Consumer complaint received 2022-10-07
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account — Transaction was not authorized
Company: U.S. BANCORP (WA)

This account is a re-election account for a State Senator in Washington state. This account goes dormant often in between election cycles. We've had this account for more than two decades. In late XXXX of this year, unauthorized debits began coming out of the account. I noticed this when I logged into the account online in early XXXX. I discovered at that time that the account was overdrawn and had been for more than a month. We ( the other account holder and I ) received no notifications from US Bank alerting us to any of the 25 unauthorized transactions that had been occurring during this XXXX and a half month time period, nor that the account was overdrawn. 

I called the bank, US Bank, immediately upon discovering this and reported the fraud/unauthorized transactions. I have called several times since to follow up and receive updates or instructions on what to do. They have restored some of the funds in early XXXX, but not all of them. Out of the nearly {$11000.00} that was stolen from the account, only roughly {$2100.00} has been restored. The fraud department at US Bank has been extremely difficult to reach and extremely rude and unhelpful in trying to restore these remaining funds. When I call, I am ping-ponged around repeatedly to different departments, disconnected several times mid-call, and told there's no additional information ( when I haven't been given much information at all ). I am consistently transferred to an intermediary who relays questions and answers back and forth between someone in the fraud department and myself. I have never been able to talk to a live person within the fraud department itself, only self-described customer service " liaisons '' on behalf of US Bank XXXX 

US Bank has claimed that only the funds stolen within a 60-day reporting window are required by law to be restored. However, my understanding is that it should be from the statement date, not the transaction date, which means another {$5500.00} or so should be restored. Is that accurate? 

It's unclear if they are going to help us restore the full {$8800.00} that remains unrestored. Sometimes when I call, I am told they are still investigating the remaining unauthorized transactions. Other times when I call they say they are not and the case is closed. I don't know what the true situation is. 

It also is unclear why they aren't trying to help us restore the full amount stolen even if it is outside the window. I have had several work colleagues who have worked for CFPB or in federal Congressional offices who have told me that it is quite common for banks to restore funds fully, even outside the window. The amount is small, the case is clearly fraud and the account requires special consideration because it's a political account, subject to public disclosure laws/public scrutiny. It's been extremely frustrating to not only have received no notifications about the overdraft or near daily debits, but also the completely unhelpful posture of US Bank in the aftermath. 

Is there anything to be done here?