Consumer complaint received 2024-08-05
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Cashing a check
Company: DISCOVER BANK (VA)

On XX/XX/year>, XXXX unauthorized withdrawals were made from my joint checking account with Discover Bank. The transactions, totaling {$18000.00}, included a withdrawal of {$8500.00} and another of {$9500.00}. Both fraudulent checks were written by an individual under the same name. Neither my husband nor I have any relationship with this individual, nor have we ever issued or requested checks from Discover Bank. Of course, on the checks, there was no name and signature of me and my husband. Discover noticed that the transactions were unauthorized and texted me, and then I answered I didnt recognize it, but the bank didnt take any action or failed to prevent the unauthorized activity. The checks got cleared. 

Timeline of Events : XX/XX/year> : XXXX PM : I noticed XXXX unauthorized transactions from our Discover Bank account. Immediately upon discovering the transactions, I contacted Discover Bank to report the unauthorized activity and initiate the dispute process. The agent said they couldnt get me a refund or any credit for this before the investigation is done as well as they couldn't guarantee any refund in the future. The agent said Discover Bank would mail a check affidavit form to me and it would arrive within XXXX business days. 

XXXX PM : I received an alert text message from Discover Bank indicating a check withdrawal of {$9500.00} ( Check Number : XXXX ), asking if I recognized it. 

XXXX AM ( XX/XX/year> ) : I replied to the text message with N, indicating that I did not recognize the transaction. 

XX/XX/year> : I contacted Discover Bank to confirm the alert text. They verified the unauthorized transaction but informed me that the checks had already got cleared. Despite recognizing the fraudulent checks, no immediate action was taken by the bank such as blocking the withdrawals. 

I asked the agent to send a copy of the fraudulent checks for my records, but she said that they couldnt do it. 

XX/XX/year> I completed and uploaded the check affidavit form to the Discover Bank app, following instructions from customer support. 


XX/XX/year> I called Discover Bank to confirm receipt of the affidavit form. I talked to a supervisor named XXXX or XXXX. They had not received it and informed me for the first time that the form needed to be notarized, which had not been mentioned earlier. 

The supervisor promised us that we would send a new form and help find proof of no order history for a checkbook from phone calls per my request. 

XX/XX/year> I filed a report with the XXXX XXXX Police Department regarding the fraud. 

XX/XX/year> I received a new affidavit form and I completed, notarized, and re-uploaded along with the police report just in case. I completed the required affidavit form twice, as the initial submission was delayed due to unclear instructions regarding notarization. It couldve been delayed longer if I hadnt attached the police report as they didn't mention earlier that it was required as well. 

I got a call back from XXXX and she couldn't find any history of my orders for checks via phone calls. I was also able to prove no online order history of checks from the website. 



XXXX XXXX XXXX I followed up with Discover Bank to check the status of my case. They confirmed receipt of the notarized form on XX/XX/year>, but provided no timeline for resolution and investigation. They informed me that check fraud investigations are conducted as a courtesy and not regulated or obligated under federal law or bank policy. I talked to a supervisor named XXXX. 



XX/XX/year> I called Discover Bank customer support for an update. The agent said that the investigation process had begun but again provided no timeline for resolution. 

However, I asked to send a copy of checks once again for my records and she agreed to send it and the copy will arrive within XXXX business days. 

She recommended me to do continuous follow-ups with Discover Bank XXXX XXXX the progress of the case, but emphasized that they couldnt give me the information on how long it would take since there was no specified timeline for checking fraud cases.