Consumer complaint received 2020-04-19
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: IL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
I opened a checking account with Fifth Third Bank on XX/XX/2020 at the branch on XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, IL XXXX. I deposited {$480.00} cash into my checking account on XX/XX/2020 inside the branch with a teller at XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, IL XXXX, bringing my account balance to {$480.00}. On XX/XX/2020 I receive a text message alert from the bank telling me my balance was low at only {$0.00}. To find out what happened, I call the banker at the branch where I opened my account and she tells me that the money was withdrawn from an ATM in XXXX, GA. In the time leading up to this, I had never received any debit card in the mail, I had not activated any debit card, I had not traveled to XXXX, GA, and I do not know anyone who lives in XXXX, GA with my personal information. Therefore, the banker advises me to file a dispute claim with Fifth Third Bank for this {$480.00} withdrawal transaction. I proceed to do so and the bank provisionally puts the {$480.00} back into my checking account. As they review my claim, I receive another alert saying the {$480.00} that the bank put into my account, has been taken back. After contacting the local bank branch, I find out that my claim has been denied by the dispute team, and the individual who helped me open my checking account is now leaving the branch ( this seems suspicious to me ). The branch manager advises that I email the dispute team and explain why I do not agree with the denial, which I proceed to do on XX/XX/2020. After basically re-opening the dispute case, the corporate team tells me they will have a decision within 1 month. After waiting for one month, I do not hear anything from Fifth Third Bank by XX/XX/2020, so I decide to call them myself on XX/XX/2020. When I do, they apologize for not having a decision yet and say they need 2 more business days and I will need to call back. When I call back on XX/XX/2020, I am told that the decision to deny my claim will stay and there is nothing the bank can do going forward, and if I want the case to be opened again, I will have to email the dispute team again with my reasoning for why the case should be opened. The dispute team-member also advises that I file a police report because she thinks someone stole the debit card from my mailbox and activated and used it. I dont believe this to be true at all, since I live in XXXX, IL and the ATM transaction was in XXXX, GA. However, I do file a police report with the XXXX Police Department, case # XXXX with Officer XXXX on XX/XX/2020. Since then, I have emailed Fifth Third Bank on XX/XX/2020 to reopen my dispute case, and I provide them with the police report number. In addition, I ask them to retrieve the video footage from the security camera at the ATM, as well as the phone number that was used to call and activate my debit card. It has been 2 months now with no resolution and I am very disappointed at all the time and effort I have had to put to get my {$480.00} back into my checking account, with NO help from Fifth Third Bank.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation