Consumer complaint received 2025-09-11 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: FIRST HORIZON BANK
State: TN

Complaint narrative:
I am an attorney practicing in XXXX, TN. On XX/XX/year>, I received an inquiry for my services via email from email address XXXX by someone purporting to be " XXXX XXXX '', owner of " XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX '' regarding the leasing of commercial equipment to a third party : " XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX, XXXX. '' The email seemed for all intents and purposes a legitimate inquiry as " XXXX '' described the deal in great detail and was very specific about the goals of representation. The representation included holding funds in trust to be disseminated to other third parties with regards to the inspection, delivery and insurance of the drilling equipment being contemplated in the lease, drafting and execution of the lease agreement. I quoted " XXXX 'XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX for my services. " XXXX '' estimated the project would take approximately XXXX hours. At that rate, my fees would be a total of XXXX  XXXX. We agreed on all terms, I sent a retainer agreement to " XXXX '' which was promptly signed by " him '' and myself. The next day I received an email from the supposed broker for the leasing agreement " XXXX XXXX '' with a Letter of Intent ( LOI ) detailing everything I had discussed with " XXXX ''. " XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX '', " XXXX XXXX. ", " XXXX XXXX '' and I, all signed the LOI. On XX/XX/year>, I received a cashier 's check in the amount of approximately $ XXXX issued by " XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX ''. I then proceeded to open a trust ( IOLTA ) account under my business name ( " The XXXX XXXX of XXXX XXXX, XXXX '' ) to deposit the money in the account. The funds were available immediately. On XX/XX/year>, I was instructed by " XXXX '' to wire {$81000.00} to " XXXX, XXXX ''. He then forwarded me an invoice from " XXXX '' in the amount of {$81000.00} itemizing the costs by line item. " XXXX XXXX '' then provided me with wiring instruction for " XXXX '' at XXXX XXXX XXXX, which I sent promptly for the amount requested and debited from my account within a matter of hours. I was assured by the bank rep that the wire would go out by that same afternoon. Around XXXX, " XXXX XXXX '' contacts me and tells me that " XXXX, XXXX '' has not received the wire transfer. I called my bank and they tell me there was a delay in processing, but that it should go out by XXXX XXXX. On XX/XX/year>, " XXXX XXXX '' informed me that " XXXX, XXXX '' has still not received the wire. I again go to the bank and the representative and I realize that the wiring instructions name the bank as beneficiary rather than the account holder, XXXX, XXXX. That leads the bank representative and I to believe that the wire transfer is not being processed on the other bank 's end due to this discrepancy. I was assured that a message was sent to the wiring department to amend the information on the wire transfer. I informed " XXXX '' of this fact and insists that this needs to be rectified immediately as it may jeopardize the whole leasing transaction, " potentially '' costing his company " millions of dollars ''. He then asks me to XXXX {$12000.00} to " XXXX XXXX '' who is a supposed " insurance broker ''. I agreed to use XXXX because I already felt like my bank had made a mistake with the first wire and was causing issues with " my client ''. However, my bank did not provide XXXX services on their business accounts so I had to withdraw the money in cash and deposit it on another trust account at XXXX belonging to my wife. On XX/XX/year> I was called by the bank and told the {$97000.00} check had been rejected at which point I realized it was a scam.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation