Consumer complaint received 2025-01-02 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
Throughout my experience with Fifth Third, I have repeatedly lost access to funds in my checking account due to my debit card being canceled without proper notification. This issue has occurred multiple times and has only persisted over time. 

The most challenging situation I faced with Fifth Third occurred during the first quarter of XXXX while I was living overseas. I had called to notify Fifth Third of my XXXX XXXX and they assured me that payments would be processed accordingly. Despite this, I frequently found myself stranded in random locations because my card was declined. Reaching Fifth Third to authorize payments was often difficult, leaving me unable to commute to work, purchase food, or access other necessities while in XXXX XXXX. 

XXXX particularly distressing incident happened while I was finishing a meal at a restaurant, and my card was declined once again. After a long wait to speak to a representative, I was informed that my card had been canceled. When I asked how they could cancel my card without notifying me, the representative told me that being declined at the point of payment was considered notification. In that instance, I was fortunate that a bystander sympathized and paid for my meal. Later, when I called back, I was told that a new card could be mailed to me. However, I was already aware that shipments from the United States to XXXX could take around XXXX months, which was far too long to go without access to my funds. I had to rely on sending money via wire transfers to friends, family, and coworkers, who then withdrew cash for me. This was an extremely uncomfortable and unsafe workaround. 

Fast forward to today, my debit card was damaged during prolonged use and a recent residential move. I requested a new card and have been using tap-to-pay on my phone to manage payments in the interim. I ordered the replacement card on XX/XX/XXXX, but as of XX/XX/XXXX, I have yet to receive it. Instead, I have been receiving correspondence intended for other Fifth Third clients, which was mistakenly postmarked to me. It seems likely that my new card is either lost in the mail or was mistakenly sent to someone else. Upon requesting another replacement card, Fifth Third canceled my current card, rendering tap-to-pay unusable. 

While I now realize it was an oversight on my part to assume that the representative would only deactivate the lost card, rather than the one uploaded to my phone, this incident highlights a broader issue. XXXX Thirds handling of these situations, combined with their lack of clear and sufficient notification, has made being a client incredibly challenging. 

I also requested access to all correspondence with Fifth Third, including written communications and recorded phone calls. However, my request was denied on the grounds that these records are considered the property of Fifth Third. 

I would like to file a formal complaint, as I believe Fifth Third has violated Regulation XXXX of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act by failing to provide adequate notification of card cancellations. My goal is not only to seek resolution for my situation but also to prevent other consumers from enduring similar hardships.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation