Consumer complaint received 2026-06-01 00:00:00
Product: Prepaid card — Government benefit card
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer — Charged for a purchase or transfer you did not make with the card
Company: Comerica
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
On XXXX XXXX, 2026, I made one authorized purchase of approximately {$8.00} at XXXX store XXXX in XXXX, California. While at the register, a third party was standing directly behind me and could see my PIN without my knowledge or consent. I left the store immediately because I felt unsafe. A XXXX XXXX agent confirmed to me that within six to eight minutes of my departure, XXXX consecutive unauthorized ATM withdrawals of {$300.00} each totaling {$1200.00} were executed at that same location. I was not on the premises. I did not authorize these transactions. I did not give my PIN to anyone. Someone saw it without my knowledge. That is not authorization. Upon discovering the theft I immediately locked my card. After the lock, additional unauthorized transaction attempts were made and blocked, confirming the card was still in an unauthorized third party 's possession. I filed Police Report XXXX. XXXX with the XXXX Police Department on XXXX XXXX, 2026. I did everything required of me. These funds are my federal XXXX benefit payments and my sole source of income. -- - * * DOCUMENTED CONTACT RECORD : * * XXXX XXXX, 2026 Theft discovered. Card locked immediately. XXXX XXXX contacted same day. XX/XX/XXXX2026 First written dispute filed. XXXX XXXX. XXXX. XXXX unauthorized ATM withdrawals totaling {$1200.00} disputed in writing. XX/XX/XXXX2026 Formal claim filed by phone. Claim No. XXXX assigned. XX/XX/XXXX2026 Multiple written submissions sent after zero response. Online portal confirmed non-functional. Auto-tickets XXXX and XXXX generated, followed by " wrong company '' deflection. Tenth written request submitted to XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX2026 XXXX hours on hold. Fraud department closed without answering. XXXX XXXX, 2026 Police Report XXXX. XXXX filed and submitted to XXXX XXXX. Confirmed received. XX/XX/XXXX2026 Emergency escalation submitted documenting police report, active XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX shutoff notice, eviction notice, and emergency hardship. Provisional credit demanded in writing. XX/XX/XXXX2026 Escalation No. XXXX filed by phone. Agent stated I must wait 30 to 60 days. Supervisor contradicted that. Recorded message demanded resubmission of all prior documents and a new ten-day wait with no guarantee of credit. When I stated I faced eviction and had no money for postage, agent said I would likely wait the full 30 to 60 days. Supervisor noted in the file that XXXX XXXX failed the escalation. XX/XX/XXXX2026 Called for status. Verbally told claim denied because I authorized the transactions. Demanded supervisor XXXX times. Agent refused, looped the call, and hung up. Denial letter mailed same day first written communication in 19 days, sent only after I forced a phone call. -- - * * THE DENIAL IS BASED ON A FABRICATED STATEMENT : * * XXXX XXXX stated XXXX confirmed I authorized the transactions. This is false. I called XXXX immediately after the denial. The store XXXX confirmed they provided no information to XXXX XXXX. She contacted her district manager, who confirmed all legal matters must go through XXXX ' legal department and that nothing is released without that process. No warrant or legal request has been made to XXXX by anyone in connection with this matter. The statement XXXX XXXX attributed to XXXX does not exist. It was fabricated and used as the sole basis to deny a legitimate fraud claim. -- - * * THE SIX-TO-EIGHT MINUTE WINDOW PROVES FRAUD NOT AUTHORIZATION : * * XXXX XXXX used the fact that I was in the same store to deny my claim. This is legally baseless. The six-to-eight minute window between my {$8.00} purchase and XXXX consecutive {$300.00} ATM withdrawals confirmed by a XXXX XXXX agent proves a third party saw my PIN while standing behind me, waited for me to leave, and immediately executed XXXX maximum withdrawals. Under 12 C.F.R. 1005.2 ( m ), a transaction executed using a PIN obtained without the cardholder 's knowledge or consent is an unauthorized electronic fund transfer regardless of PIN use. Being in the same store to make an {$8.00} purchase is not authorization for {$1200.00} in ATM withdrawals executed by someone else six to eight minutes later. This denial is legally unsupportable. -- - * * BIAS AND DISCRIMINATORY INVESTIGATION : * * From the first contact, every agent treated me as a suspect rather than a victim. I filed a formal bias complaint before the denial was issued. XXXX XXXX presumed my guilt based solely on my proximity to the store before conducting any real investigation. The fabricated XXXX statement, the refusal to transfer me to a supervisor, the agent hanging up after I asked XXXX times, XXXX days of silence, and a denial letter sent only after I forced a phone call all reflect a predetermined outcome. This is not an investigation. This is bias. XXXX XXXX has thousands of documented complaints from federal benefit recipients describing this exact pattern. I am not describing something new. I am describing what this company does. -- - * * REGULATION XXXX VIOLATIONS : * * 1. Failure to issue provisional credit by XXXX XXXX, 2026, forfeiting the right to invoke the XXXX extension 12 C.F.R. 1005.11 ( c ) ( 2 ) 2. Failure to provide written notice of any extension 12 C.F.R. 1005.11 ( c ) ( 2 ) ( ii ) 3. Failure to complete investigation within ten business days deadline XX/XX/XXXX2026 12 C.F.R. 1005.11 ( c ) ( 1 ) 4. Failure to provide any written communication for 19 days 12 C.F.R. 1005.11 ( d ) 5. Denial based on a fabricated merchant statement legally unsupportable under 12 C.F.R. 1005.2 ( m ) 6. Presumption of guilt, fabricated evidence, refusal of supervisor access, call termination unfair, deceptive, and abusive acts and practices in violation of 12 U.S.C. 5531 7. Conditioning provisional credit on ability to physically mail a letter when I had no money for postage Regulation E does not permit this 8. Non-functional portal, three-hour hold times, misdirected deflection inaccessible claims process in violation of 12 C.F.R. 1005.11 -- - * * HARDSHIP : * * Active eviction notice. Active XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX shutoff notice. No money for food or gas for the entire month of XXXX 2026, resulting in an emergency medical visit. On XXXX XXXX, 2026, I hit my ATM daily withdrawal limit attempting to cover rent, creating an additional {$100.00} shortfall. Rent is now late. All of this is the direct result of XXXX XXXX 's failure to comply with Regulation E. -- - * * RELIEF REQUESTED : * * 1. Immediate provisional credit of {$1200.00} 2. Full reinvestigation by a supervisor not involved in the original denial 3. Production of every document relied upon in the denial including any purported XXXX communication 4. Written explanation for every day provisional credit was withheld past XX/XX/XXXX2026 5. Civil money penalties against XXXX XXXX XXXX Comerica Bank 6. Referral to the XXXX for supervisory examination Police Report XXXX. XXXX on file with XXXX XXXX. Eviction notice and PG & XXXX shutoff notice available to submit. XXXX : XX/XX/XXXX | SSN ending : XXXX | XXXX ending : XXXX Claim No. : XXXX| XXXX XXXX. : XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation