Consumer complaint received 2024-05-12 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account — Transaction was not authorized
Company: BMO BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
BMO Bank Harris fraudulently opened account in my name. I do not live or bank in Illinois nor does BMO Harris have in my Florida XXXX. I have never had any dealings whatsoever with this bank prior to this fraudulent activity. They -- without authorization XXXX  withdrew from a joint checking account that is held at a different not related bank, for these purposes, bank " B. '' located in Ohio. The joint-ownership in the Bank " XXXX '' checking account is with my husband. I, nor my husband have ever lived in Illinois, nor operated any business or entity nor lived in any city where BMO Harris has branches. BMO ACH, without authorization two transactions. First {$500.00}. Second {$2500.00}. I discovered these unauthorized withdrawals from my existing checking account on or about 10 days from the unauthorized transaction by review of my bank statements I notified them that this was unauthorized. I also notified my bank -- XXXX XXXX of Ohio of the fraud. XXXX XXXX immediately placed a hold on the account -- and after investigation refunded the entire amount. I sent a tracked registered letter to BMO at the address they had provided detailing all of this. ( attached ). We also spent much time on the phone with their customer service. I clearly advised that I did not open an account at their bank. I clearly advised that I had not opened a credit card at their bank and any credit card transactions were fraudulent and that I had not received the card, plus clearly advised them that I had not signed any documents whatsoever and had not authorized the 2 XXXX  withdrawals -- nor given them the Bank XXXX information. I also advised that I was in possession of my license, all check were accounted for -- and had a credit score above XXXX. That any and all contacts they claimed was mine were not. Their fraud department would not speak to my husband despite the fact that I told them I did not open nor authorize the account -- in other words they were not protecting my privacy -- they were protecting themselves. The address they used on the account was not my address -- but they would not tell me what it was. One week after contact by bank " B '' we received credit card and banking information -- prior to that we had not received any information -- and never ( did not receive ) received a bank card or any other BMO Harris in all its many names ) notices, letters, documents or the like. it is upon information and belief that without authorization they changed the address that was of record on the fraudulent account -- and did not send email or any other notice to the account holder. Thereafter they began to use our only address in Florida. It appears that a credit card was indeed issued ( their CSR told me same ) -- it was not sent to my address, nor did I receive or use it for any purchases whatsoever ( an impossibility ) It was not sent to our address and then stolen -- as our mailbox is under lock and key. It is upon information and belief sent to another address -- not mine. In my correspondence I requested all documents relating to how they verified the identity of the fraudulent account -- as it is quite clear they were not my documents and that they failed to perform even rudimentary verification as required. Despite that, they by ACH ( unauthorized at the sending or receiving bank took money from my husband -- they refused to talk to him. His name is on the bank B account. They will only talk to me -- for some alleged claim of privacy -- however since I did not open the account -- have never had any prior communication -- and have bank B verified their customers identity ( me ) they have provided evidence of that this account is not mine, nor ever opened by me -- and especially I never authorized an ACH transaction, never provided the Bank XXXX account # -- and they have been advised of same -- they should speak to my husband as they are stealing his money too. Today in checking my bank B account -- without authorization, without prior notice once again withdrew {$2000.00} by ACH -- BMO Collections. This is fraud. This is Theft! I believe that they have a practice of doing this -- not properly identifying and verifying the identity of customers -- and their process intentionally creates process and procedures to hide this fact in order to continue stealing money from those that may not have the means to recover it. It is upon information and belief that BMO Harris is violating Federal banking law by not having proper identify verification process, and/or by having a process and not having proper procedures in place so that their employees follow the process -- and then refusing to speak to a person which has been affected by this grossly inadequate process claiming that they will only speak to an 'account ' holder when in fact that they know that there is no account holder and that they are doing it intentionally -- for the same reasons XXXX XXXX opened fake accounts.

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