Consumer complaint received 2022-10-07
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: IL
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2022 at XXXX I received a call from XXXX XXXX XXXX who claimed to be Fifth Third Bank representative, regarding fraudulent XXXX XXXX on my checking account. My caller ID showed Fifth Third with the number XXXX. I have never used XXXX and am not at all familiar with it. He knew personal information regarding my accounts and explained that someone was attempting to transfer {$1000.00}. He instructed me to log on to my account and go to XXXX and when I did, I got a text message from Fifth Third. He appeared to be going through my account along with me, was very convincing, and knew information about my accounts. After doing what he asked me to do it appeared that I sent {$1000.00} rather than reversing the charge like he claimed I was doing. He said it would take a couple hours for the transaction to reverse and he would call me back the next day. I did not feel good about the call, so I went to my local branch in XXXX XXXX, IL. I talked to Fifth Third Personal Banker XXXX, XXXX XXXX, and he informed me that I was the victim of fraud. He said that the money had already transferred, and we would have to wait until it posted to file a dispute. He also saw that the number on my phone that they called from was the Fifth Third number. 

The next day, XX/XX/2022, I received another call from a XXXX XXXX with the same Fifth Third number showing on my caller ID. He said he was checking to see if the XXXX charge had reversed and trying to get me to go back in my account. He said the person that was doing the XXXX fraud had now set it up as a daily transaction. I told them I was out and would not be home by a computer until after XXXX. He said he would call back. I immediately called XXXX and he had me come back into the bank to file the dispute and see if XXXX would call back. While XXXX was filing my dispute, XXXX called back, and XXXX listened in as I had the call on speaker. When XXXX spoke up and said he was with Fifth Third and he could not find XXXX  name or ID number in the directory XXXX hung up. After hearing the conversation, XXXX said these guys are good. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I noticed a provisional credit of {$1000.00} posted to my account. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter from Fifth Third Bank and was instructed to complete a written statement regarding the fraud. On XX/XX/XXXX I emailed the signed statement to the Fifth Third Dispute team as instructed. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email from Fifth Third bank warning me of potential scams related to XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I noticed that the provisional credit was reversed. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called the Fifth Third Disputes Team inquiring about the reversal. I talked to XXXX. I was told that my claim was denied and they sent a letter. She told me that the money was unrecoverable. She said I was told that I was responsible for the security of my account when I opened my account. I opened the account over 20 years ago, long before XXXX. She also said Fifth Third would never call me. I mentioned that a few years ago, I was called by Fifth Third related to fraudulent activity on my credit card. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received the denial letter from Fifth Third that states they were unable to recover the disputed amount from the XXXX recipient. 

My main questions/concerns are ; 1. How did the perpetrator of the fraud : a. Get my phone number and link it to my Fifth Third accounts? 
b. How was the scammer able to use the Fifth Third number ( XXXX ) that showed up on my caller ID? 
c. How was the perpetrator able to know personal information from my Fifth Third online accounts? 

2. Why did Fifth Third send me a warning almost a month after I was defrauded? Had they sent the warning a month earlier I would not be in this predicament. 

3. I now understand XXXX is a bank to bank money transfer. Fifth Third and XXXX should know where this money went, why cant it be recovered?

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation