Consumer complaint received 2022-09-11
Company: ASSOCIATED BANC-CORP
State: MN
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
In XX/XX/2022 my mother and I hired XXXX XXXX XXXX of XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, MN, XXXX XXXX or XXXX a cement contractor to do some work for us out of town. He was hired to do one job first and then on completion of 1st job, we would proceed on an additional job. He said the first job had been completed and was paid {$15000.00} for the first job and now he wanted money to purchase materials for the second job of {$35000.00}. While I was on my way to the property 200 miles away on XX/XX/2022 he drove my XXXX XXXX XXXX mother to Associated Bank XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, MN XXXX XXXX to get a cashiers check of {$35000.00} to buy materials for the next phase of the job. When I arrived at the property that day I discovered he had barely even started the 1st job and didnt have any part of it finished! I called my mom right away to not give him any additional money. It was too late, the bank had already issued him a cashiers check for {$35000.00} # XXXX. Mom and I both called Associated Bank to stop payment of the cashiers check. The bank manager, XXXX, said that my mother would have to come in person into the bank to stop payment. Somehow my XXXX  mother managed to drive herself to bank that same day to stop payment ( even though she had started hospice ). The bank manager communicated very little with her and primarily was typing into his computer. He would not let her know what he was typing, nor did he give her a copy, and after dragging out of her sickbed to come to the bank, he denied the request to stop payment on the cashiers check. The bank manager released funds to the fraudulent contractor and swindler. When the bank refused to protect our funds, I immediately called the XXXX Police and reported the fraud, swindling, and extortion that same day! It is being investigated by the XXXX Police Department, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for Elder Abuse & Financial Exploitation, the Attorney Generals Office, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, and MN XXXX XXXX, XXXX. Since then some of mine and my mothers creditors started disconnecting our services - utilities, insurance, phone, etc. We could not understand this because we paid our bills and there was plenty of money in the accounts to cover them..After researching this, we found out that Associated Bank had froze all of XXXX accounts and mine too without ever telling us and left us with no access to any funds! With my mother being so sick and on oxygen 24/7 this was extremely dangerous & could have been life threatening, not to mention inhumane and just down right wrong!! When Associated Bank was called, we were told they were trying to prevent fraud from our accounts. My mother told them that the only fraud we needed protection from was the {$35000.00} cashiers check to fraudulent, swindling felon that the bank refused to stop. They said there is an investigation going on with our accounts and that we could get access to our funds once investigation is done. They would not tell us how long investigation will be, how we could contact who is doing the investigation, or what even makes them think there is any identity theft or compromise of my mothers social security number. We were told by another banker at a different bank that our bank was wrong for not stopping payment of the cashiers check especially when my mother went in person to the bank the same day requesting a stop payment. This banker recommended not going back our bank location again. I believe Associated Bank has been lying to us and trying to cover their butts after releasing the {$35000.00} cashiers check when we requested that they stop it. We have called XXXX XXXX, who said they saw no suspicious activity on our accounts except for one by Associated Bank to our contractor/swindler, no identity theft, and no compromise of my moms social security number. We got the same response from XXXX Credit Bureau, XXXX The Social Security Office did not see my mothers social security number compromised like Associated Bank claimed either. It is now XX/XX/ XXXX and my mother still has no access to any of her funds! I only have partial access to mine. Because the bank did not honor releasing funds for checks we wrote to pay bills or our automatic payments, we dont even have access to use our credit cards due not being paid. We want access to all our funds at Associated Bank! We want our fraudulent {$35000.00} returned as well. We requested a stop payment same day it was issued. We requested our contractor to return our money. We want Associated Bank and the manager held responsible for releasing our funds to a felon. This situation has caused undue stress on my mother and has caused her health to decline rapidly. We need resolution to this soon, I have copy of cashier check and additional bank account numbers. I am unsure if I should be including this here or not - a bit confusing. Please let me know whatever you need from me. 

Thank you in advance for your help!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation