Consumer complaint received 2023-08-31
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: NC
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX  I looked up XXXX customer service on my search engine to dispute a transaction I made for some mud flaps for my car. The companies XXXX handle I bought the mudflaps from is called XXXX XXXX When I searched XXXX customer service the first number that popped up was XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX. I called this number and the " rep '' asked what I was calling about. He had a thick XXXX accent. I explained the situation with the mud flaps and he told me that " looking at my account, he sees someone from XXXX has tried to access my account multiple times with multiple transactions. '' He then says let me get my supervisor " XXXX '' who spoke better English. He says XXXX " will work with me and the head of security to find out who is trying to access my account. '' XXXX comes onto the phone after I was on hold and says " to find these guys we need to re-create the transactions that we have blocked to your XXXX account as dummy transactions, so that we are able to find who is accessing your information. I have the security personnel with me listening to our conversation. '' He then tells me to download XXXX and screen share with him to see if my phone is being hacked. The XXXX app then says pay.palserver wants to share screen. I accepted. He also asks if I have a laptop and which type, as long as its not a XXXX. He tells me to type in a specific IP address but my security browser on the laptop blocks it. As I am screen sharing on my phone he says " go to settings -- -- privacy & security -- -- -analytics and improvement -- -- -- analytics data. Click that address. You see that code there? That is the code of the hackers. '' He then tells me to download XXXX and create a profile. To create a profile I had to take a picture of my ID and of my face for verification. I used my email and a password he gave me " XXXX. '' He then instructs me to search for the nearest ATM on my phone and we find a XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX NC XXXX. This whole time I am screensharing so he sees my where I am going because I am using GPS as I just recently moved to XXXX. Once I get there he tells me to click " make a transaction -- -- -click XXXX  ( a XXXX  company ) -- -- -put this code in -- -- -- type {$940.00}. '' The transaction is made at XXXX. I received a text at XXXX asking if I made the transaction at XXXX for XXXX? He says type YES. He then tells me to try {$1200.00} with the same process and he will generate another code. The whole time this has been going on he says not to talk to anyone or open my bank account mobile app because the hackers could see my information. The second transaction does not go through. He says " call the bank but merge me in the call. Do not tell them about the investigation because they would interfere with our process of catching the hackers. '' I call the bank and tell them it was me and to authorize the transactions. The bank says okay. I then tried other transactions for {$490.00} and $ XXXX between XXXX and XXXX. They did not work. When calling the bank I have to verify my identity with sensitive information. So I call again and the bank says okay and this time it works. The second transaction goes through at XXXX for {$1200.00}. Then the third transaction at XXXX for {$1900.00} and the fourth at XXXX for {$810.00}. The total amount was for {$4900.00}. At the time I had about {$5500.00} in my checking account. The entire time he kept reassuring me that these were not going through and to not open my account because they would see my information. He then said " I will work on things on my side and call you back in an hour. There was no call back after an hour so I call him and he says they are still working on it " on their side and will call me back in 30 mins. '' He even says you can call me privately at XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX. I call once again and no answer. At this point after it is too late I realize I was scammed. The next day after the charges were posted I called Fifth Third Bank and told them what happened. I told them the truth and they said that because I made the transactions they could not refund me the money. I reported my issue to Identitytheft.gov, got a new driver 's license, put a credit alert through XXXX, and got identity theft insurance through XXXX so everything is being monitored. I also spoke to XXXX explaining what happened and took security measures through them to make sure my phone was not hacked.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation