Consumer complaint received 2018-02-11
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: M&T BANK CORPORATION (TX)

I was a victim of theft and fraud on XX/XX/2018. Thieves stole my entire purse with a check book in my wallet. They then forged about 9 checks that cleared my bank account and robbed me of XXXX putting my bank account in insufficient funds. I put a hold on my checking and savings account. When I received the notices on my phone I called the bank immediately. Nobody could help me until XXXX my time. I even tried to stop payment randomly off of the check images to prevent them from going through. 

There were 5 checks in the amount of XXXX, 1 check for XXXX, 1 for XXXX, one for XXXX and 1 for XXXX. The checks were wrote out to two females names who forged all the checks and my signature. I have then received XXXX more notices that additional checks are possibly being cashed, not hitting my account since a freeze was issued. Are check cashing establishments just cashing these checks without asking for ID? 

They then tried to cash 7 more checks in significantly higher amounts. 
The amounts of the additional checks are, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX and XXXX. 

All three of my statements say these checks were returned and NSF. I am not sure if these thieves are getting the funds or not. They need to be caught since a significant amount of money is being stolen from me and my bank. I have called the bank many times, sent them surveillance of my theft and sent them my police report. 
I also submitted an affidavit to the bank, they provided to me. 

Currently this is being investigated by my bank, and they are holding my funds that were originally in my bank account which was only XXXX. They will not release the XXXX until all checks against my account have been disputed and that could take up to 120 days. I feel that the bank should not be holding my actual funds that were in my account, due to someone else 's fraudulent activity. I then opened up a new checking and savings account online, since there are no branches where I live. I opened them up, transferred some of my savings into my new savings. I received a letter stating that I would have to send them my SS card and utility bill to verify who I was. I thought I was waived of that since my SS card was stolen. I was not, I tried to set u p my bill pay and I could not due to I was getting errors messages online saying the account I was entering was invalid. I called the bank and evidently there was a hold on my new account. I then realized when I got married I had to send a copy of my SS card and marriage license to my previous part time company I worked at to verify my name change. I found the email, printed the PDF of my social, included my utility bill and faxed it 4 times to the verification dept for my bank. I then emailed it to the rep at my branch who is helping me with the fraud. She tried to reach out many times as well. I was able to get through and they then would not release the hold on my new account due to they wanted the police report faxed. I then had to go on my lunch break and get a copy of the police report. I faxed all the information again to the verification dept, emailed my branch rep. It took all day to remove the hold. Apparently nobody communicated in all the other departments that I was a victim of fraud as well. That does not make sense to me since I call the bank and they place the hold on my accounts and note the fraud. I was told collection would try to recover the XXXX dollars that was fraudulently taken since there were no notes on my account. Why should I have to pay back money that was stolen from me and my bank? I am the victim, I should say my bank and I are the victim. My branch rep has been very helpful, and supporting me as much as she can. I do understand the caution of the bank putting the hold on my new account, but why would I even open a new account with the same bank if I was committing fraud? I am a loyal customer and choose to be with my bank even though there are no branches where I live, or ATM 's. For the bank to try and hold my funds from me when I have bills to pay makes me angry, they did not make anything easy for me. The only one who helped me was my branch rep and she did as much as she could. 

Who know 's how many other checks the thieves will cash from my check book, as it was almost a new check book stock. They also have my SS card, address and other personal information that was in my purse. 

I really hope these people get caught and justice is served. I have been a member of my bank since the XXXX 's. I have never been a victim of fraud, or even had insufficient funds. I feel terribly violated and have lost my feeling of security. I hope 30 years in prison for forgery and theft is worth the crime for these thieves. I hope they are caught and can not hurt anyone else. 

I hope there are ways in the future to alert places that are able to cash checks that are reported stolen by the routing number. So when criminals try to cash checks on an account or routing number that is on hold for fraudulent activity the check cashing places are alerted and they can contact the police.