Consumer complaint received 2017-06-09
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: OH
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
XXXX Please see the letter I sent the bank CEO below for a description of the problem. The bank has been extremely reckless in giving my money away. It is obvious that the check has been altered. The hand writing is different on parts of the check. It the bank would have used a check scanner they would have discovered the check had been altered. They have lied to me over the months regarding the process to get my money returned to me. I feel they have abused me greatly.
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XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  President & CEO Fifth Third Bancorp XXXX, OH XXXX Ohio Sec. of State, Entity # XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Agent Registrant : Corporation Service Co. XXXX Incorporator : XXXX XXXX XXXX Cell : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX, OH XXXX Re : {$5500.00} Loss from my Fifth Third Checking Account Dear XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, I am writing to you in hopes that you will restore my {$5500.00} into my checking account.
The history of this case is as follows : I have been a Fifth Third Customer for a very long time.
I have a good friend XXXX XXXX XXXX who is a XXXX XXXX in XXXX. Her XXXX work had been presented by XXXX XXXX years ago on XXXX.
I am also happy to report that I had nominated her for the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. The XXXX had informed me that they rarely award this XXXX because no one can qualify for it. But I am happy to say she did receive it.
Her birthday Is the day before XXXX. I always send her a check for her birthday and one for XXXX.
On XX/XX/XXXX I wrote a check for {$100.00}, check # XXXX. And on XX/XX/XXXX I wrote a check for {$100.00}, check # XXXX. See enclose copy of those from my check book record.
I mailed the Birthday and XXXX Cards with the checks in a larger envelope onXX/XX/XXXX, see my enclosed post office receipt.
Unfortunately, I had been ill over the holidays and had been in the hospital several times. When I had improved, I began going through all my mail.
When I went over my Fifth Third Bank Account Summary for XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX, I was extremely shocked to see that check # XXXX had been paid by the bank on XX/XX/XXXX, for {$5500.00}. See attached Account Summary. I knew I had not made out such amount on a check. When I looked at the small check image the bank sends me, I noticed that the check had been altered. See large copy the XXXX XXXX Branch gave me on XX/XX/XXXX enclosed. On the check, they inserted a XXXX in front of the XXXX to make it XXXX They removed XXXX XXXX and inserted XXXX XXXX XXXX. They removed the {$100.00} amount and inserted {$5500.00}. Where I had written out XXXX XXXX XXXX and no cents they removed that and inserted XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX -- -. In the for section, they inserted Shipping charges. They left my signature as is.
XXXX XXXX XXXX never received the cards or checks I had sent her.
I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Looking at this check would certainly raise a red flag in my mind esp. the {$5500.00} for Shipping charges. If I was an employee of the bank, I would not have approved this check. I would have notified my supervisor and requested that the XXXX be called to verify if he did indeed write such check.
I have had XXXX with XXXX XXXX XXXX forever. They are always calling me about what they believe is suspicious activity. I am currently on 2 weeks of XXXX Vacation in XXXX, PA visiting family and friends, and they called me to see if I was in XXXX using my credit card. Now here is a company that does not want its clients being ripped off.
I met with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Fifth Third Personal Banker at XXXX XXXX XXXX, MD XXXX, XXXX, OH XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and informed him of what had taken place, and he informed me it would be investigated, and I could expect to get my money back.
Sometime later, I received a call from XXXX XXXX who informed me she was from the XXXX XXXX XXXX. in XXXX and had a very difficult time tracking me down. She informed me that the check looked suspicious and did not want to cash it until she spoke with me. I immediately told her the check was a fraud and not to cash it. She gave me her e-mail address and her phone number, and informed me to notify my bank so that the funds could be transferred from her bank to my bank, and ultimately back to me. I called XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and informed him of what had taken place.
On Mon. XX/XX/XXXX, I sent XXXX an e-mail inquiry and received an Automatic Reply, see attached.
See the attached e-mail that had been sent to me on Tue. XX/XX/XXXX from JXXXX XXXX.
See the attached e-mail datedXX/XX/XXXX That XXXX XXXX sent XXXX XXXX, which also includes and e-mail at the bottom from XXXX to me.
I was in contact with XXXX  again this week, and he encouraged me to wait another 10 days and everything should be cleared up by then.
I was with my cousin last night and his wife, and I informed him of all of this. They were quite shocked. My cousin is in a multistate business and he informed me that he works with several banks and knows a great deal about banking procedure. He informed me that due to the magnitude of this problem I should not be working on this situation with a branch office, and that I should not wait any longer and should contact the corporate office of this situation immediately. Since I was concerned about his concern, regarding the time length with nothing accomplished, I called XXXX my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX buddy, and XXXX also encouraged me to contact your office which I am now doing in hopes of getting this problem resolved.
I hope I have not put XXXX in an awkward position ; he may have already contacted corporate about this situation.
I would like to see my money replaced in my checking account with hopefully interest added.
If for investigative purposes, it is better for me to wait, then I will do that because I would like to see the criminals brought to justice. XXXX XXXX XXXX your investigation and help in this matter is very deeply appreciated.
Very sincerely yours, __________________________________________________________ XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation