Consumer complaint received 2017-08-07
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: PA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer
Sub-issue: Charged for a purchase or transfer you did not make with the card

Complaint:
I am filing this complaint against U.S. Bank because they have refused to assist with recovering stolen funds and allowing me to access the remaining funds that were not stolen. I have a total of ( 16 ) {$200.00} pre-paid MasterCard gift cards that were all purchased from XXXX between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. I recently opened them for the first time from its packaging and when I checked the balances online, I found that all were used to make purchases without my knowledge and consent. Some were even registered in names of people that I do not recognize. None have a {$0.00} balance. The balances range from as low as {$.00} to as high as {$150.00}. I contacted the cards ' customer service at XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and was told to fax over copies of the front and back of each card to Lost/Stolen Replacement Card Request at XXXX and all of my cards will be replaced. Several weeks passed and I still did not receive anything in the mail. I called them again on XX/XX/XXXX and was told that I also had to fax my information to XXXX XXXX at XXXX, which I did. I then received a letter in the mail stating they are unable to assist with my dispute on 4 of the cards because their notice of dispute was received beyond their allowed time frame of 120 days of the date the charged posted to the account. I received a separate letter in the mail stating that they are able to assist with my dispute on 2 of the cards so long as I return their required documents within their required time frame. There was no mention of the remaining 10 cards in question. I 've contacted XXXX XXXX because I used an XXXX XXXX credit card to pay for all of these purchases, but they are only able to dispute any charges within 60 days of the posted charges. Ive contacted XXXX as well and they, too, are unable to assist. I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau on XX/XX/XXXX. After several exchanges with U.S. Bank through the BBB, they determined that they are unable to assist with the disputes of the fraudulent transactions because I did not report them within 120 days from when the fraudulent activity occurred. This is an unacceptable response and a flawed term and condition. How could I have reported the fraudulent activity if I did not yet open the cards from their original packaging? Why would I not report it if I knew about it? This is a clear case whereby someone somewhere was able to determine the correct 16-digit card numbers and expiration dates and use the funds either online or over the phone to make purchases. I purchased them brand new and unopened and expected them to each have the full value on them, not all partially used. In addition to refusing to help me to recover my stolen funds, theyve completely ignored the fact that there were still funds on the cards at the time I reported the fraudulent activity and have prevented me from ever accessing those funds. When I first reported the fraudulent activity, their standard practice is to freeze the cards, which means that the cards can no longer be used and the funds are inaccessible unless the cards are replaced. I 've sent them all of the documentation requested to replace the cards, but nothing has been done. I dont know what you would consider this type of action on their part, theft? Theyve prevented me from accessing something that is mine, which is more or less taking something that belongs to me away from me. Lastly, U.S. Bank stated that their current research of the fraud on my cards has been inconclusive and asked that I return all ( 16 ) cards to them. They have the front and back of each of the ( 16 ) cards. There is absolutely no reason for them to have the physical cards in hand unless they intend to reimburse me in full for {$3300.00} ( {$200.00} *16 ). I do not want to send my cards to them. In the rare case where the cards get lost in shipment, I have no further proof for the claims that I am making against U.S. Bank.

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 monetary relief