Consumer complaint received 2021-06-26
Company: Conduent Incorporated
State: GA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I am a single, now XXXX-year-old woman who has had an unbelievably difficult and stressful time since XX/XX/XXXX trying to get to the bottom of what I believe are many counterfeit transactions on my Comerica GO card. I believe that Comerica Bank has clearly failed me as a consumer, and is likely doing the same to countless other unfortunate citizens that have this card. I am writing you in the hopes that you will do the right thing and address this nightmare. 

Here is a summary of my situation : I received my original GO card with my GA unemployment payments and used it legitimately numerous times in the XXXX area in XXXX during the Covid pandemic. Ironically, I originally requested direct deposit into my local checking account, but for some reason I was sent this card. Regardless, I was unemployed and we were in a pandemic situation so I needed the money. 

I found it very difficult to set up my online portal access with Comerica and was unable to look at activity on my account for a number of months. Calling the customer service number was nearly impossible. There is a phone loop that tries to do everything BUT connect you with a human being for service, and I grew very frustrated. 

I knew from the GA XXXX website that the state of Georgia had made deposits for me, and I did use the card in XXXX for some purchases during XXXX and early XXXX. I attempted to make a transaction in XX/XX/XXXX and to my surprise it was declined. I knew there should be several XXXX dollars on the card. 

At that point, I knew I had to speak to customer service no matter how difficult it might be. I went through the laborious process of reaching a person and filed a fraud claim over the phone. This is when I discovered that the card had fraudulent transactions that went back to XX/XX/XXXX. They canceled my card and sent me a new one. I received a fraud questionnaire, completed and mailed it, as well as tried to fax it back within the time frame that the representative gave me. I filed a police report with my local Sheriffs office. The fax number Comerica gave me was inoperable. I STILL mailed the documents to them overnight with a return receipt request. 

I am currently out over {$8000.00}. The exact amount stolen from me was {$8900.00}. To add insult to injury, I even had to pay taxes on this money which was stolen from me, and which no one has helped me try to recover. I have had zero help from Comerica Bank or their card Fraud team in XXXX XXXX, Texas. The fraud team has been completely unreachable by phone, and the fax number they gave me didnt work! As previously mentioned, I was unable to access my account activity portal online, and for that reason I was unable to identify that fraud was occurring on my card until I was finally declined in XXXX. Bear in mind I was unemployed, dealing with a lockdown situation with little money. I have hit walls every way I have turned to try and get some help with this. 

I sent my documents to the fraud team with proof of delivery, yet they still claim that there is no evidence of fraud. This is complete and utter nonsense! By looking at my account activity, it appears that on or around XX/XX/XXXX, the card I was using in XXXX was likely counterfeited because soon after, a transaction appears to have occurred in XXXX XXXX. Over the next several months, there were multiple charges in XXXX XXXX and XXXX at or near the SAME TIME I was legitimately using the card in XXXX for small transactions. My card was always in my possession, yet it has clearly been duplicated. Most importantly, we were in a pandemic situation and international travel was not even possible! Yet after some sort of investigation, the bank decided there was no fraud. HOW?! 

The simple conclusion is that the bank that sponsors this card clearly is NOT DOING ITS JOB. The customer service experience has been a complete nightmare and I desperately need resolution. I know that Federal Regulation E is supposed to protect consumers from liability in fraud situations. I am aware that the Regulation addresses it as follows : Section 205.6 Liability of consumer for unauthorized transfers : Limits a consumer 's liability for unauthorized electronic fund transfers, such as those arising from loss or theft of an access device, to {$50.00} ; if the consumer fails to notify the depository institution in a timely fashion, the amount may be {$500.00} or unlimited. 

I firmly believe Comerica bank is violating my federal rights, and that I should be given credit for the fraudulent transactions that I did not make. I notified the bank as quickly as I became aware that there was a problem. I have completed the claim in writing and can prove it was received by Comerica Bank. As mentioned, I have additionally filed a police report. 

Notification occurred in late XXXX, and it is unfortunate that the card was being used fraudulently since XX/XX/XXXX. However -- - it is not my fault that the bank makes it inordinately difficult to reach a human, OR to access the account portal. 

To that end, I would fervently request that this claim be re-evaluated immediately. I feel that it is blatantly obvious that fraud was occurring on my account at the same time I was using it. I expect that my case will be approved if a reasonably intelligent human being actually looks at the activity, as it is very clear what happened. I dont believe anyone actually LOOKED at the activity I questioned. I can not just walk away from this. The money taken from me was and IS much needed, and I intend to continue to pursue this until I receive satisfaction and recompense for what was taken fraudulently from me. 

Also, in the effort to try and prevent another unemployed senior to go through the nightmare ordeal I have been through, I am also filing a copy of this complaint with the Federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as well as the GA Governors Office of Consumer Affairs, the Georgia Department of Labor Commissioner XXXX XXXX, Governor XXXX XXXX XXXX and lastly, the XXXX XXXX XXXX affiliate. The state of Georgia should not be doing business with your bank if this is how your bank treats their citizens.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief