Consumer complaint received 2015-09-07
Product: Money transfers — International money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION (OH)

Wed XXXX/XXXX/15 my husband and I ( seniors XXXX were defrauded/scammed out of {$3600.00} + {$73.00} fee. We now understand that we are victims of what has been defined as " grandparents fraud/ scam '' /family emergency fraud '' I will attach the exact occurrence in detail to this complaint. Below, I will focus on the transaction details and the Immediate Actions we took as soon as we discovered what was done to us! Unfortunately the fraud included an Imposter Grandson, who was in the XXXX XXXX XXXX Jail, an Attorney, Judge, & XXXX business man. We were led to believe that we were following a court order in order that our Grandson be released and processed for release from jail. Only to later discover that we were tricked into this transaction through this horrible fraud/scam. Police report was filed & fraud report XXXX : I arrived at Fifth Third Bank, XXXX Ohio : Neither my husband nor I ever transferred any money through XXXX, absolutely did not know at all what exactly this involved? I asked a person entitled " Personal Banker '' to " please help me " I have to send/transfer {$3600.00} through XXXX, but I do n't know how to do it? He said that " he had n't done it either, but would be more than happy to help '' He grabbed a pen and together filled it out. I did n't have any idea what the options meant that were on the form and XXXX he did n't know and did not explain. E.g. " money in minutes '' " Test question '' " transfer to a bank account '' IF ONLY we were made aware of each step with clear and conspicuous disclosures provided, the potential tragic consequence of this kind of transaction would not have taken place. Later we discovered that this is an electronic money transfer. He handed the form to a tellerXXXX After a while XXXX called over XXXX behind the counter to look at the computer screen and they looked at each other and then stated to me that " it came up as a hold '' I asked " what does that mean? '' Both XXXX stated that " they did not know! they have never seen that before! '' I again asked '' Can you explain, can you find out? '' XXXX stated " well it may be that the hold is because of the dollar amount? ", I asked " What do you mean? '' XXXX said, you know I do n't know, I have n't seen this ''. After a while, XXXX said that I should call XXXX and talk with them. I did, finally a person came on the phone to " verify me '' .I could not understand them well because the English was not articulate and I did n't know what was going on with all this and when I again asked XXXX, he stated that he did not have any idea? '' XXXX said that the transaction was finished and XXXX handed me a receipt without any meaningful disclosure about the receipt. He did give me a receipt # but No explanation of the transfer and process before, during or after. No explanation of what a " hold '' meant and in retrospect, when I sincerely reached out, that would have been an opportunity for the Bank to provide us with a concise elucidation of this kind of transaction and its consequences. We reached out to our Bank personnel, whom I believe had a duty to be knowledgeable. IF ONLY we were provided with ETF disclosures by the Bank at any point before, during and after the transaction that would have protected our asset! Actions we took ASAP after our discovery : Called 5/3Bank ( could not get a hold of the XXXX branch XXXX XXXX so called the XXXX # to put a Stop Payment on the check, was told that had to be done at the branch and that the " fund transfer '' was " pending '' it had n't been processed and wo n't be until during the night but that I could go to the branch and they could stop this electronic fund transfer. '' But by then it was after XXXX. Was told to call XXXX, found out that the money was " picked '' up. The bank said that it was still pending and put a stop payment.