Consumer complaint received 2021-12-02
Company: TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: GA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low
Sub-issue: Non-sufficient funds and associated fees

Complaint:
My name is XXXX XXXX and I would like to file a complaint against my former bank Suntrust due to the bank taking out unsufficient funds from my account to cover three checks ( I needed to deposit to pay for my tuition ) that turned out to be fraudulent that I had no knowledge of the checks being faked. The first two checks had went through the mobile deposit until the third one did not. The checks total equal to {$9500.00} but only {$7000.00} went through. The checks came from a guy who claims his name is XXXX. No I did not know him. He claim he was willing to help me pay for my tuition while I am in college so I would not have to get a student loans. Out of the {$7000.00} I " had '' I took out {$5000.00} to pay for " XXXX '' expenses such as paying for his " driver '' and other " expenses ''. When SunTrust finally realized the checks were forgery the bank started taking money out of my checking account. For each check deposited was how much was taking out of my account. SunTrust emailed me on XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX, about my account being overdrawn by around - {$3100.00} and that I had 5 business days to pay back what was overdrawn or I would pay a fee. Within 3 business days on XXXX XXXX, I was not able to go in my account. I contacted customer service to see what the issue and a representative was says due to the checks being forged my checking account was under investigation. I had {$2200.00} in my savings that SunTrust never mailed me a check when my account was closed. I am not able to login nor am I able to see my transactions. The money from the checks that was taking out was deposited item returned. I looked up on the SunTrust website glossary for what is returned item deposit. It states that " You deposited a check that was written to you, but the person who wrote it does not have sufficient funds to cover it. In this case, if you were already credited for the deposit, we would charge it back to your account ( meaning that we would debit your account because the funds were not available ) ''. The 2 checks were deposit 24 hours later but then they money out of my account that I didn't have. If all three were fake, why did SunTrust not stop the first check instead waited until the third one to see that it was a red flag? I even file a complaint for fraud on XXXX XXXX XXXX with fraud rep. I don't remember his name, but he had a heavy accent as if he was XXXX, but I feel like he wasn't trying to help me. I do feel like I was scammed I just wanted to pay for school to pursue my career in business management. I also called SunTrust customer service around XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX about why I haven't received a check that was in my savings and I was told there is an investigation and that there was {>= $1,000,000} deposit in my savings that I didn't authorized nor did get a email, text, or phone call. There is a limit on my account on how much can be deposit. Only around {$15000.00} monthly can be deposit in my account. I have tried everything, but nothing seems to work. Can I get some legal help please? Thank you.

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