Consumer complaint received 2023-12-29 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: CO

Complaint narrative:
I was in the final week of closing on a property in Texas. The house was supposed to close on XX/XX/XXXX in Texas. On Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, I was emailed ( along with my lender ) at XXXX and asked for contact info for the buyer. The display name of the email was the same person who I have been working with at XXXX XXXX based in XXXX. The actual email was " XXXX '' which is different from the real email of XXXX XXXX contact. The loan XXXX for my lender responded with my name, email and phone number. About XXXX minutes later, I received an email asking me to wire the funds to close on the property, without anyone else on copy. This email came from the loan XXXX as the display name, but it was actually the same gmail noted above. I responded to their email multiple times and they provided the wire instructions. I wired {$100000.00} to Fifth Third bank, however, did not list the beneficiary as the scammer requested. Instead I put XXXX XXXX on the recipient 's as the receiver account name. I used the account number provided on the scammer 's wiring instructions PDF. When at closing to sign documents, I told the closer that I wired the closing funds. The closer called the title company, and title said they didn't receive it. Then I contacted my loan XXXX, and he said he didn't provide the wiring info. That's when I looked back at the emails and realized it was a fraud. I contacted XXXX XXXX that day ( XX/XX/XXXX ) to recall and reverse the wire. I also submitted an XXXX case to the FBI the same night and have been in contact with an agent. He said the resolution needs to come from the banks, but that the scammer 's account was frozen, and the money is held by Fifth Third Bank. A few of the XXXX address in the different scam email headers are XXXX, XXXX, XXXX Since this happened, I have visited XXXX XXXX ( multiple branches on XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX ) and called the recipient bank ( Fifth Third ) multiple times. I called XXXX XXXX XXXX wire department every day for the first XXXX weeks, and called the consumer complaint department many times. I have called XXXX Fifth Third branches ( including the one where the account holder is ) as well as the general customer support. XXXX has tried numerous times to contact Fifth Third Bank. According to XXXX, Fifth Third Bank has not responded or even acknowledged receipt. XXXX then closed the recall due to Fifth Third not responding. During a visit and a follow up call to XXXX, I successfully reopened the recall case and asked to escalate. I also filed a complaint with XXXX XXXX for closing the case after about XXXX weeks of it being opened. When I contact Fifth Third, they will not give much information since I do not have an account with them. They said they do respond to messages and are unsure why XXXX would claim Fifth Third hasn't responded. I am also filing a police report and will be emailing the XXXX teams at both banks today.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation