Consumer complaint received 2023-10-26
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
Bank regarding an illegal transaction Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to bring to your attention a highly distressing matter involving a series of deceitful actions by " XXXX XXXX, '' its proprietor XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and the lack of assistance from US Bank in resolving this issue. I believe that it is of utmost importance to report these actions to the appropriate authorities and seek your intervention. 
My ordeal began when I came across " XXXX XXXX '' online, where they were promoting turnkey investment opportunities in the real estate market. I had an initial conversation with XXXX XXXX XXXX, who represented himself as the leader of the company with a dedicated team to handle transactions. Unfortunately, it later came to light that XXXX XXXX operated alone, and this was just the beginning of a series of deceptive practices. 
XXXX XXXX persuaded me to enter into a contract promising to assist in acquiring XXXX for a payment of {$10000.00}, along with an offer for project management services at an additional 15 % of monthly revenue. He assured me that the state of Georgia had no regulations against XXXX or subleasing. However, these assurances turned out to be inaccurate and misleading. 
When I applied for an apartment through XXXX XXXX 's guidance, he advised me to falsify my rental history by claiming that I had been residing in one of his Georgia apartments since XXXX. This misinformation was exposed during the background check, leading me to cancel the apartment application due to the misrepresentation. 
Despite my initial reservations, XXXX XXXX convinced me to give him another opportunity. He claimed to have identified a real estate company that permitted subleasing, and I proceeded with the application process. I received approval based on my credit, but upon carefully reviewing the lease agreement, I discovered that subleasing was explicitly prohibited. Realizing that this was not a viable path forward, I promptly informed the realtor of my decision to withdraw. 
When I attempted to contact XXXX XXXX to discuss this situation further, he became unresponsive for an entire day. Feeling deceived and misled, I canceled the contract and requested a refund of the {$3.00} I had paid. Initially, he agreed to refund the money, but he later claimed to have used it to purchase furniture without my consent. 
As I insisted on a refund, XXXX XXXX continued to pressure me and even went so far as to block my phone number when I set a deadline for resolution. Disturbed by the ongoing situation, I reported the matter to the local police and contacted XXXX XXXX 's supposed employer, XXXX XXXX XXXX, who confirmed his fraudulent activities under their name. 
To exacerbate the situation, US Bank, where the initial payment of {$3.00} was made, has proven to be of no assistance in resolving this matter. Despite my attempts to seek help and address the fraudulent transaction, US Bank has displayed a lack of responsiveness and failure to take appropriate action to protect its customers.. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX Here you will find my letter to the US Bank To : U.S Bank XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX, MN XXXX XXXX Subject : Dispute of Unauthorized Transaction and Fraudulent Activity Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to dispute an unauthorized transaction on my account, which I believe stems from fraudulent activity. The situation revolves around my dealings with a company called " XXXX XXXX '' and its owner, XXXX XXXX. 

Initially, I found " XXXX XXXX '' online, advertising turnkey investment opportunities. I spoke with XXXX XXXX, who claimed to be running the company with a team to handle transactions. However, I later discovered that he operated alone, and this was just the beginning of a series of deceitful actions. 

XXXX urged me to read a contract promising to help acquire BnBs for {$10000.00} and offered project management services for an additional 15 % of monthly revenue. He assured me that the state of Georgia had no regulations against XXXX or subleasing. 

When I applied for an apartment, XXXX advised me to falsify my rental history, stating I had lived in XXXX of his Georgia apartments since XXXX. However, the background check revealed the lie, and I decided to cancel the application. 

Despite my initial reservations, XXXX convinced me to give him another chance. He claimed to have found a real estate company that allowed subleasing. I proceeded with the application process and got approved credit-wise. But upon reading the lease agreement, I discovered that subleasing was explicitly prohibited. Realizing this was not the right path, I informed the realtor of my decision. 

When I tried to contact XXXX, he was unreachable for the entire day. Feeling deceived and misled, I canceled the contract and requested a refund. Initially, he agreed to refund the money, but later claimed to have used it to purchase furniture without my consent. 

As I insisted on a refund, XXXX continued to pressure me and blocked my phone number when I set a deadline for resolution. Disturbed by the situation, I reported the matter to the police and XXXX 's supposed employer, XXXX XXXX XXXX, who confirmed his fraudulent activities under their name. 

I believe the unauthorized transaction on my account is directly tied to the deceptive practices of " XXXX XXXX '' and XXXX XXXX. Therefore, I kindly request your assistance in investigating and reversing the transaction promptly. Additionally, I seek measures to protect my account from potential fraudulent activities in the future. 

I have attached relevant documents to support my claim and am willing to provide any further information necessary to resolve this matter. I appreciate your attention to this serious issue and anticipate a prompt and fair resolution. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation