Consumer complaint received 2017-11-29
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed
Company: SANTANDER BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (NH)

On Friday XXXX XXXX, XXXX I tried to access my online banking account to transfer money between my operating account and my payroll account to fund the weeks payroll. The website came up with a message that the site was down for maintenance until XXXX XXXX XXXX. I waited another hour before trying again. When I was unable to access online banking a went to my local branch that I normally conduct business at. When I was at the teller window the teller provided me with the balances in my accounts. It was at this time I realize that {$40000.00} was missing from one of my accounts. The teller asked me if I had performed a wire transfer for this amount. My answer was no and I was asked to see a manager. Some how a on line banking wire transfer was performed on my account. The banker XXXX XXXX placed a call to their fraud & wire transfer departments. Through her I was told the transaction was still in a pending state and that a recall was placed on the funds. I was told to check back with them the following day for an update. Saturday morning XXXX, XXXX I went to the XXXX MA police department to file a report, there was some uncertainty as to which police department I should be filing the report with because my business is located in XXXX, but the branch is located in XXXX NH. The next day I went to the branch and XXXX was not in, but the branch manager XXXX XXXX was, she came out from behind the teller windows to tell me that side of the branch was closed due to staffing shortages and she could not help me today and to return on Monday. I returned on Monday XXXX/XXXX/XXXX and met with XXXX she provided me with a hand written chronology as to what had transpired so far, as well as an internal message from the fraud department. I was told they were able to contact the receiving bank, XXXX XXXX XXXX and freeze the money in the receivers account. I was told the only way the money could be removed from the account was for the person to come to a branch to claim the funds and to prove it was not a fraudulent claim. I have continued to go to the bank daily to deal with a variety of different items such as checking the old accounts to notify parties who may be seeking payment through XXXX 's and to also work on opening new accounts. At the same time calls where placed by one of the bankers assisting me to get a update on the fraud claim. Today Wednesday XXXX/XXXX/XXXX in speaking to banker XXXX XXXX he placed the call to the fraud department. After himself being bounced from one person to another he was finally able to reach someone who told him the funds had been released by XXXX XXXX XXXX to the fraudulent party and therefore they can not send the funds back to Santander Bank. The banker continually asked what the next step was and was never provided an answer from the fraud person. During the conversations XXXX stopped several times to ask me different questions, one question that struck me as odd was whether I signed a hold harmless agreement, which I had not. Overall I feel that the branch personnell is inadaquately trained to deal with these types of issues and as a result I have lost {$40000.00}. Also I feel XXXX XXXX  XXXX, if they did in fact tell Santander the funds were frozen should never have released them. I also feel there should be some form of protection for the consumer and that it is a known policy of the bank that they do not cover these types of fraud situations.