Consumer complaint received 2022-02-12
Company: TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: VA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
Sat/ Sun-XXXX- Discovered a {$5000.00} check via Truist Bank Call24 system, dated XX/XX/XXXX. Spoke to Cutomer Svc, asked to reverse transaction. Told can not reverse it after 24 hours. 

Monday-XXXX- Called bank to confirm amount can not be reversed. Told to come in and file dispute form. 

Tues- XXXX- Called Local, State, Federal law enforcement agencies, and other Regulatory agencies. Emailed. Researched laws and regulatory statutes. Called bank that cashed altered check. Some agencies helpful many not. 
Called XXXX- Report taken and email address given to send pertinent info. I was told by local XXXX Va police dept call center that crimes involving " paper checks '' will not be taken, only cash robberies and credit cards reports can be taken. Not paper cash or checks counterfeited or stolen, unless from ones person. 

Wed- XX/XX/XXXX - Went to XXXX XXXX to file form and to ask about process. Filled out Affidavit of Fraud form. Told I would likely be credited back all funds based on her ( XXXX XXXX ) experience. But that I must call only the Credit Fraud Dept. for updates. Advised to close that account, open new one. Put Hold on compromised Checking Acct. Opened new Checking acct, funded with transfer out of old one. Asked about likelyhood of getting funds back, told very likely. Asked about time for return of funds, told possibly up to 90 days but unknown definite time. Asked why I can not be credited immedeately now that I've shown proof of fraud. Told we have to follow our proceedures. 

Called XXXX, XXXX and other agencies. Told I will be helped only IF, Depository bank will not help me. Thus, I Must wait until one bank or the other tells me case closed or I have not been contacted Apprx XXXX Called Fraud Claims- Told I must wait minimum-90 Days from when they received Written Claim which was XX/XX/XXXX, told them this seems like this is a cut n dry case and why cant my funds be returned now? Told thisquestion is not their department Apprx XXXX Called Fraud Claims again- Told by XXXX that IF, there is NSF in the Account debiting, then there is no money to be returned and that my claim will be Denied!!! Told that I, have the responsibility for my checks, no matter how sent, and that the bank is not responsible for these funds if the debiting bank account is closed, or doesnt have the amount to return... Told him that is unacceptable, because I showed all resonable care in placing original check in Mailslot of local Office. NOT Postal Mailbox on street. And the fact that the Depository Bank likely the account has little funds or is even open still, after all this time. He said we ( Truist ) are not responsible for fraudulenty presented checks, and that I am free to obtain an attorney to get any information on their invesitgation, their internal proceedures, or the data gathered during process as i will never be given that exact information via the Fraud Dept. I asked him what is my next step then to get my money back, he said he can not answer. 

Apprx XXXX Called XXXX  XXXX XXXX as per info from XXXX to inform them of stolen / altered check and to cooperate with them on any investigation as the theft may have occured from their end. 

Apprx XXXXXXXX went into local branch, told by XXXX that I have done all the steps necessary and must wait for investigation to be completed. Told me that she is not sure, but if I was told that there is no funds in the account debiting mine then the account could be denied, then that is true. I asked her what is next step for me to take in order to get the stolen funds back into my account, also seeing as my debited account is also now closed... She said I can file a complaint! I asked, a complaint with whom??? She said our complaint department handles all complaints. I said how will that help me get my funds returned? She said she didn't know. 

XXXX Went to XXXX branch. XXXX was walking out as I was waiting to speak to her. Said she's never heard of " Provisional Credit '' Acct. type= Bank Can not open any acct if not Funded or Line of Credit... Asked could any other branch mangr help me, she said yes. Went to XXXX XXXX XXXX said she's never heard of Provisional Account. ( been banking 30+years ) She said she can call # and ask for Manager of Investigation as to " Status '' for me- Told her Im not here today to get any 'updates or status reports ' on claim. As w/ prior call I was simply told that " If there is no money, insufficient funds, or debting acct is closed my claim will be Denied '' Thus since my claim has HIGH likelyhood of Denial with only that Flimsy of conditions so then no point in getting status. My desire is for a line of credit until my acct is restored. No charge. Or restore all monies now via an " XXXX '' type of acct to show Truist 's " good faith '' and Good Will towards me. She said she'd never heard of " Provisional Account '' but had heard of provisional credit. Which she said is Not and Acct... I asked her how it can not be an account, and I proceeded to put my phone on the desk. ( I am routinely recorded every call to banks and possibly in that office ) She said she did not feel comfortable being recorded and that If I should continue that she will not speak to me. I told her I must as I need a record as to what kind of service I'm getting or not getting and what the bank is telling me. She left the room w/o telling me would I get any help or not.!!! Wrote down the notes here, and looked out office to see her on the phone at teller counter. 
She came in and put desk phone closer to shield and said here speak to the supervisor of your investigation. XXXX XXXX said that my investigation had NOT been started as of today, because of short staffing. I told her 60 days is plenty of time to have my funds returned to me, not just an investigation. And that I would rather have my funds returned to me Immediately, and then Truist can proceed to investigate and exercise their rights of reciprocity/ subrogation etc. Seeing as how I was told that IF, again, the crediting account doesn't have the amount of funds in to return, or is frozen, or doesn't exist, then my claim will be Denied. She told me she could not credit acct immedieately, however she'd be happy to put my case on " fastrack '' and that someone will call me w/in 24-48 hrs to give me status. 

XX/XX/XXXX XXXXNo One, from Truist XXXX my bank of over 40 years, has contacted me in any way to date. I have been forced to use my time, expenses, energy, and anxiety filled days filing complaints, inquiries and research. Seems there are several laws they are violating now. The XXXX Police Dept has appologised for my being told that their dept does not take reports of such crimes, and I have now filed a report with them. I am desparate for help in getting all these stolen funds returned. This amount is nothing to a large Mega-Corporation but represents almost Two Months of hard-earned take home pay for me! This should not have gone on over 10 days in my opinion, as EFTA would seem to indicate. Not to mention I am supposedly a " valued '' customer of over 40 Years! 
XXXX

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 monetary relief