Consumer complaint received 2019-02-14
Company: REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: TN
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I contacted someone about a rental property on XX/XX/2019. The owner responded to me and asked for my credit score and any previous evictions. They then sent me a rental application form that I filled out. The form included my employer, birthday, and address. The owner said I was approved and set up a viewing for the property for XX/XX/2019. The next day, XX/XX/2019, they contacted me again saying there were competitors for the property and they wanted to give me a heads up and asked me to submit the deposit. They sent me a drivers license so I would feel secure submitting payment to them. I submitted a deposit for the rental along with pet fees via XXXX, a total of {$870.00}, and they said they were looking forward to meeting me at our scheduled showing. A few days later, on XX/XX/2019, they contacted me again saying they could not make it as their son was in a car accident. They then began asking me for first months rent for the property. I then went to the authorities on because I had a feeling I was being scammed. The criminal investigator informed me that it was fraud. The supposed owner had committed identity theft of the person from the drivers license and was soliciting someone elses property for money. When I informed them I had contacted the authorties and that I discovered it was fraud they would not refund my deposit and never contacted me again. I contacted Regions, my bank, MULTIPLE times about resolving the issue. They first told me they had no way of filing the issue as fraud even though the criminal investigator from the police department spoke with them and told them it was fraud. I asked to speak with a supervisor, and they then told me that they could file the issue as a merchant claim only. They said it wasnt considered fraud because I willingly submitted payment via XXXX. I responded by telling them I didnt willingly submit payment to have my money stolen, I submitted payment for a rental property that I did not receive to someone who had committed identity theft. Regions told me the only thing they could do is file the claim and have it sent to an investigator. I called to check on the claim twice. When I called the second time on XX/XX/2019, a supervisor informed me that I had been denied. I told them that they broadcast being the peoples bank and that they have fraud protection and claim to care about helping the people, but when I have an issue no one cares or wants to actually resolve anything. I told them that every time I called I had to repeat my story because it seemed like no one knew what I was talking about and that I was very upset with how I was being treated and brushed off like my issue wasnt important. That supervisor then told me she would make a few phone calls and would call me back within an hour. She called me back to let me know she turned the issue over to her supervisor, but would not allow me to have his telephone number to contact him. She said I had to contact him through her. She told me that they would call me with an update on Monday XX/XX/2019. They did not call me on Monday so I called and left a message. They returned my call Tuesday XX/XX/2019, and apologized that they were out of the office on the XXXX. The supervisor informed me that there was absolutely nothing they could do for me and that they would not be reimbursing my funds because they could not file it as fraud. I let them know that I was highly upset as the person who stole my money had committed identity theft and was soliciting someone elses property for money, which is definitely fraud. Like I said before, the criminal investigator at my local police department even told them that personally over the phone. I told them that anyone who is frauded willingly submits payment for something that is either the wrong product or falsified information. For example, I told them that when you buy something on XXXX and are frauded by a product that never arrives, was the wrong product, or was falsified XXXX will refund your money because that is considered fraud. The supervisor at Regions just apologized and said there was nothing else they could do to help me. I am HIGHLY upset about this issue. For a bank that claims to care so much about their customers, they sure didnt care to resolve my issue for me. I also contacted XXXX asking if they would be able to reimburse my funds and they told me that they could not because I used my mobile banking app with Regions to submit the payment. Even though I enter my information into XXXX, it is still solely through my bank and XXXX only protects my information. XXXX informed me that they do not keep any customers banking information or a record of any transactions that they are only able to see that the customer has an account with them. They told me that bank would have to resolve the issue for me. In both cases, I am very disappointed with the service I was given.

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