Consumer complaint received 2025-06-11 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year>2025, I was a victim of fraud through XXXX XXXX. I received a text message stating it was Regions asking if I had made a purchase at XXXX for {$260.00}. I responded no as I have received these types of text messages from Regions before. I received a phone call from the same number with a man identifying himself as XXXX and that he was from Regions Fraud Department. He already had part of my social security number, my home address, my debit card information and was actively in my online bank account. As he was explaining to me that someone was actively in my account attempting to move money through XXXX, I began receiving emails from XXXX and XXXX that supported XXXX claim. I looked to verify that these emails were legitimate and found that they were because these are the addresses that Regions uses to alert customers. These emails alleged that someone had logged into my online account via XXXX for the first time, someone activated my XXXX then attempted to transfer money to two different individuals on XX/XX/year>2025 and XX/XX/scrub> 2025. The scammer, XXXX, stated he was locking my online account meaning I would not be able to log in. As he was working, he sent me security codes from the same phone numbers that Regions uses to send security codes. He stated we would need to move my money from my Checking account to XXXX XXXX then to XXXX where it would then be deposited into my new Regions checking account. When I inquired regarding this process, he explained that in cases of scam and fraud Regions moved money through back channels to keep it secure since the account was compromised. I moved the first {$5000.00} to my XXXX XXXX and then sent it to a XXXX account on XX/XX/scrub>, 2025. Because XXXX XXXX has a limit on how much money you can move within a 24 hour period, the scammer had me move the second {$5000.00} on XX/XX/scrub>, 2025. Hours after the second transaction on XX/XX/scrub> 2025, I realized what had happened. I immediately called Regions bank where I had them freeze my account citing Fraud. I then went into my local branch the same day, XX/XX/scrub> 2025, where I explained I had frozen my accounts because of fraud and stated that both transactions on XX/XX/year>2025 and XX/XX/scrub> 2025 of {$5000.00} were fraud. When I froze my checking account, these transactions were showing as pending. My relationship banker confirmed to me that my accounts were frozen and because these transactions were pending when I froze my accounts hopefully we had caught them in time so they would not go through. She then confirmed with me what transactions were actually mine because they wanted to make sure my bills were paid. On XX/XX/year>2025, I sent my evidence to my relationship banker via email. She informed me that she had Regions IT review these emails and texts. IT stated that half of the emails were fake and half of them were real and there would have been no way I could have known what was legitimate. On XX/XX/scrub> 2025, my relationship banker informed me that these two transactions from XX/XX/year>2025 and XX/XX/year>2025 of {$5000.00} each went through. When I inquired as to how these transactions went through when my account was frozen citing fraud, my relationship banker informed me that the back office had gone into my account and manually forced the two transactions of XXXX through to XXXX XXXX. When I asked why Regions did not seek my permission to release these funds, my relationship banker informed me that they do not need my permission to release money from my account and that these transactions would have to go through anyway for me to submit a fraud claim on the {$10000.00} that was taken. I also reached out to XXXX support and XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/year>2025 to discuss the situation. They informed me that there was nothing they could do, I need to file a claim with Regions and to file with the police. I filed with both my local police department and the FBI. On XX/XX/year>2025, I submitted a claim citing fraud on the {$10000.00}. My relationship banker instructed me to hold all my evidence for now and if they denied the initial claim we would appeal and provide all my evidence then. On XX/XX/scrub> 2025, I was informed that my claim had been denied because XXXX was able to provide evidence that I authorized these transactions with my biometrics. I immediately reached out to my relationship banker where she submitted a request for an appeal with all of my evidence. On XX/XX/year>2025, I was informed that Regions was not going to grant me an appeal and they refused to review additional evidence I had to support my claim of Fraud. This is Regulation E misapplication because they are coming to a conclusion based off of the flawed strict Regulation E definition of authorized in the banking industry. While I did authorize these transactions, I did not authorize these payments to go to scammer. I authorized the transactions under the pretense that I was speaking with a Regions employee from the Fraud Department who was moving my money to a new checking account. This was Fraud induced through social engineering. I froze my account while these transactions were still pending and Regions manually pushed these transactions through a few days after the freezing of my account on XX/XX/scrub>, 2025 and XX/XX/scrub> 2025, which is not standard practice. Not only is Regions negligent for processing transactions through on a frozen account, they are implementing unfair, deceptive banking practices and have failed to protect my consumer accounts. Regions systems and processes made this situation possible.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation