Consumer complaint received 2018-08-02
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: OR
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Traveler's check or cashier's check
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
As a XXXX XXXX much of my work starts as an online inquiry and it's not until I receive payment that I know the job will take place. 

I was contacted by an agency in New York to hire me for a project and I was suspicious that it might be a scam but if it was legitimate it would be a fantastic new connection for my young business. 

A few days later I received a check for {$7100.00} that looked a little odd to me but I'm still unfamiliar with the look of many business checks. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I took it in to my local branch of US Bank at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, OR XXXX and explained my concerns to the teller who looked at the check and said though the check looked a little weird, maybe sort of photocopied, and that the watermarks were strange, we would just go ahead and " see if it clears ''. 

I asked when I could be sure that the money was in my account as the company who issued the check asked me to pay {$4000.00} out of that amount to a company they had selected to hire talent and makeup through. I clearly explained that I was nervous about paying out any money and wasn't about to pay out {$4000.00} until I could be sure that I could count on the {$7100.00}. He agreed with me and told me I would be able to see the check clear on the mobile app by XXXX that night. 

I refused to pay out the {$4000.00} to the XXXX agency ( later revealed to be the scammers ) until I was sure that the initial check for {$7100.00} had cleared. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I went back in and talked to the same cashier. He remembered me and assured me that the money had cleared and was available for use and then issued me a cashiers check when I explained that's how the subcontractor wanted to be paid without ever bringing up potential risks of the {$7100.00} being removed from my account. 

I went down the street to XXXX XXXX where the scammers had instructed me to deposit the cashiers check for {$4000.00} into their account. 

The morning of XXXX I checked my bank balance when going to pay bills and saw that the {$7100.00} had been removed from my account. 

I called US Bank and was connected with someone from the fraud prevention department. She told me that she was unable to do anything from her end but she could see that the funds hadn't left U.S. Bank yet so if I went to the branch they could stop payment on the check. 

I drove down to the branch and talked to the same teller that had listened to my concerns, deposited the illegitimate check and issued the cashiers check. I told him in no uncertain terms that the entire thing had been a scam and I needed to stop payment on the check. After he talked to a manager for over five minutes he came back and told me that the only thing we could do was wait for the check to clear and that he didn't really understand it himself. 

I waited 20 minutes to speak with a manager who told me that I should have read the fine print when I opened my account and that my money was gone and that even if I filed a police report he's never heard of anyone getting their money back in this situation. The check hadn't been cashed yet but after contacting his superior he said that U.S. bank was unwilling to stop payment on the check because if someone did come forward with the check the branch and himself would have to take the {$4000.00} loss and they weren't willing to do that. 

I went to XXXX XXXX  next, the place where I had deposited the check and was assisted by three bankers who were all more stupefied than the last that I'd even been able to deposit the check in the first place, that U.S. bank didn't place a hold on the check after I had brought up concerns of fraud, and then that they had been so completely unhelpful afterward. 

Overall XXXX XXXX where I deposited the cashiers check was much more helpful and professional though eventually failing to reach a resolution. I don't even have an account with XXXX. 

Even with a time sensitive issue the U.S. bank branch was unable to pull an image of the check that was returned or give the reason for the return even though the check had been deposited 5 days ago and amount had been pulled from my account balance the previous business day. 

Now XXXX I've opened a police report but still don't have an image of the check or reason for return. 

In addition to being completely unwilling to own up to their part in my falling victim to the scam they were rude and unwilling to assist me in any way. I trusted U.S. Bank and their representatives to advise me financially and protect my interests and they were instead more interested in how it affected them and the branch 's bottom line.

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