Consumer complaint received 2024-01-25
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem making or receiving payments
Company: KEYCORP (NY)

Im sending my current ongoing case with KeyBank and their Fraud Department. I am a victim of fraud where {$27000.00} was withdrawn from my accounts with KeyBank on XX/XX/XXXX. At this time, my case with Keybank is at the corporate level, but has yet to be resolved. I have now been denied three different times by the Fraud Department ; with three different reasons. I am not feeling advocated for in the correct manner. Below is the timeline and where my case with KeyBank and their Fraud Department stands. 

XX/XX/XXXX I was contacted at XXXXXXXX XXXX from XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX, by a woman named XXXX, regarding possible charges to the account from purchases made on XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. I notified the individual that I did not make these purchases. At this point, I put her on hold, to look up the number to make sure that the number was a legitimate source. The number that I was contacted by, matched what was on the KeyBank online banking contact list. Once I confirmed that the number contacting me was the same as it was listed on the website, I resumed the conversation that was taking place. At this point, she notified me that the phone service was breaking up and she would call me from her office. I received a call from XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX to continue our conversation where I was then notified that the bank would be monitoring the account, and would further monitor and communicate if there were any further fraudulent activities. I was then notified that she would be contacting me the next day regarding the monitoring of my accounts. She also asked for the last 4 of my social security number and for my debit card information ; for verification of the account owner. She was also able to inform me on the funds available in my account. During our conversation, she informed me that she was located in Texas. During this call, I was asked for my security codes to confirm that I was the account holder. 

XX/XX/XXXX I was contacted at XXXXXXXX XXXX from XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX, notifying me that there were possible fraudulent charges coming from the Florida area. These charges were made using XXXX XXXX ; which I have never used. I was then informed that my online banking had been corrupted. She notified me that everything needed to be reset with my online banking due to the fraudulent activities. At this point, the phone call was dropped between XXXX XXXX and XXXX. I received a text from XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX, which I assumed was XXXX, and replied yes. Multiple correspondences were made between XXXX and I regarding account security issues, and during the last conversation, she was notified that myself and my partner were heading out of town for the weekend and would be unreachable due to cellular service issues. She informed me that she would continue monitoring and would contact us if there were any further issues ; to feel free to contact when there was service. 

Around XXXX XXXX, my partner XXXX XXXX and I headed on a XXXX XXXX in the XXXX XXXX. We were heading to XXXX XXXX, NY to XXXX XXXX  for two days, and catch the first part of opening day for XXXX XXXX. This was an escape where there was no cell service, and no people that we had to be around. Our original plans had to change due to XXXX grandmother, XXXX XXXX, passing away on XX/XX/XXXX. Her wish was for us to go on this trip, so we modified it to come home late Saturday XXXX ; being an XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, Vermont, I moved my clients to Sunday. This allowed me to be able to attend the services on Monday. 



XX/XX/XXXX After our XXXXXXXX XXXX, we went for a drive to get some supplies. Once we approached XXXX, NY, we began to have service again. I received a text from XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX asking if we were available, and I replied yes. At XXXX, I received a call from XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX from XXXX again. She informed me that there was no further activity on the account. Due to the past fraudulent activity, she wanted me to reset my online banking. She asked for my passcode, to make sure that everything in the account was secure ; which I complied. At this point, I was notified that my account would be locked, and I would be contacted on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, to continue resetting my online banking. I was also notified that any calls from unknown numbers should be ignored as precautionary measures to avoid further fraudulent activities. 

After this call was concluded, I received a phone call from my brother, XXXX XXXX, at XXXXXXXX XXXX, informing me that he was called regarding possible fraudulent activity on the account. I received this call due to having XXXX as an executor on my accounts. I notified him that I had been working with someone for the past week and that must be who he is calling about, unknowing XXXX was the person committing fraud. After this call we were on our way back to our XXXX XXXX and had no cell service again. Once we started driving home Saturday I didn't look at my voicemails and saw I missed a call from XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX and didn't think anything about it due to how many telemarketers call me on a daily basis. This was KeyBanks actual fraud department, trying to contact me the day prior. 

XX/XX/XXXX I had no further contact during the weekend, and attended XXXX grandmothers funeral services beginning at XXXXXXXX XXXX  Monday. Once the memorial service and funeral were complete, I missed two calls at XXXX and XXXX from XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX. I did not have my phone in hand due to a service recession being held by XXXX family. Once we got home, I saw that I had two missed calls and listened to the attached voicemails. The voicemails I received were from a Key Bank employee ( XXXX ) regarding fraud issues needing further verification and left his direct and department phone numbers. I tried contacting him regarding the ACH transactions that he was questioning, and was unable to reach him. After being unable to reach him, at XXXXXXXX XXXX, I called XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX and was put into contact with XXXX XXXX. I was concerned about all of the fraud alerts and notifications that I was receiving and was wondering what was going on. She then notified me that someone had taken approximately {$27000.00} from my accounts. I immediately notified her that this was not me, and I reported it as fraudulent. I was further informed that I should go to the bank directly, as soon as possible, to change my accounts and online banking. 

XX/XX/XXXX First thing in the morning, I went straight to the XXXX location at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, NY. I met with XXXX XXXX to figure out what was going on. I informed her about what was going on, and she immediately put holds on all of my accounts. I have obtained my personal and business accounts and done all of my business with Key Bank since XXXX. I have been a sole proprietor the entire time that I have been with Key Bank and have never had any transactions of this extent. During this meeting, she viewed my personal information regarding the fraudulent activities. We contacted the Fraud Department together and put in the initial fraud claim. She then rescheduled me to update my personal security information, and new accounts on Friday XX/XX/XXXX at XXXXXXXX XXXX. 



XX/XX/XXXX I received a phone call from XXXX notifying me that my money had been recovered and everything was taken care of. 

XX/XX/XXXX I met with XXXX, and we started all new accounts and online banking accounts. All fraud submissions had been completed. The returned funds were on hold for 7-10 days before they would become available. At this point, I have payments coming out of these accounts which I have no funds in. 


XX/XX/XXXX After thinking that everything has been taken care of, I logged into my accounts and realized that the funds had been removed yet again. I immediately called XXXX to see what was going on and was notified that she had no idea. We scheduled a meeting for the morning of XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX am to sit down with her and call the fraud department to make sure that I was advocated for in the proper manner. 

XX/XX/XXXX In this meeting with XXXX, we went over everything again. She called her department to go through logged calls and verifications, on Key Banks side. While going through my accounts and information, she noticed that there were two logins on my accounts ; one that had never been used before. This login that she was looking at was called KBBO. KBBO is used for payroll and business purposes on the accounts ; I am a sole proprietor and have never needed, used, or signed up for this program. I have no recollection of signing up or using this program, due the point that I do not do payroll. I contacted my ex-husband, who used to work for KeyBank, and was with me when I set up my accounts, and he also had no recollection of us ever signing up for this. Upon finding this, XXXX and the person she was speaking with, submitted more documentation to the fraud department. There was also a document or letter denying my claim, but XXXX couldnt see it, and the person on the other end of the call couldnt see what XXXX had. XXXX told me they were denying my fraud case because I didn't call them back on Friday XX/XX/XXXX to verify that it was fraud. I had no cell service when they tried to contact me, and when they called me again Monday to see if it was fraud I did contact them back, and told them that I wasn't the one making the transfers. If the fraud department thought it may be fraud, why did they allow my money, {$27000.00}, to be transferred out on the XXXX without speaking to me? This is where I sent XXXX screenshots of the phone logs that I had, including the voicemail that I received from XXXX in the fraud department. Upon our departure, the XXXX XXXX was notified about what was going on and submitted an escalation to move the matter to the corporate level. 
I was notified that I should continue following up and not let this go. Doing so, I called the fraud department and ended up getting a hold of XXXX XXXX again. She directed me to send all of the information and screenshots to XXXX because all of the information available is a help. I don't understand how KeyBank recognized it was fraud, sent my money back to my account, then withdrew it again? 


XX/XX/XXXX I called the XXXX Troopers, who sent an officer to take my deposition. The officer arrived at XXXX and took a full report for further investigation. 
I submitted all of the personal information that was recommended by XXXX the night prior. I then called XXXX to notify her of the police being involved and that my father was going to be dropping off the deposition to submit to the claim as well. I also notified her that XXXX could not see any of the documentation that XXXX submitted while we were there. XXXX is advocating for me the best she can and I feel as though things are not moving in the manner that they should be. 


XX/XX/XXXX I received the letter that XXXX could not see. I was notified that they were denying my claim due to the fact that the ACH transactions were due to a KBBO account authorization. I have no recollection of ever signing up for any additional services other than obtaining my banking accounts, due to the fact that I am an XXXX XXXXXXXX ; payroll is not applicable. 

XX/XX/XXXX This is the update on everything as of now. KeyBank Fraud is refusing to reimburse my {$27000.00} which was stolen from me. I received a denial letter stating that due to the point that I opened an ACH account and the money came out of my business account that there was nothing they could do. Here 's the situation with this. I never opened an ACH account, I am an XXXX XXXXXXXX, I do not have payroll. The person who hacked into my account set this up to pay themselves payroll. Also, you can see on my account that this money was not in my business account until I was locked out of my account. This is where the fraud person transferred {$25000.00} from my personal savings and {$2400.00} from my personal checking into my business account, then paid themselves on XX/XX/XXXX, where I no longer had access to my accounts. Prior to this takeover of my accounts, there were barely any funds in my business account. I only use my business account for a place for my credit card deposits to go to and then I transfer it out. 
My case with the XXXX Police department has been assigned to Investigator XXXX XXXX. She sent a subpoena to Key Bank to try to find where my money had gone at the end of XXXX. As of XX/XX/XXXX, she has still not received anything back from KeyBank. 
After many attempts with XXXX XXXX, the KeyBank manager, working with the fraud department, he was able to obtain the information that it was transferred to a man named XXXX XXXX, and was sent to a XXXX XXXXXXXX ; I do not know which branch or location. I was very confused for the last month because neither fraud nor the XXXX KeyBank ( XXXX XXXX ) could tell me where I paid the payroll to. If I paid someone payroll, shouldnt I have access to who, what for, and where I paid them? Nobody would release any information to me as to where my funds went. Also you can look through my business account and see I have never written more than a handful of checks throughout my time banking with KeyBank. 
XXXX KeyBank has attempted everything they can to work with fraud to retrieve my funds. They are telling me the case is black and white, that it was an online takeover and they can see I didn't make these transfers. They have no way to advocate for me further with the fraud department, due to fraud now refusing to refund me, because I gave my passcode to the person, which I believed to be working with the KeyBank fraud department. I don't understand If they thought this was a fraud situation and couldn't get ahold of me XX/XX/XXXX but then called me on XX/XX/XXXX where I told them it was fraudulent, why they didn't hold my money until speaking to me. 
The Fraud Department keeps changing their reasonings on denial. The first reason is because I did not contact them on XX/XX/XXXX, not having phone service, which was the day that my money was withdrawn. The second reason that they gave me was because the withdrawal came from my KBBO account as an ACH transfer ; which I have never used, and never signed up for. The third reason was because I gave someone my passcode which I believed to be working for KeyBank. There is no reason why my funds should have been transferred without direct contact with me if fraud was detected. They were withdrawn that same day ( XX/XX/XXXX ) with no verbal contact. I feel as though this is negligence due to the fact that the bank is covered by FDIC insurance. I now feel like they are finding any reason so they can deny the return of my funds. Since the account takeover, I am now having fees regarding the KBBO and ACH services ; this has never happened since the creation of this account in XXXX. XXXX XXXX has seen this, and has notified me that he is trying to resolve these charges and he acknowledged the fact that there has never been any activity regarding anything to do with KBBO or ACH transactions since the creation of the account. His findings are proof that I have never used anything like KBBO or ACH. 
Also looking at my KeyBank Business account, I have only used this account for my credit card transfers. I have never once needed to do any payroll and rarely use this account, other than for my payments from my clients. In the bank statements, you can see that there are a handful of checks written from this account since XXXX. Every week, I have moved the money from my business account to my personal savings and checking accounts monthly. 
At this point I am in financial hardship. They took all my money, and I desperately need some help to retrieve my funds. I am very disappointed with KeyBank. After doing business with them for so long, and after speaking with other representatives and institutions, I am further disappointed in the manner that this has been taken. How was {$27000.00} taken from me, when it was thought to be fraudulent without speaking to me? I am hoping you may be able to help me retrieve my funds. I have proof of everything I'm stating and can give much more details if needed. My phone number is XXXX XXXX XXXX. Email XXXX XXXX