Consumer complaint received 2022-08-01
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: MI
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
We experienced wire fraud on from our savings account, in which {$24000.00} was transferred to another 5/3 bank location. We live in Michigan  and the wire transfer occurred in Florida. This is clearly fraud. Below is our timeline of exhaustive efforts to get our money back. Thank you for your help!!! 

Timeline of Fraud Starting balance of savings account was : XXXX After wire fraud and transfer fee left XXXX in account. 

XXXX XXXX : Wife gets email about changed contact information ( address, phone, email ). 
XXXX : Wife calls 5/3 talks to representative from phone number provided on 5/3 website. Rep assists in changing contact information back to wifes info. 
-Both of us are working. I have to badge into Police Department and Courthouse, she drops baby off at XXXX at XXXX ish and has to provide access door code. She also picks him up around XXXX that same day. Works from XXXX. 
-Wife locked out of account all day despite changing contact info with rep. 
-Today is the day the wire fraud occurred. 

XXXX -We close on both houses. No transaction from 5/3 in order to close. After closing we received the difference from the profit on the sale of XXXX house. We both drop it off to 5/3 on XXXX XXXX. in XXXX, XXXX, sign the back and deposit it. Obviously should be on camera. Deposit occurred around XXXX PM. 
XXXX PM : I check account balances to see if deposited check cleared. Notice that nearly {$25000.00} is missing from savings account. I notice that a wire transfer occurred on XXXX for {$24000.00} and a {$30.00} wire fee. I immediately call 5/3 fraud line, but call center is closed. Wife still can not access her account. 

XXXX ( day 1-investigation begins ) -I call the fraud line first thing in the morning and keep getting shuffled from person to person. This occurs for XXXX minutes until my call is dropped. I then decide to drive to a branch. 
XXXX : I speak with XXXX XXXX 5/3 branch. XXXX reports that looking into the wire transfer, it appears that it was a domestic wire transfer to a 5/3 location in Florida. State that someone must have posed as wife. He stated his frustration because the account appeared to be locked at the item of wire transfer. XXXX starts wire fraud investigation and emails XXXX XXXX other banker ) to keep in the loop. XXXX reports he or XXXX will call back later in the day. Suggests filing a police report. 
-I call dispatch and request to file a fraud report. Later receive a call from XXXX XXXX to file report. XXXX. XXXX requests location of 5/3 bank where the wire was sent. Completed my statement and police report filed under XXXX. 
-I end up calling XXXX to request 5/3 location where the wire fraud occurred. He sends and email to get the location and I inform him that I have filed a police report. Provide XXXX with the PR number. 
-wife goes to 5/3 branch and provides photo ID to XXXX XXXX person. 
-I talk with wife and she informs me that she received and email alert not a text alert on her phone. She XXXX  5/3 bank contact info and calls on Tuesday ( XXXX ). 

XXXX ( XXXX ) -Collect screenshots of email wife received on the XXXX and fwd to XXXX. XXXX, XXXX wife in email. 
-Told wife she needs to go to 5/3 and reset her password asap. 

XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX : Wife and I go to 5/3 bank and met with XXXX XXXX XXXX close our old accounts and move money to new accounts. XXXX appears concerned but is more concerned with selling us other 5/3 products. Explained to her that we can not even think beyond getting our money back. XXXX provides address of scammer of a XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXXXXXX and phone of XXXX. This was the changed info listed on the account. Makes me wonder if 5/3 even ever helped wife change her contact info on the XXXX. I later run this address through XXXX county XXXX  tax site and the address comes back to a male. 
-Sent update to XXXX. XXXX because previous email was in drafts. 

XXXX ( XXXX ) -Wife was told money wire to 5/3 in Florida and then went into a XXXX account with account holder first name XXXX XXXX Gets contact info for XXXX rep XXXX @ XXXX No response. 
-Have heard nothing from Bank Protection regarding findings. 
-None of our debit cards work. Luckily able to activate 5/3 credit card. 

XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX AM : Called XXXX at XXXX and left a voicemail. 
-Wife reports that XXXX XXXX her back and stated that she needed to request a Holds Harmless form 5/3 bank stating that wire transfer was fraudulent. Wife calls and speaks with XXXX from bank protection XXXX. XXXX forwards Wife to the fraud department and states she needs to ask for a provisional credit. Wife ends up being passed from person to person and eventually disconnected. 
-Dep. XXXX calls reporting that he never received my emails. I review verbally what is going on and then he provides email via text. I can send over my previous emails and screenshots. XXXX. XXXX confirms receipt over text. 
- XXXX : I call 5/3 fraud detection and hold for over XXXX minutes. Finally got in touch with XXXX from disputes @ about XXXX. Requested update on status of case. She reviewed case. I also asked for provisional credit. She reported that shes having computer issues and is going to speak with a supervisor. She then reports that she can not dispute wire frauds and needs to transfer me to a Wire Frauds Dispute Department. Transfers me there @ XXXX. XXXX answers and reports that this is the commercial fraud department and gives me a number for XXXX, she forwards me, and I release that shes sent me to the beginning of the phone tree again. I have hang up and get back to work. 
XXXX : XXXX XXXX claim outlining our inability to get a remedy to our wire fraud. ( Complaint ID : XXXX, Date Filed : XXXX ) XXXX : Submit FDIC XXXX outlining our inability to get a remedy to our wire fraud. ( Case # XXXX, Institution name : Fifth Third Bank , National Association, Current Status : Active, Date Submitted XXXX ). 

XXXX ( XXXX ) - XXXX I called and spoke with XXXX at 5/3 bank XXXX XXXX. XXXX. Requested to speak with either XXXX or XXXX. XXXX reports they are both out of the office. She took my name and number and stated on of them would call me back. 
XXXX Call to 5/3 bank fraud line at XXXX. Speak with XXXX and placed on hold to speak with my case specialist. First time that Ive heard that my wife and I have a case specialist. XXXX reports that she is connecting me to XXXX who is the case specialist assigned to me. I speak with XXXX. XXXX reported that she is assigned to me and handles all concerns assigned to her through the XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX has a copy of my XXXX report and this timeline of who has been contacted. I gave her a run down of our situation. XXXX appears to be genuinely helpful. I discussed with her the holds harmless letter being requested by XXXX at XXXX. She states that she will be focusing on that. I also ask her about the fraud complaint attached to 5/3 bank and ask her what my number is. She reports XXXX. I ask her how long this investigation typically takes, and she reported that essentially with XXXX banks being involved it could take 30 days or longer. But that she tries to close complaints out within 7-10 days. XXXX provides me with a direct phone number to check the status of the fraud investigation. XXXX phone number is XXXX. I told XXXX that I appreciated her time today. She reported that she will keep me updated. 
XXXX Received a XXXX XXXX at 5/3 following up on my XXXX post on the 5/3 website. Noting that no revealing information was provided during the post. Post made simply to put pressure on 5/3. XXXX reports concern for the case. I tell him that I got off the phone with XXXX the XXXX XXXX. He reported that he knows XXXX. He stated that if there is anything they can do to please call him. I tell him I appreciate his help. 

XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) - Sent email to Fifth Third XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation