Consumer complaint received 2023-12-04
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Unauthorized transactions or other transaction problem — 
Company: TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION (VA)

On XX/XX/2023, I went thru my bank Truist to submit a payment using XXXX payment portal for a neighbor who did pet sitting for me while I was on a trip. That payment was made thru my Truist Checking account on XX/XX/2023, to a XXXX XXXX XXXX, who is my dog sitter, and neighbor. 

Unfortunately, when I sent thru XXXX, I entered XXXX XXXX as the recipient as she should have been, and put in her mobile number. When I entered her mobile number for her payment, I entered phone number XXXX and in the amount of {$380.00}. 

A few days later I asked XXXX if she received the monies. She said she had not. We went back to see what happened. I had inadvertently put the phone number in as : XXXX. Therefore, the last four digits were incorrect. 

I called Truist immediately who told me to call XXXX. When I called XXXX, they told me to call the person I sent it to to fix the problem. I thought this to be a very crazy and unprofessional way of doing business, a random person calling a phone number to ask for funds back that were inadvertently sent. I couldn't believe this was XXXX XXXX answer but it was. So I did ... .and I got a voice mail from the phone number. I left a voice mail but never received a call back of which I'm not surprised in this era of fraud and scams. 

I then went into the Branch at Truist at XXXX in XXXX, Virginia. One of the representatives helped me with paperwork needed to provide to the fraud department to show what had occurred. We called a call center who was clearly in another country- of which I had no problem with - except we could hardly understand them, and they also had asked us to call the person with the phone number. The Truist representative said this wasn't a good option, and we reported a fraud report, provided the information and on what had occurred. 

While I understand that it was my inadvertent phone number, I can't believe this is XXXX XXXX option for assisting when there is an error. 

I received a letter from Truist on XX/XX/2023 stating their denial of my claim for the {$380.00}. They stated that " based on a review of our records and the information gathered during the course of our investigation, we have determined with respect to the above-reference amount that the transaction ( s ) was initiated by you for the amount due for which you received benefit. You are encouraged to resolve the matter with the merchant. " I will provide this letter for your review. I find it hard to believe that this is the response, and that any investigation was done. The " merchant '' who received the monies should have to return the monies. 

Also, the letter that Trusist sent doesn't even provide a member, it only has " Truist Enterprise Fraud Management ''. 

I am just appalled and amazed that a " large bank - to big to fail .... '' only has a solution like this, and that their answer was to call the " merchant '! It is a phone number tied to a person not a merchant! 

Though I made an error and obviously a costly {$380.00} one, I again find it unbelieveable how this was handled and this was the only solution. If I can't be helped, I sure think others should, especially as large as XXXX payment processing it. 

Please review and assist.