Consumer complaint received 2022-10-12
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Cashing a check
Company: U.S. BANCORP (MO)

XX/XX/22 I was called by a US Bank branch manager in another city to inform me that a male tried to cash a fraudulent check that was made out to my name, and fraudulently endorsed by signing my name in the amount of {$3000.00} using my US Bank checking account number, and advised me to go to my local US Bank branch, notify my branch of the Identity Fraud breach, and close my account immediately- which I did within XXXX. 
- I was told by my local branch consultant my account was closed/locked for further transactions ; and that my balance was transferred to my XXXX Account temporarily, and to come to the branch to setup a new checking acct. 

XX/XX/22 I filed a Police report on the above event. 

XX/XX/22 at my US Bank branch appt to set up new checking acct, and then transfer my balance into the new account, the bank consultant reported noticing a {$3200.00} check reversal charge placed by US Bank on my prior " closed '' /frozen account - and discovered that on XX/XX/22 in XXXX XXXX cashed a fraudulent check on my account - and that the banking system had not passed it through until XX/XX/22, but that a reverse charge was placed on my closed/frozen account for {$3200.00}, and a {$19.00} returned check fee, and a {$36.00} overdraft charge on the closed/frozen account XX/XX/22 picked up a copy of the fraudulent {$3200.00} XXXX check from my US Bank branch XX/XX/22 I XXXX XXXX formal paper US Bank fraud report and affidavit to U.S. Bank Claims Services - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX as advised by my US Bank consultant XX/XX/22 My wife and I noticed 4 of our personal checks had not reached payees - and my wife remembered mailing all 4 checks at the same time in the Blue Mailbox in front of our local US Postal branch ; also XXXX the local news had just reported that there was an individual using a stolen US Postal Service key to steal mail from the US postal boxes in our county. I notified my local US Bank branch and when I requested cancellation of those four check numbers. I was told that since the account was closed/frozen that the checks would not cash. 
- also on XX/XX/22 mailed the paper original copies of my US Bank XXXX report and Affidavit and supporting documents to U.S. Bank XXXX XXXX - XXXX Check Claims Dept XX/XX/22 filed Police Report on the 4 checks stolen from the US Postal Service blue mailbox in front of my local XXXX branch XX/XX/22 Called U.S. Bank XXXX, Claims Services - XXXX Check Claims Dept to check on status of my account ; reported the XXXX stolen check information - agent stated it was under review, to call back on XX/XX/22. 

XX/XX/22 called U. S. Bank XXXX, Claims Services - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to report my branch notifying me of XXXX electronic deposits to my old account that were for my wife 's Social Security and pension payments ; I requested transfer to my new acct ; told this would be under review. 

XX/XX/22 Sent in additional documentation letter, copies of the XXXX Police Reports, and cancelled copies of the XXXX cancelled stolen checks to U.S. Bank XXXX XXXX - XXXX Check Claims Dept XX/XX/22 called U. S. Bank XXXX, Claims Services - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ; was told still under review, confirmed receipt of all info needed; was told the review would be complete by XX/XX/22, then would need 1-2 wks to resolve my requests XX/XX/22 obtained closed/frozen account transaction register from my US Bank Branch - no further transactions had occurred ; called U. S. Bank Fraud XXXX Claims Services XXXX XXXX Check Claims Dept and was told no further action could be taken on the closed/frozen account until it was formally closed. I explained that I had requested account closure repeatedly at my branch, and via the US Bank XXXX dept line - but the US Bank was holding the acct XXXX due to the negative balance ( which was due to the fraudulent check reversal charge which the investigation was about ). Agent stated she sent a memo to the review agent and he would review this week- asked me to call back at beginning of next week ; agent stated that the fraud review dept was running behind and that it was taking about 6-7 weeks from the initial fraud report to get a conclusion. I Noted that from XX/XX/22 ( formal fax filing ) to XX/XX/22 was XXXX8wks so far and counting .... 

XX/XX/22 called U. SXXXX Bank XXXX, Claims Services - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ; was told that now my review was still pending, that it could take months or more, but that the hold up was that the account would need to be formally closed prior to further action or review, that once the account is closed it will take another 6-7 weeks to review ; states she saw that the request to close was already in place, that no further info was needed, and was not sure why the investigation could not proceed - states she sent another memo to the fraud review agent to request completion and pointed out all the prior requests, and that it all depended on the US Bank agents to close and complete the review XX/XX/22 after my call, I received a letter on XX/XX/22, dated XX/XX/22, stating that Account Action Required : " due to the fraud against your account ( s ), you are required to take the following action against your account before U.S. Bank can process your claim : Fraud Prevention : Compromised account must be closed and new account opened, or Indemnification Letter must be signed ( if compromised account will not be closed ). Please send email to XXXX when fraud prevention is completed .... Please note that if we do not receive the requested documentation within 30 days of the date of this letter we will consider this matter resolved and your claim will be closed. At that time, any provisional credit to your account as a result of this claim will be revoked. If the reversal of this provisional credit causes the account to become overdrawn, please contact the branch to discuss your options on this account. '' XX/XX/22 I went to my branch to request/confirm closure again and to be paid the remaining $ in my closed/frozen account to my new account ; was told by my branch consultant that she could not effect this due the account being frozen and in process of closure since XX/XX/22 ; I explained the US Bank Fraud team told me that my local branch needs to close the account - my local agent states that she had been told by the US Bank Fraud Dept not to do further action on the account, and actually could not take any action to the to ongoing Fraud investigation and that that account remained " frozen '' and in process of closure - the exact same status it has been since XX/XX/22 I have requested beginning XX/XX/22 to date : 1. Please remove the fraudulent - {$3200.00} XXXX XXXX Items charge from my acct 2. Please remove the Return Check fees {$19.00} XXXX. Please remove the Overdraft fees {$36.00} 4. Please transfer the final {$160.00} residual in my prior acct to my new checking acct ; this amount was to cover a pending payment and my US Bank Branch Consultant recommended it be left in the account but the payment was denied anyway. 
5. Please transfer to my new acct the XXXX deposit {$1000.00} from XX/XX/22 6. Please transfer to my new acct the XXXX deposit {$230.00} from XX/XX/22 7. I now ask that you recognize that US Bank has been holding up the closure of the prior frozen/closed checking account and that US Bank is retaining {$1400.00} of my money that should be transferred to my new account