Consumer complaint received 2020-03-04
Company: PEOPLE'S UNITED BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: MA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed

Complaint:
As a non-account holder, I am unable get information on the status of release of funds held somewhere between two banks following an unauthorized check deposit of funds due to me. 
A check made out to me by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the amount of {$5800.00} was " mailed '' to me on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX called me to tell me that an individual who was not the payee tried to fraudulently deposit my check through an ATM into an account of another name ( not me ) But that they did not get the funds and they are holding the funds. They told me I must get the payor-account holders bank Peoples United Bank to submit paperwork to allow them to release the funds. 
The payor on the check is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission [ GIC ] - ( a state agency of Massachusetts that handles health and other insurance for state  employees ). The MA GIC bank that the check was drawn upon is People 's United Bank - routing no. XXXX. GIC bank records show that as of XX/XX/XXXX the check was " issued '' on XX/XX/XXXX, " posted '' on XX/XX/XXXX, and the status is " paid ''. An image of the check showed the back of the check was blank with NO endorsement of any sort on it. 
I do not have any account with either People 's United Bank or with XXXX  XXXX XXXX so I am unable to pursue any investigation or release of my funds directly. I have been trying to work with the payor-GIC to get them to work with their bank-People 's United Bank to get my funds released from the " hold '' placed on them by XXXX  XXXX XXXX. I have done all that I can from my end to get this resolved. 
I completed a " Check Affidavit, [ to ] People 's United Bank '', on XX/XX/XXXX but was not able to give this affidavit to Peoples United Bank directly because the check is not drawn on my account and they told me to go to the payor-GIC to have them submit it. I was able to get payor-GIC through their legal department to accept the affidavit from me to give to Peoples United Bank to start the process to get the funds sent back to their bank for the payor to then reissue payment to me. I gave the original, notarized affidavit to the payor-GICs legal department who later told me they submitted all the information to People 's United Bank  around XX/XX/XXXX. As late as XX/XX/XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX told me that my funds are still on " hold '' with them but they could give me no more details. They gave me a fax number to give to the payors bank Peoples United Bank. to give to their bank. 
Because either bank can not communicate directly with me, I am unable to get information on the status of release of my funds or able to learn whether there is even a claim begun between the two banks - most particularly People 's United Bank. Payor-GIC said they will let me know when they get a response from their bank but have told me nothing further. 
It is now 7 weeks since the check first issued from the payor and I have no way to know when or if these funds will ever be released to me in any timely manner, if ever. 
I am in early retirement status and my spouse, a XXXX XXXX survivor has exhausted unemployment benefits. This payment is urgently needed! This payment was a refund for health insurance premium overpayments that were unavoidable. It should be noted that the check that first issued on XX/XX/XXXX for these funds and was purportedly mailed to me then, but I have never received it. In communication with payor-GIC, they put a stop payment on that first check and I have heard nothing further about it.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation