Consumer complaint received 2024-02-07
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: M&T BANK CORPORATION (CT)

I filed Victim Case with the Internet Crimes Unit of FBI - on XX/XX/XXXX. The bank which sent the funds was M and T Bank and the Funds were wired to XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/24. I had my flights canceled by XXXX XXXX. XXXX didn't credit me enough funds and the new flights cost more. XXXX only communicates through XXXX XXXX. I had no luck initially. Then an agent sent me a form to fill out and said she would look into getting me the extra funds to rebook. She couldn't rebook so said I should rebook on my own and they would credit me the funds as well as a voucher but it would take a few days and she would get back to me. The vouchers didn't work and I posted on XXXX. The scammer then messaged me on XXXX XXXX -- and said they found a way to get me the funds instantly. They had a XXXX logo and it said they were a XXXX customer service supervisor. They said they could make a XXXX time exception and credit the funds if I filled out a form. Then they messaged me the same form I had filled out for XXXX with the flight codes and my name and address and other identifying information. It was a copy of the same exact form. They said I needed the XXXX XXXX app. and that I should set up the account with the same info I provided bc that is how XXXX would give me instant funds. He asked for screen shots to assist me. He asked for XXXX XXXX  as an option which I didn't have. Then he somehow had me type in the verification code that he had received. He asked for my debit card which I entered and I have a screen shot that says XXXX XXXX will RECEIVE funds. BUT -- - it wouldn't complete ... according to XXXX XXXX app. But apparently it did. So, then he said to put in a different card. I put in XXXX XXXX debit and XXXX XXXX INSTANTLY texted and called me and alerted me to the fraud and didn't allow it to go through. I hung up and instantly called M and T bank Fraud -- who put me on hold. While on hold I went online and cancelled my debit card so no further damage could be done. The woman at M & T said I had to wait until my account no longer said " pending '' and then call back, but I called back the very next day. That woman said I could report the fraud at that moment and took my report. She said I should have called XXXX XXXX to stop the day before when the woman hung up and said she couldn't help me. I called XXXX XXXX They said an account had been created in my name and they shut it down. They blacklisted the numbers and accounts that the money had illegally been wired to. I faxed screen shots of the entire XXXX XXXX interaction, the report to the Crimes unit, to M & T - they said they would investigate and gave a provisional credit. They denied the claim and said they will take the funds back out on XX/XX/XXXX because they have their own rules and do not follow any rules which require them to cover personal checking fraud or wire transfers if the customer gave the number out for the card. This is in violation of the EFTA. I called the bank again and asked for XXXX. They said those are the rules and this sadly happens many many times but they don't credit their customers. I asked for legal department or fraud or the dispute department and they said all back office and I may not speak with them. A different supervisor then emailed the dispute area again with my concerns but didn't expect they would follow any federal rules but only their own rules.