Consumer complaint received 2020-06-24
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: TCF NATIONAL BANK (MN)

My sister, XXXX XXXX XXXX, has a checking account at TCF Bank in XXXX MN. First, I should tell you that my sister is in her XXXX  doesnt speak English well, always lives in XXXX MN, and has never driven a car in her entire life. This info is important because it has everything to do with my disputes. 

Back in XX/XX/XXXX, my sister received a notice that a new debit card was ordered for pick up at TCF XXXX XXXX branch. Right away, that was a red flag since my sister is the sole person listed on her account, still using her debit card and still has the card in her possession so why would she order a new one. She also doesnt drive and lives in XXXX so why shed ordered a card to be picked up way in XXXX XXXX ( about an hour drive ). We went to TCF XXXX branch and the branch manager was very efficient and courteous. She cancelled the new debit card and reported the fraudulent debit transactions. At that time, my sister added me as a signer so I can deal with this dispute for her. Eventually, those charges were credited back to my sisters account. The manager suggested that we close this account and open a new one. However, its very difficult to switch account with retirement benefit direct deposit so my sister decided to keep her account open until we can find a way to change the direct deposit. 

Then in XX/XX/XXXX, my sister received another notice that a new debit card was ordered for pick up at either XXXX XXXX, XXXX or XXXX branch ( Im still not clear on which branch it was and these towns are about an hour or more away ). Since it was a Sunday, XX/XX/XXXX, I logged in to online banking to request the new debit card ending number XXXX ( according to the notice we received ) to be closed immediately. There were 9 fraudulent debits/withdrawals total from XXXX XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX areas, and the total fund debited from the checking was {$3000.00}. The following day, I called TCF Customer Service and a rep told me there is no record of a new debit card ending # XXXX in her account, and that the debits/withdrawals were from my sisters existing debit card ending # XXXX. I told her thats impossible because my sister still has the card in her possession and she has no need of a new debit card since it doesnt expire until XX/XX/XXXX. The customer service rep didnt have an explanation for why we received the notice of a new debit card # XXXX when she said it didnt exist. The rep told me that we have to close my sisters debit card # XXXX. We still didnt understand why but we closed that card and destroyed it as instructed. One of the 9 debits was for gas, which TCF Bank credited back to my sisters account, but wont refund the cash withdrawals nor the larger purchases. The total of fund TCF Bank did not refund is now at {$3000.00}. We didnt receive any explanations except a reply from my online banking inbox that " the investigation is not in our favor and its now closed ''. 

I escalated the disputes with a dispute supervisor ( she said her name is XXXX ) over the phone on XX/XX/XXXX, and she said she will reopen this investigation. I checked on the status of the investigation and received another reply in my online banking inbox that " the investigation is not in our favor and its now closed ''. This is the equivalent of calling us liars. There was no letter sent explaining about their findings. I have questions that were never answered, like : -If debit card # XXXX doesnt exist, why did we receive the notice? 
-Did anyone call the debit/credit card company that provides the cards for TCF Bank to check on this debit card # XXXX? 
-Did anyone question why a person who lives in XXXX want to pick up the card at XXXX XXXX branch when she does n't drive? Isnt that unusual and really unusual that it was requested for pickup at far away branches twice? Shouldn't someone pick up the phone to call to verify this? Isn't that part of the bank training for red flags? 
-How did they verify ID of the person who ordered the card, and the person who picked up the card at the branch? 
-Did anyone look at the security camera tape to identify who picked up the card? I'd think that would be the first step in the investigation. 
-Did anyone look at the tapes at the ATM locations where the money was withdrawn to see who withdrew the cash? 
-Why refund the transaction for gas but not for other transactions? 
-There is a pattern of how much my sister withdraws, and it's always {$300.00} around XXXX area ( usually at XXXX XXXX ). If they bother to go back to check her account statements, they will see the patterns. These fraudulent withdraw transactions are {$20.00}, {$400.00} & {$500.00}, and they are all in XXXX XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX areas. My sister doesnt know anybody in those areas and does n't drive so she has no reason to go there to pick up debit card nor go there to withdraw cash. 

-Finally, I think this is an inside job by one of their employees. That person would know its easy picking on an elderly woman who doesnt speak English. That person would know its easy to order a debit card, pick it up at the branch without anyone knowing and go get as much money and as quickly as possible. I think its also the same person who ordered another debit card the second time. If anyone in Dispute Dept is smart, they better investigate the employees at those branches. 

To me, this is just logical thinking but I'm frustrated that they are not listening nor do any real investigations. They are not protecting their customers and let someone committed frauds on an elderly woman who relies on her monthly retirement benefit to live. Shame on TCF Bank! I've lost my confidence in TCF Bank for doing a shabby job of investigating. If TCF Bank is not doing any investigating from this complaint, I will contact the state general attorney next. I'm not giving up until someone listens and do a complete investigation.