Consumer complaint received 2024-09-10
Product: Checking or savings account — Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: U.S. BANCORP (KY)

Two business checks that I mailed were stolen from a US Postal Service mailbox. The checks were altered and written to two individuals whom I do not know. Amounts totaled {$10000.00}. XXXX XXXX XXXX. reached out to me on XX/XX/XXXX to verify the two checks as suspicious. I verified the fraud and immediately disputed the payee information. XXXX XXXX XXXX. assured me they would hold my funds and not pay out the fraudulent checks. I filed claims with USbank, and completed all claim forms and submitted to USbank by XX/XX/XXXX. I filed police reports, and I filed claims with the US Postal Inspection Service. XXXX immediately assured me that when USbank requests the funds, they will return the funds to USbank. When I contact USBank I am told that the investigation is " ongoing ''. It has been nearly 3 months from the date that XXXX confirmed with me that they have my funds and they will not pay out the fraudulent altered payee checks on my account. It has been 3 months since I filed a claim with USBank and gave them XXXX claim numbers so that they could retrieve my funds. It has been three months ( From XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX ) since XXXX told me that USbank just has to contact them and they will return my funds. As of XX/XX/XXXX USbank will not tell me anything. According to XXXX, USbank has not made contact with XXXX XXXX  and USbank refuses to discuss the process because the case is " under investigation ''. This system is broken, and the Fraud department is committing another fraud on the consumer by not being transparent, refusing to disclose their actions, and lying to the consumer. 1. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  will not contact me. They admit they will not contact me. I have to call them. When I call the person on the phone does not know anything and or can not tell me anything. When the bank manager calls, they will not tell the bank manager anything. 2. They know how long they have to legally stall this process, and they blame their lack of transparency on laws that they say bind their actions. XXXX. Why can I not file a claim directly with XXXX to get my funds returned? XXXX says they will return my funds AS SOON as USbank contacts them. However, USbank says " it is under investigation and we have up to 60 days to resolve this. '' It has been more than 60 days. It is now nearly 90 days since I told them where to find my funds. It has been 90 days since I confirmed that the checks were fraud with both XXXX XXXX  and USbank. I have nowhere to turn. The banks will not help me, and the fraud department will not tell me anything other than the " investigation is ongoing ''. I can not imagine how it is legal that this bank is choosing to do nothing, when I told them all they need to know about how to retrieve my funds. They will not provide any information to me, they will not provide any information to the police, and they will not provide any information to the US postal inspection service. The police and postal inspector have both told me that the banks will not tell them anything without a subpoena.

Am I suppose to get an attorney in order to force the banks to return my funds? And, as they take 3-4 months to " investigate '', the person or persons who are committing fraud are moving on to the next mailbox to retrieve another check that they can alter and cash at their favorite bank.

This is the second time that USbank Fraud Department has taken more than 3 months to retrieve my funds after a fraud that I immediately alerted them to. The first time I notified the bank within XXXX hours of the check showing up on my account. ( XX/XX/XXXX ) They did not file a dispute with the other banking institution for approximately 4 months after I alerted them of the issue. I notified them within XXXX hours and they took 4 months to notify the bank that accepted a fraudulent check written on my account. My funds were not returned until XX/XX/XXXX. 

The US Bank Deposit Claims Services Department needs to be investigated and sanctioned for their actions.