Consumer complaint received 2019-01-10
Company: SUNTRUST BANKS, INC.
State: GA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low
Sub-issue: Overdrafts and overdraft fees

Complaint:
Suntrust bank Case no. XXXX. 

suntrust bank, attn : XXXX fraud assistance center, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, fl XXXX-XXXX. 

Suntrust bank owes me {$700.00} as a result of fraudulent purchases made on the account which they refuse to reimburse. As a result of these fraudulent purchases the account went into overdraft status and {$180.00} in overdraft fees were incurred which I am also requesting reimbursement. I am also requesting reasonable interest on the reimbursable amount. 

I visited a local branch of suntrust bank XXXX crossing located at XXXX XXXX XXXX   XXXX, XXXX XXXX ga XXXX on XX/XX/2018 to get a copy of my bank statement with account number ending in XXXX. A review of the statement revealed that fraudulent activities had occurred on the account. I immediately informed a bank associate who I believed to be a manager of the fraudulent activities and was told that I was responsible for the fraudulent activities and would not be reimbursed by suntrust bank. I then contacted the bank by telephone and notified the bank 's fraud department of the fraudulent activities and was told that an investigation would occur. I informed the bank that as account holders, neither my husband or myself had made the transactions and neither one of us had authorized anyone else to do so. My husband 's suntrust debit card had been replaced. At the same time, the bank told me to contact the agencies where the account fraudulent actitivies occurred. One company was XXXX XXXX and the other was XXXX XXXX. I contacted XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX and was told that resolution of the fraud activities must be resolved by the bank. 

I contacted suntrust bank on XX/XX/2018 and was told that my claim for reimbursement was denied but was given no reason for the denial. At that time, I requested a copy of data used to make the decision that denied the claim so I may form a rebuttal. But I was given no reason on why the claim was denied. At that time I also responded that I could not complete the form unless I had official reason for the claim denial. 

I contacted suntrust bank again on XX/XX/2018, XX/XX/2018 and XX/XX/2018 and the bank representatives said bank 's records showed no reasons for the denial. On one occasion, I waited 45, minutes to talk with a representative from suntrust bank after which time the employee disconnected the call. 

Finally I spoke with a representative that told me my claim for reimbursement was denied because at one time in the past a service by one of the agencies was purchased using the account. I was not even informed of which agency. I informed sun trust bank again that neither myself or my husband had made any purchase for games nor had we authorized anyone else to do so. I again requested documentation of the the data used to the deny the claim informing the bank that I couldn't form an adequate rebuttal without written reason for claim denial. I still haven't receive that information. Though, suntrust bank forwarded several copy of its rebuttal form informing me to complete form and return to suntrust bank, attn : XXXX fraud assistance center, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, fl XXXX-XXXX. Unfortunately, the form Did not have a method to contact someone verbally. Case no. XXXX. 

They were numerous purchases made on the account using my husband 's debit card that caused the account to be in an overdraft status with overdraft fees incurred. Previously I was not an account holder. I informed suntrust bank that my husband had conducted online banking but had recently been diagnosed as XXXX XXXX and was unable to conduct online banking during the time the fraudulent activities occurred. 

With so much gaming purchase all of a sudden completed on the bank account, it is incredulous that suntrust didn't have a fraud alert system in place to notify, or at least warn my husband of these suspicious activities. On one months statement 36 transaction for games along with overdraft fees occurred. Another month 's statement had 39 transactions that occurred also incurring overdraft fees.

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