Consumer complaint received 2020-07-14
Company: HOME BANCSHARES, INC.
State: FL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX To Whom It May Concern : The purpose of this complaint made against Centennial Bank is to receive full credit to my checking account for unauthorized transactions made with my checking account debit card. I noticed my Centennial Bank debit card was missing on XX/XX/XXXX, and then logged into Centennial Bank online banking to look at my account, and that is when I discovered eleven unauthorized transactions had been made. I immediately called XXXX Banks Customer Care Center to report the lost card, and to file a claim for the unauthorized transactions. I told the customer service representative ( XXXX XXXX XXXX that I lost the card without my knowledge and noticed the card missing because I was going to use it for a transaction. Accordingly, on XX/XX/XXXX I received a debit card dispute form via email to complete and sign. The document was mostly filled in with the answers I provided at the time the claim was made on XX/XX/XXXX, i.e., the card wasnt in my possession at the time the transactions were made, the card was lost, and no one had access to the card or PIN. Also, the button was marked that I did not participate or have knowledge of the unauthorized transactions. The form was electronically signed and submitted to the Fraud Dept. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a mailed letter from Centennial Bank which stated, This letter is to inform you that we have made a final determination regarding your claim. Based on the facts of our investigation, we have concluded that no error occurred. No further action will be taken. You have the right to request the documents that the institution relied on in making its determination. Therefore, I called the Centennial Bank Customer Care Center and asked why my claim had been denied. I was told by the representative that Centennial Bank hadnt received the debit card dispute form. I responded that the document had been completed and emailed on XX/XX/XXXX. The representative said in that case she needed to find out what happened to the document. Either the same day or the next I went to the Centennial Bank XXXX branch ( the closest to my residence ) and spoke with XXXX XXXX, a branch supervisor, and explained what had happened. XXXX said she would communicate with the fraud investigator and get in touch with me. Accordingly, the first line of business was finding the dispute form I had emailed or resubmitting a new dispute form. Within a day or two XXXX called me and said that the Fraud Dept. had the dispute form and the investigation would be reopened. Moving forward, on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX called me to tell me that the Fraud Dept. was upholding its original decision to deny my claim. When I asked XXXX what evidence the bank had obtained to verify I was involved in the transactions, she said that the bank had a XXXX surveillance video from a merchant showing someone that appeared to be me. Next, XXXX began communicating via email on XX/XX/XXXX and requested more information to help substantiate my fraud claim. I replied on the same date via email that I dont have any additional information other than the information that was provided on the debit card dispute form ( see the attached email ). I also reiterated that I didnt make the transactions, nor did I authorize anyone to make the transactions. Also, I havent ever done business with any of the merchants where the card was fraudulently used. XXXX replied on XX/XX/XXXX that the case cant be reopened without additional information when merchants are able to verify a clients involvement ( attached email ). On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX sent an email to say that Centennial Bank couldnt provide the information they have, but that more than one merchant confirmed my participation in the transactions. Hence, I asked via email if she could provide the merchants names that verified my participation so I may contact them. Her reply was, contact all of them. Therefore, I requested the transaction times for each of the transaction dates for all the charges. Once that information was provided, I contacted the merchants to see if I could obtain CCTV video footage. Some of the merchants dont use CCTV, but all the ones that use CCTV surveillance video told me that the video can only be provided to law enforcement, and that the information would never be provided directly to an individual or a financial institution. Law enforcement would obtain the video and then may show the video to me. Therefore, the information I had received from XXXX that a merchant had provided CCTV footage to prove I made the transaction, or was in the area, turned out to be false. There hasnt been any further communication with XXXX or another Centennial Bank employee. 
As stated at the beginning of the complaint, what I seek is credits for the eleven unauthorized transactions on my account. At this time, Centennial Bank has not been able to provide any documents or other evidence that I was involved either directly or indirectly in the aforementioned transactions. I have the consumer right to request documents that the institution relied on in making its determination. Ive attached a copy of the debit card dispute form that was emailed to Centennial Bank, the XX/XX/XXXX claim denial letter, the checking account disputed transactions, along with all email correspondence with XXXX XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation