Consumer complaint received 2023-05-16
Product: Mortgage — Other type of mortgage
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage — 
Company: U.S. BANCORP (CA)

On XX/XX/XXXX it became evident to me that I had been in communication with a US Bank loan officer who is not authorized to handle my application and whose status as loan XXXX is not active. I had sent many personal financial documents about myself and my husband 's personal finances and my husband 's business to his US Bank affiliated email address. 
The US Bank representative I spoke with in regards to my concerns- XXXX XXXX XXXX me that no one has access to said personal information because the email I sent these documents to is a protected US Bank email address that no one has access to. This information is incorrect as the officer in question had communicated with me and responded to emails from said email address and clearly had access to our private information. 
I am concerned for the privacy and safety of my own and my husband 's personal and business information that is in the possession of a person who is unauthorized to handle this information and whose intention is not clear. I am concerned about retaliation by said individual for filing this complaint, as he was in violation of the law. 
I am concerned about the mishandling of this situation by the bank 's representative, XXXX XXXX by providing me wrong assurances of our information 's safety. I am also concerned about why they allowed an unauthorized officer access to a supposedly protected email address. 
I believe we have been disadvantaged by the time wasted communicating with an unauthorized loan officer and by the time wasted figuring out the situation we were in and how to handle it. US Bank indicated they are unwilling to honor the information provided to us by by the unauthorized officer and that we would have to start the application process from scratch. Throughout this time interest rates had substantially gone up and we were unsettled about the safety of our information and how to proceed. 

Here are the details below : on XX/XX/XXXX, was my first contact with US Bank and the region 's construction specialist : XXXX XXXX, using his US Bank affiliation. I spoke with XXXX XXXX on the phone ( XXXX ) in regards to the application process for a construction-to-permanent loan with US Bank for myself and my husband. We discussed the application process and required documents. I received an email from XXXX XXXX US Bank email account ( XXXX ) detailing said process and required documents. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I responded to said email indicating we have the required documents and are ready to begin the loan process with US Bank. From that point through XX/XX/XXXX, I was in contact with XXXX XXXX through phone, text and email. I sent him the documents he indicated were needed to his US Bank email address and confirmed they were received. At no time did he correct his email or inform me of his non-fiduciary duty with US Bank. By virtue of him using and accessing his authorized US Bank account, he was representing the bank. 
Towards the end of XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX became less responsive and I became suspicious. Because of this, on XX/XX/XXXX, I called the US Bank XXXX XXXX branch ( XXXX ) and mentioned I had been in communication with their loan officer XXXX XXXX. They asked to know when this communication took place. They informed me that he is on the roster, but is currently on leave and not at the office. I informed them I am currently in communication with XXXX XXXX and that he has many private financial documents about my family. I asked why he is handling my application if he is on leave. I was told they can not answer that. I was advised I am to receive a call from XXXX XXXX, a construction specialist who can take care of the loan application moving forward. 


On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a phone call from XXXX XXXX XXXX ID # XXXX ( XXXX ). He informed me he can not divulge information about XXXX XXXX 's status. He gave me information about the construction loan application process and requirements with US Bank. Some of the information provided was at odds with the information XXXX XXXX had provided in regards to the loan process and the requirements. 
On that same day, I received an email from XXXX. On the email the following addresses were XXXX XXXX : XXXX & XXXX. in the email, XXXX XXXX informed me that he has briefed XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX District Manager about my concerns in regards to XXXX XXXX and that she had escalated my case and will reach out to me either later that same day or the following day. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a phone call from XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). I asked for permission to record the call and was denied. She confirmed that XXXX XXXX is on leave and not at the office. She mentioned he should not have access to his email as he is not at the office. I mentioned that he is still in contact with me. She said she could not divulge information about his status and the reason he is handling my application without discussing it first with the legal department at US Bank. She informed me that I would receive one year of access to identity protection services paid for by US Bank. She said she would follow up on my concerns after talking to the legal department the following week. I asked for identifying information about her and she identified herself as the " mortgage branch manager '' and provided the following NMLS ID : XXXX ( incorrect ). 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) asking about our application process. He informed me he wasn't cleared to handle our application as our case was in escalation and suggested I spoke with XXXX XXXX. He provided me with further information on the loan process. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a voicemail from XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) saying she " ... is still waiting to hear back on the information, so that we can get you going in regards to what we spoke about ... ''. She mentioned she is touching base and letting me know she has no answer yet and will let me know when she does. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) asking if he had been cleared to handle our application already. I asked for XXXX XXXX 's XXXX ID and was provided the following : XXXX ( correct ). 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a voicemail from XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) saying she is touching base in " ... regards to the credit protection. I got some information for you on that piece of it. And good news, there is no danger or anything with regards to the documents. They are secured. I have spoken to and escalated this above. Give me a call back regarding the credit protection and how to proceed with that as well as proceeding with your loan ... '' On XX/XX/XXXX, I called XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) to follow up on her latest voicemail. I asked for her consent to record the call and was denied. She mentioned she escalated the situation to the Privacy Protection Department and said they advised her that the information/documents I had sent to XXXX is protected because it went to a US Bank email address. She said the information sent to that email address has not been touched, that nobody has that information and that nobody has access to it. She said that no one has retrieved the information, and that XXXX does not have access to it. I informed her that he has responded to me via that email. She asked to know when. I mentioned I would have to check my records and confirmed that it was recently. She informed me that the Privacy Protection Department will pay for two years of credit protection. She mentioned that XXXX XXXX is now cleared to handle our application. She said that there is no application or information for me on file at US Bank ( including none of the information I had sent to the US Bank email address ) and that we would need to start from scratch.