumstances and was also returned to me with the same request for an affidavit. It along with the above claim were both mailed in like envelopes provided to me ( postage paid directed to a Huntington po box in XXXX, Ohio ) from the main USPS office in downtown XXXX, Ohio. 
On XXXX I received a confirmation letter from Huntington Bank that the affidavit for the business account was received for the other claim I mentioned above. I received no such letter for the claim being entered for my personal account which is the subject of this complaint. 
I then attempted to find out if perhaps it was received and misfiled and/other any other information from XXXXntington as to what transpired with the affidavit. This was a long and exhausting affair. The Dept handling the claim is not accessible to the public. Messages had to be communicated through a defective chain of employees. There was constant turn over at the bank and no one would take any responsibility to research what had happened to this affidavit. Eventually after almost six weeks I was informed that this affidavit was most likely lost and that a new affidavit would be required for the claim to be submitted. A manager at a local branch obtained a pre paid/addressed XXXX  over night envelope after I complained and this affidavit which she reviewed was then successfully sent and received by Huntington Bank in XXXX, Ohio on Tuesday XXXX. 
Thus almost 15 weeks have passed since the date I originally filed my complaint at the main downtown branch of Huntington Bank.

I am told that it could take another 6-8 weeks for my claim to be processed. This check was altered to an amount of {$7200.00}.

I am a small business owner with 17 employees. The other check stolen from the blue box on my business account was altered to an amount of little over XXXX. 
The bank has demonstrated nothing but incompetence at every level. There is no transparency and really nothing support wise has been expressed to me during this entire period.. In one conversation an employee hung up on me. In another the employee newly elevated to a managerial position revealed that she just might not be there in another 4-5 weeks. Almost every employee sounded dispirited and unmotivated. 
This is traditionally a slow time of the year for my business, income wise, and I am now forced to lend the business funds from my personal savings ( also diminished by this theft ). 
I have been a loyal customer of Huntington 's for over 26 years. 
As a postscript I would like to add that this altered check looked like the work of a XXXX XXXX XXXX child. It appeared that the alteration was cut out of another piece of paper and then taped on to my check.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief