Consumer complaint received 2017-11-19
Company: BB&T CORPORATION
State: GA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX came to my residence to purchase a motorcycle I had advertised on XXXX. He only brought {$1300.00} of the money needed to purchase the motorcycle. He said he was to transfer {$1400.00} via XXXX/XXXX and it would show up immediately in my account. I gave him my telephone number ( which he already had ) and my full name and he began the transfer. It did not in fact show in my account immediately so I refused to allow him to take the bike. He left without any issue which I found odd. This took place on a Sunday and Monday I had n't seen the money or heard from him so I called him and he told me his best friend who test rode my motorcycle left his house after the went home the day they came to see me, he got on his motorcycle and got in an accident and XXXX, he was XXXX. He tells me he no longer wants a motorcycle. Personally the story sounded too crazy and mad me suspect his honestly, as it was communicated VERY clearly that to purchase my motorcycle you would need to bring cash. He did not. Then he gave an outlandish story as to why he wanted his money back. Tuesday morning XX/XX/XXXX the funds did show in my account. I decided to call my bank BB & T to confirm that there was no way that if I were to return his money that he could take the money back out of my account. The customer service line informed me there was no way but to call XXXX and his bank ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) to ensure this is the case. I did this XXXX told me once a transaction goes through it can not be undone. They could not do that. I called XXXX XXXX XXXX which if you are not a customer you have to sit on hold for around 30 minutes to reach someone ( but still did it because this is my money we were talking about ). XXXX XXXX XXXX told me there was no was to take the transaction back I was safe to return his money. I still felt like I was being scammed so I took some extra time and went into my personal bank and spoke to my Branch Banker at BB & T XXXX XXXX, she told me BB & T would not allow anyone to touch my money without my authorization. Additionally she called XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX told her the transfer could not be reversed one it was complete their systems did not allow for reversal, XXXX XXXX XXXX informed her that the only conceivable way the transaction could even be disputed was if the account holder told them that his account was commandeered and the money was sent by someone other than himself. I still felt very odd about the whole thing as it took me about a week to do my own due diligence in gathering this information and going into my bank. I still did n't feel comfortable about the whole matter not to mention the sender, XXXX XXXX had limited contact with me. If someone had {$1400.00} of my money I would keep close tabs on when my money would be returned. This made me feel more uneasy. I asked he come in and sit down with my Branch Banker, XXXX XXXX as she suggested I do this to better gauge the sincerity of the situation. He said he would, but then kept backing out. This only furthered my suspensions. My Branck Banker at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX said it might be best to return the money through XXXX leaving a paper trail. SI I sent up a XXXX  account for money transfer outbound by confirming several deposits and was attempting to send the money when I was told that I could only send a maximum of {$1000.00} per day. I messaged XXXX XXXX and asked how he got around this, he stated he did n't have this issue. Making me even more concerned about getting scammed. I waited about 30-45 days thinking that if there was any way to retract the funds that it would have to be done in a reasonable amount of time, with nothing being taken back from my account I felt more comfortable returning his money. Not to mention he had all of a sudden gotten very pushy to get his money back and wanted it in cash. I attempted to send it back via XXXX while I was driving down the road and accidentally clicked on something that made a dialog box appear asking if I wanted to cancel my XXXX account. I was driving and thought I hit the transfer button and just clicked yes without really reading until later. After I did I realized I closed my XXXX account that took about a week to open. Frustrated I told him I would bank to bank wire transfer the money to him and asked for his account number he sent me a picture you could not read the numbers for. I was utterly frustrated with the situation and my sister-in-law had just passed in XXXX, Texas and I was attempting to go there and deal with running a business and I gave up for several days. Then he called me when I was working and we worked out for his sister to come get the money from my work address. Which the two days after we spoke, she did. I returned the money in cash as it had been over 30 days and I was ASSURED by my bank and his bank there was no way to retract the funds back from my account without my authorization. About a week and a half later I see on XX/XX/XXXX a debit in the amount of {$1400.00}. I went into my bank the same day and spoke to my Branch Banker, XXXX XXXX and she opened a research. It took almost 2 weeks and XXXX ( contact information XXXX, reference ticket # XXXX ) in research with her managers XXXX and/or XXXX to tell me that XXXX XXXX XXXX sent over a Letter of Indemnity stating that I authorized the funds to be  deducted from my account. I did no such thing, so I was told to contact the CEO line ( contact number XXXX ) at BB & T and file fraud ( contact number XXXX claim # XXXX ). I asked directly for this Letter of Indemnity, and was told I would have to contact XXXX XXXX XXXX for it. Upon opening the fraud claim, I was told that documents would be sent to me that was urgent that I sign and return within 10 days, and I believe at this point they discussed the possible opportunity of a provisional credit. About 5-6 days later I received two letters from BB & T, one dated XX/XX/XXXX stating that additional document would follow and they needed to be returned in a timely manner, within the 10 day previously elaborated upon, and the second dated XX/XX/XXXX telling me that my fraud claim was closed there was no fraud and that I could call if I ever needed them again. I then called the CEO line and was never given any method of tracking this issue with them but was told they usual ; ly respond within 3-7 days but are given 10. I wait 2 full weeks and had n't heard back. I was having phone issues as my brother-in-law I was VERY close to ( who 's wife just XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX ) XXXX  XXXX early XX/XX/XXXX and I am unwilling to lose my physical phone as there are messages in it that can not transfer to another device. SO I am stuck with a malfunctioning phone. I called the CEO line after 10 days and asked the status and was told they had tried to reach me but would try to get the appropriate person to reach back out to me on or about XXXX. Additionally, on XXXX I had gone into my BB & T branch to speak with the Branch Banker that helped me with this to discover she was no longer with BB & T. I was forced to deal with the other Branch Banker in Investments, XXXX XXXX to take up this issue. She told me that there was nothing that could be done that in fact another customer of BB & T 's had just lost over {$26000.00} because the money she sent to her closing attorney for a house purchase, his email was hacked and the funds were somehow redirected, and there was nothing she could do for her either. I was then instructed to go to XXXX XXXX XXXX and do n't take no for an answer to get the Letter of Indemnity. I instead thinking alone this was ludicrous called XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, I was lucky enough to get the Branch Manager, XXXX XXXX ( XXXX and XXXX ) who informed me just as I suspected that is in fact my banks job to  investigate suspected fraud on on my account and that even if I were to come in and ask for the Letter of Indemnity there would be no way possible for her to locate it as I am not a customer and I do n't have the account number for the person who has perpetrated the fraud. She told me of how that is the role of my bank to handle matters such as this not to send me, the customer in knowing there is nothing they can do for me. She offered to make herself completely available as well as to research the item IF I could get this Letter of Indemnity. She not only told me this via phone but told another Branch Banker XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) that she needed to do her job and open a fraud claim, or re-open the fraud claim with new information and assist me, the customer. XXXX XXXX finally got to a point just before XXXX that they were going to send the Letter of Indemnity for us to view. But I could n't have it because it 's an internal document. As it approached XXXX I told her I had to pick up my car that was getting tires put on it and she had to close and leave so we retired to reconvene the following day XX/XX/XXXX. I received a call from XXXX XXXX around XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, she had the document and wanted to know if I had additional information for XXXX XXXX. Which I had a XXXX XXXX photo from when he initially came to see my motorcycle, and contact numbers for him. I provided them to her. I was finally called about XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX XXXX informed me that the Letter of Indemnity stated that XXXX XXXX had sent the money to the wrong person and that the funds were recalled through ACH. I vehemently stated there was no way that was true and I had proof in messages from him, photo of his ID, not to mention I did more than my due diligence in ensuring this could not happen. I was told by BB & T at SEVERAL instances that this could not happen, they could not reverse the deposit and no one could touch my money without my authorization. Well now they have and asked XXXX what the definition of fraud was ( for reference definition of fraud being 1 ) wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain, or 2 ) a person or thing intended to deceive others, typically by unjustifiably claiming or being credited with accomplishments or qualities ), and that if this was not fraud exactly what was? I also asked what is the purpose of giving a financial institution my money to hold and protect if they do n't adhere to their own rules I signed with I opened my accounts in protecting my money. I was then told that this went through ACH and that is not something they can dispute and that she had worked half the day on this ( I assume to make me feel for her, but is n't that her job ) and there was nothing BB & T would do and that I could file a small claims suit. I advised her that I did n't care if the transaction came through carrier pigeon, if it is fraudulent it 's fraudulent, and is it not the role of my bank to investigate, take note of my overwhelming evidence, and then make a decision and that if I were going to pay money to hire a lawyer and file a suit I would be more inclined to file against BB & T for breach of contract. She told me again how she worked on this for almost all day and there 's nothing she can do. I was finally told that XXXX XXXX was the only person who signed the Letter of Indemnity and that he swore and stated that the money was sent to the wrong account, how could that conceivably be so when I have so much proof to the contrary that was never thought to be considered? Yet I still can not get a copy of this Letter of Indemnity. 

This answer is completely unacceptable! I want a claim opened to fully investigate this fraudulent activity. I want a provisional credit in my account immediately in the amount of the {$1400.00}. I want safeguard and processes enacted to protect other customer from this, as BB & T is partnering with XXXX for bill pay. I want EVERY Branch Banker and Teller made aware of this so they can correctly advise their customers how to handle this situation. I want BB & T to modify their fraud reporting policies to allow customers who have had electronic fraud perpetrated on their account ( s )  to ensure their funds are protected against ACH transaction fraud. I want minimally STRICT reprimands for both BB & T employees XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX for not doing their job and assisting me, the customer in filing fraud and not being willing to investigate a truly fraudulent transaction that cost me financially. At no point did BB & T ever even ask for any proof that this might be fraudulent, never to date asked for the back and forth text messages, never asked until XX/XX/XXXX, when they were clearly adamant they would do nothing to help, for XXXX XXXX identification card I clearly communicated that I did in fact have a photo of, never asked for any proof that this might not be a valid transaction. BB & T entertained the idea that I was the true one that fraud was being perpetrated. I want a personal apology from BB & T for costing me time and money. I do n't want anything more than the money I was told would be protected, money I was told directly by multiple BB & T representatives could not be taken from my account without authorization, money that was taken from my account through an act of fraud. 

I have attached the following to support my claim ; 1 ) Text message string from XXXX XXXX and myself ( please let me know if it does not display properly and I can resend each screenshot ) 2 ) Photo ID from XXXX XXXX XXXX ) Screenshot from my account at BB & T showing the funds deposited XX/XX/XXXX and the funds withdrawn XX/XX/XXXX 4 ) I believe I have audio recording of the first rep at BB & T verbally telling me at the customer service number that this transaction could not be recalled and I will work to locate the file to further support my claim. 

Please feel free to reach me at XXXX or XXXX or XXXX or via XXXX if I can provide any further information about this matter. Thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide in resolution of this matter.

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