Consumer complaint received 2024-01-22
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Check cashing service
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION (MN)

My business bank account and routing information was obtained by someone in a way that is unknown to me. With this information, fraudulent checks were created and cashed in my name. There were a total of XXXX fraudulent checks, withdrawing a total of {$95000.00} from my business bank account. 

The XXXX fraudulent checks that were written do not look anything like my real checks. They do not have the same overall outline as Fifth Third bank, they do not have my business name, they have a fraudulent signature that does not look remotely close to mine, additionally they did not include part of my address on the fraudulent checks. 

The bank did not put a stop to any of these fraudulent checks coming through. These were all very large withdrawals, and there must have been fault in their system, where they did not call or get a hold of me to notify me of any of this occurring. 

Fifth Third banks only fraud system in place is called check positive pay. With this system, they sent me an automatic email the day that the check was processed, telling me to check my online portal. Fifth third bank gives me a window between XXXX the same day to approve or deny the check. If I do not get to see it in time, the check is processed without my approval. Aside from this system, the bank did not do anything else and did not have anything in place to contact me of large amounts being withdrawn from my account. 

At the time these checks were processed, I did not approve or deny them coming through. I am a new business owner, I purchased my dental office on XX/XX/2023. Aside from my day to day dentistry, I am extremely busy trying to learn, maintain and care for my new business. I did not have time during the day to be able to approve or deny these messages coming through in the time window given to me. 

Fifth Third Bank has denied my requests to receive my money back from these fraudulent checks because they stated that I approved of all of these checks to go through. However, I did not approve or deny and certainly would have never approved of these if I had the time to get to them. From speaking on the phone to XXXX XXXX, XXXX Banking XXXX XXXX, he told me that it does not matter how much time has gone by but because of their " check positive pay '' system in place, once the check goes through there is no way they can receive the money back, regardless of if I did not approve of it. 

I approved of my very first check that came through, which was guided by my banking XXXX, XXXX XXXX, in early XX/XX/2023. After this XXXX payment approval, I was not able to get back to the correct place on the website to be able to approve or deny anything else. I was told over the phone by XXXX XXXX, Senior XXXX of XXXX Banking, that because I approved of one payment in XX/XX/2023, this is is why they denied my request to receive my money back for the fraudulent payments. However, this was a completely different transaction that was completed 2 months prior. 

With all of this being said, it is very clear that there is extreme fault within Fifth Third 's banking system, that I feel really needs to be looked into. Each banking XXXX that has spoken to me over the phone has forcefully tried to make all of the blame on myself as the client, and tried to eliminate all fault on the bank itself. As part of a banking system, it should be their responsibility to keep my money safe, and have something better in place for fraud than solely " check positive pay ''.