Consumer complaint received 2015-07-17
Company: TCF NATIONAL BANK
State: MN
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Account opening, closing, or management

Complaint:
My name is XXXX XXXX and I would like to relay an unfortunate story of my experience with TCF National Bank. It is my contention that TCF is conducting fraudulent, misleading, and deceptive practices, in transactions regarding the processing and posting of checks, and subsequent overdraft fees charged by the bank. 

I had only been a customer at TCF for about XXXX months when I decided to write my first check to a business for tree services, for {$170.00}. I was watching several times daily for the check to come thru on my online account register, as my TCF account was used on a daily basis. 

On Tuesday, XXXX XXXX, at the end of the business day ( XXXX XXXX ), I checked my account balance, and saw a positive balance of {$180.00}, indicating that the check had NOT posted to my account, by the end of the business day, on XX/XX/XXXX. On Wednesday, XX/XX/XXXX, I saw that the check had posted to my balance ( both available balance and total balance ), and had brought my available balance into the negative. Seeing this, I deposited {$100.00} into the account prior to the end of the business day, and brought the balance back into the positive. In other words ; I had a positive available balance at the end of the business day on XX/XX/XXXX, and then again on XX/XX/XXXX. There was not any one day that my account was in the negative, at the end of the business day, while banking at TCF bank. Not ever. 

However, TCF apparently was desperate for their {$37.00} overdraft fee, so they decided to get creative. Even though TCF did not process the {$170.00} check until XX/XX/XXXX, they changed their records to reflect that it posted to my account on XX/XX/XXXX, even though it had not. When I went into the bank the day the check posted on the XX/XX/XXXX to deposit money so the check would not overdraft, the teller told me that the check had posted that day ( not the previous day ). But by XX/XX/XXXX my online account register showed that the check posted on XX/XX/XXXX, which it had not!! This is Fraud!!! My available account balance was {$180.00} at the end of the business day on XX/XX/XXXX according to TCF 's online register and the check had not posted, but the bank fraudulently changed the date on their records, to show that the check posted to my account the day prior!! 

The transaction information report that I printed off the TCF web site, showed the " Date/Time Initiated '' as XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX ( curiously 1 minute before the next day ), yet it also showed the " Date/Time Posted '' as XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, earlier in the day!! This was blatantly false, and what I consider fraud! How could the check be initiated a minute before midnight, yet posted earlier in the day? The check did not post to my account until XX/XX/XXXX, yet they cookedtheir records to show that it posted the previous day, so that they could swindle {$37.00} from me. 

On Thursday XX/XX/XXXX, I went to my local TCF branch ( XXXX location ), and spoke to a rude and indifferent branch manager named XXXX. XXXX told me that even though my available balance showed a balance of {$180.00} at the end of the business day on XX/XX/XXXX, and that the check was processed on XX/XX/XXXX, it was ok for them to back date the check to the prior day, because the check was processed through the federal reserve bank, and that may not have shown up on my available balance until the next day ; thus they get to charge their overdraft fee. When I explained that I had never had an overdraft of any kind while a customer at their bank, XXXX early rolled his eyes. XXXX was rude, indifferent and extremely condescending towards me during our conversation. Needless to say, XXXX refused to waive the one and only overdraft fee that I had received while banking at TCF. This practice of backdating checks to the prior day, even though it had not posted until the following day, is straight-up fraud. At the very least, I am owed my {$37.00} back.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief