Consumer complaint received 2022-06-24 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account — Transaction was not authorized
Company: TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: VA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/2022, I received a text message from Truist that they suspected a fraudulent charge on my account. The text came in around 3am. I saw the text message as I was getting ready for work and responded at XXXX am. I called Truist immediately after at XXXX am. I looked at my account and noticed XXXX fraudulent charges, XXXX for {$28.00}, XXXX for {$400.00}, and XXXX for {$550.00}. The customer service representative helped me cancel my card and said to call back to open a claim when the charges post. The rep also assured me a new card was being sent to me. I had to wait until XXXX to open the claim while the charges were pending. I called on XX/XX/2022 as soon as I saw they were posted. I said the charges were fraudulent and I did not make them and suspected someone had stolen my card information. A case was opened for the charges I was disputing. I received provisional credit and waited weeks for an update. On XX/XX/2022, I received another text from Truist about suspected fraudulent activity. I immediately called and they said it was automated because my case was still open. I had not received my new card yet so I ordered a new one through the mobile app. 

I went on vacation from XX/XX/2022 to XX/XX/2022. When I returned, I had a letter dated XX/XX/2022 that my fraud claim was denied. I called on XX/XX/2022 and asked for evidence of why my claim was denied. The rep said there was no evidence attached to the charges. She put in for a review to have the investigators look at the case again. I called 2 days later on XX/XX/2022 and was told the evidence was attached and the claim was denied because the merchant had my phone number. I tried asking for a supervisor to explain why a phone number was enough evidence to decline my claim. I was hung up on by the service rep. I called the main customer service line and asked to speak to a fraud supervisor. The rep on the main line kept trying to transfer me to the main fraud line and I refused and wanted to speak to a supervisor. She finally relented and said I would be on hold for a long time but that I could be transferred. I assured her that was fine and I was more than willing to wait. The supervisor helped to open a rebuttal for the claim. I told her that the merchant likely had my phone number because the merchant used XXXX to process the transactions. It should be well known to a financial institution that when a person inputs their phone number to receive a text message receipt from a merchant that uses XXXX, their phone number is linked to the card. Whenever that card is used with ANY OTHER merchant that uses XXXX, the phone number will automatically be listed to receive a receipt. This supervisor helped, but said the investigative team would look at the information. She gave me an email to send more information to and I did. 

After I put in the rebuttal on XX/XX/2022, I went to a local Truist branch on XX/XX/2022 by my house to talk to a banker to make sure the rebuttal was input as I was losing trust in the phone representatives. XXXX XXXX, the banker at the local branch, listened to my story and understood XXXX and why the merchant would have my number. She called the fraud team to explain and also cleared up a misunderstanding around the smaller claim for {$28.00} as the charge was at a restaurant local to me, but I asserted I did not go there on the date. XXXX spoke to the rep and had the smaller charge also included in the rebuttal. The rep on the phone said she felt like the charges should be approved and we should have a response within 2 business days. XXXX let me know she would check on the rebuttal and call me with updates. 

I did receive updates from XXXX, however the first rep told her the XXXX business day time frame was not correct for the rebuttal and refused to give a new time frame. XXXX called me almost every 2 days from XX/XX/2022 to XX/XX/2022. After I did not hear from XXXX for a few days ( She was on vacation ), I called the Truist fraud department on XX/XX/2022 asking for an update. The rep was very rude and told me the rebuttal was denied. When I pressed and asked for the reason, she at first started to talk over me and say I needed to handle this with the local courts. When I begged her for the reason she said " because the merchant had a receipt. '' I was upset and incredulous and tried to ask more questions, begging the rep " please please please '' as I cried, and then she hung up on me. 

Because I called during my lunch break, I took the rest of the day off of work and went to a Truist branch local to my work. The banker XXXX XXXX listened to my story and was very concerned at the lack of evidence for the denial. She called the fraud hotline and asked what could be done. The rep told her that the Truist fraud team would not do anything else and I had to go to the court. She asked for the evidence information to be sent to her so I could have the merchant details and to review it. She was sent only one page on the {$400.00} charge. The receipt did not have any relevant merchant information. There was no address listed ; just a city state and zipcode. Also, the receipt only had my phone number. My name was not there. my card information was present, but not my zipcode or the CVV code for the card. The summary written by the investigative team amounted to that I consented to the transaction by entering my card and billing information on a secure website. I have disputed the transaction from the beginning that my card information was stolen and that I did not make this transaction. XXXX also found out that the {$28.00} fraud claim was approved. So She asked why XXXX was approved and not the larger claims for {$400.00} and {$550.00}. XXXX was not given an answer. 

XXXX did help me submit a formal complaint through Truist, but I have lost all faith and trust in their phone customer service departments to handle anything. It is clear they have no viable evidence and are withholding my money. My phone number should not be a reason to deny my claim, especially with a card processor like XXXX which saves this data with card information. Also, I learned that the merchant is a tattoo artisit. I do not have tattoos and neither does a majority of my family. The family that does lives hundreds of miles away and I would never purchase almost {$1000.00} worth of tattoos for them. 

Truist has completely lost my faith and trust. My money is not safe with this company. I was going to close my accounts with XXXX, but another client walked in as XXXX was finishing my complaint. Coincidently, this client was also in tears over a fraud issue, saying the fraud team on the phone would not help her. I will most likely look into closing my accounts in the near future because my money is not safe. If they will deny my claim over a receipt ( which any business can save ) and my phone number ( which can be easily found or saved with a card processor like XXXX ), then I will not be safe from any future fraud that may arise.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation