EXCLUSIVE: Scams targeting Truist bank accounts cause business owners to lose thousands: reports

GAS PRICES ALSO CONTINUING TO CLIMB, NATIONAL AVERAGES $4.40. >>> FOX 5 EXCLUSIVE, TOLD YOU ABOUT A D.C. BAR THAT HAD THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS STOLEN FROM ITS BANK ACCOUNTS. THIS IS HAPPENED THE OTHER CUSTOMERS WHO BANK AT THE SAME PLACE. >> LINDSAY WATTS BACK IN THE STORE AND SPOKE TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT HAD THEIR ACCOUNTS CLEANED OUT. SHE HAS THE STORY YOU WILL ONLY SEE ON FOX 5. >> Reporter: ALL THREE OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS BANKED WITH TRUEST, BETWEEN THEM THEY HAD HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TAKEN MONEY THEY SAY THE BANK WILL NOT RETURN. >> IT WAS GUT WRENCHING TO START WITH, OPERATING CAPITAL FOR EVERYTHING. >> Reporter: YEARS RUN A CONTRACTING BUSINESS IN LOUDOUN COUNTY 40 YEARS. HE SAYS IT WAS NEW YEAR'S EVE WHEN HE GOT A TEXT FROM TRUIST ABOUT POSSIBLE FRAUD ON A BANKING CARD HE REPLACED THE MONTH BEFORE. AN ALERT SOME SET UP ONLINE BANKING AND WIRE TRANSFERS. >> WHICH WE HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE. >> Reporter: WHILE HE WAS ON THE PHONE WITH TRISTAN CUSTOMER SERVICE, THE WIRE TRANSFERS STARTED, $25,000, THEN ANOTHER AND ANOTHER. >> SHE RESPONDED SAYING THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE, WE HAVE THE ACCOUNT FROZEN. MUST'VE BEEN SOMETHING THAT SLIPPED THROUGH BEFORE THE ACCOUNT THAT FROZEN. >> HIS SON'S ACCOUNT WAS LINKED TO HIS. >> 20 MINUTES LATER MY SON CALLS ME AND TELLS ME THEY CLEANED ME OUT. >> Reporter: RECORDS HE PROVIDED SHOW FIVE DIFFERENT WIRE TRANSFERS TOTALING $116,000. >> 25 WIRE TRANSACTIONS PERFORM. >> Reporter: ON MONDAY WE TALKED A LONG TIME ADAMS MORGAN BUSINESS OWNERS HIS TRUIST ACCOUNT GOT CLEANED OUT JUST BEFORE THE NEW YEAR. THEY INITIALLY HAD ALMOST HALF $1 MILLION STOLEN AND ARE STILL OUT OVER 200,000. WHEN YOU SAW OUR STORY ABOUT THE ADAMS MORGAN RESTAURANT, WHAT YOU THINK? MY GOD, THERE ARE PEOPLE GOING TO THE SAME THING I AM. >> Reporter: SAME WITH DIANE. >> IT WAS MY INCOME, EVERYTHING THE PAST THREE YEARS. >> Reporter: SHE SAID SOMEONE STOLE OVER 20 5K FROM HER TRUIST ACCOUNT IN FEBRUARY TO DIRECT DEBIT. SHE LIVES IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY AND MAKES HANDMADE JEWELRY. >> I HONESTLY FEEL LIKE I HAD WORKED ALL THIS TIME FOR ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. THAT REALLY HURTS. SHE GOT NO ALERT FROM TRUIST ABOUT THE DEBIT AND THE BANK MAINTAINING SHE HAD A CONTRACT WITH THIS PERSON. SHE SAYS NOT TRUE. BOTH SAY THEY SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS FIGHTING FOR THE MONEY AND THIS IS MORE THAN $. >> THE OLD SAYING I ALWAYS HEARD PEOPLE SAY GROWING UP, WHEN SOMEBODY STEALS SOMETHING FROM YOU, YOU FEEL VIOLATED. I NEVER RELATED TO THAT, EXCUSE ME -- >> Reporter: NOT SO MUCH THEY STOLE HIS MONEY BUT HIS TEENAGE SON'S WHO SAVED UP THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORKING. >> HIS WORDS TO ME WERE, I'VE BEEN A BURDEN 16 YEARS, TIME FOR ME TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. AND I DON'T WANT HIM STARTING OUT HIS ADULT LIFE SEEING THE WORLD IN THIS MANNER. >> Reporter: SO DIFFICULT. HE SAYS HE DID GET $5000 RETURNED BUT NOW TRUIST HAS CLOSED THE CASE. TRUIST POLICY INDICATES IF FRAUD WAS CONFIRMED, THE BANK WOULD REIMBURSE THE MONEY. I REACHED OUT TO THE BANK AND THEY TELL ME THEY CAN'T SPEAK ABOUT SPECIFIC CLIENT

Channel: FOX 5 Washington DC

Views: 157,379

Keywords: TRUIST, BANK ACCOUNT SCAMS, TRUIST BANK ACCOUNT SCAMS, BUSINESS OWNERS TARGETED BY SCAMS, DC BUSINESSES, VIRGINIA BUSINESSES, Fox 5, DC, News, Clip, Exclusive, Trending, Viral, New, DMV

Id: EyKWMZDFJCA

Length: 3min 40sec (220 seconds)

Published: Thu May 12 2022