Consumer complaint received 2025-05-21 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: FIRST HAWAIIAN, INC.
State: MP

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX, while in XXXX, I discovered that the checkbook linked to my XXXX business checking account had been stolen. I immediately visited the XXXX XXXX branch as soon as it opened and spoke with a business teller regarding the issue. I requested that the compromised account be closed and proceeded to open a new business checking account. 

All funds from the original account were transferred to the newly opened business checking account. I received verbal confirmation from the business teller at the XXXX XXXX branch that the old account had been officially closed. 

However, a third-party merchant service provider used at my restaurant experienced delays in updating their system with the new account information. As a result, payments continued to be sent to the old, supposedly closed, account. Upon noticing that deposits were still being made into that account, I returned to the XXXX XXXX branch and spoke with the business teller again. I was told that the account had been closed in their system but had somehow reopened, and the staff stated they were unsure how the issue had occurred. 

On a subsequent visit, I asked the same question and received the same vague and unhelpful response. 

Meanwhile, I continued to request that the third-party merchant switch to the new account, but the transition took a significant amount of time. 

Then, on XX/XX/XXXX, the person who had stolen my checkbook used a forged checkdated XX/XX/XXXX, XXXXto withdraw {$480.00} from the supposedly closed XXXX account. I immediately visited the XXXX branch to report the issue. Following the bank employees guidance, I contacted the police and filed an official police report. 

It was only after this fraudulent withdrawal incident that the business teller, after speaking with the branch manager, took action to ensure the account was properly closed and further deposits were blocked. 

About a week later, after obtaining the police report, I returned to the XXXX XXXX branch. During the consultation, the representative suggested that the situation was my fault for failing to manage the old account and third-party merchant properly. I expressed my disagreement, explaining that I had received verbal confirmation that the account had been closed and had visited the branch twice more, only to be reassured each time without any preventive action being taken. The representative ultimately acknowledged that the bank had mishandled the situation by failing to properly close the account and agreed to reimburse the {$480.00} lost due to the check fraud. 

When I asked who would be handling the reimbursement process, the representative stated that the branch 's business teller would take care of it. 

Since then, I have visited the branch every 12 months to follow up with the business teller, who consistently told me that the process would take around XXXX to 4 months and that I should simply wait. 

I also sent four emails inquiring about the reimbursement on the following dates : XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX However, I did not receive any responses. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I made an appointment at the XXXX XXXX branch. After completing other business, I inquired again about the reimbursement issue. I was told that the relevant staff member was out for lunch. An hour later, I received a phone call from that staff member, who took an uncooperative tone and asked for a confirmation number. I explained that I had never received any such documentation. The staff member then responded that, in that case, no company dispute or reimbursement process had ever been initiated. She said she would speak with another employee and call me back, but no further contact has been made as of the following day.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief