I have a joint SunTrust account with my daughter. On 7/17/09, when she got paid, she noticed a debit of $130 from an unknown company. On Saturday, 7/18, we went to the branch that was open on Saturday, and we were told that the amount was still "on hold" and there was nothing we could do until it actually posted.
Of course, she had no access to that amount either. The bank representative told us that the same company had tried several times that same week to withdraw the amount, but since she did not have enough funds, it did not go through. Because of this incident, she turned in her debit card and requested a new one.
The next business day, 7/20, I went to the bank to file a "fraud affidavit," because we still did not know who that company was. I took the form to my daughter's office for her to sign and took it back to the bank so they could fax it to their "Fraud Department." The bank representative told me that in 4-5 business days we would have a "provisional credit" until the investigation was completed.
A few days later, a bank representative called my daughter and asked her if she had visited a tanning salon. My daughter told her that she had a "trial" in June and paid them $15.00 with her card. After that, I talked to the bank representative, and she told me that this was not considered fraud. Because my daughter had given this tanning salon her card number, it was going to be considered a "courtesy" call. My daughter never authorized this company to withdraw $130.
I explained to the representative that the affidavit form the bank gave us had an option (#2) for when you had used a vendor in the past but had only authorized a certain amount, and that it would still be considered fraud. She insisted that we had authorized the use of the card and that it was not fraud. Why do they have that option on their form if it is not going to be considered fraud?
I have called their customer service number numerous times, been transferred to their Fraud Department, and been told many times that this "provisional credit" could take up to 60 days!
If it is provisional, they should be able to put it on her account until they do their investigation, and if it is determined that we are responsible, then take the credit back.
I have requested twice to have a supervisor call me, and they tell me that someone will call within 24 hours. It has been 48 hours, and still nothing. My daughter is a single mom of a 4-year-old, and she could use the $130 to get her daughter ready for school. The fact that this whole ordeal is going to take 60 days to get resolved is just preposterous.
We are using the forms that they provide to us, and now they are taking their opinions back. The fact that no one has called after I gave them my phone number twice and was told it would be within 24 hours is really bad customer service. I do not recommend this bank.
I personally have another bank, which gives you the provisional credit until they finish their investigation. I am going to have my daughter change banks and go to mine, since it seems like she is out of her $130 anyway.
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