Melvin, Loss Prevention Investigator, TCF Bank Cashed 2 checks in child's handwriting for $3,400.Then denied forgery claim! St Paul & Minneapolis Minnesota

On 11-21-06 my 16 year old son, who was home after completing a mental health assessment, stole 2 checks from my wife's purse. He then proceeded to write checks for $3000 dollars and for $400.

He has real poor penmanship. He printed his name on the $3000 check and didn't even capitalize his last name. The TCF Bank teller some how cashed these checks. I was told by someone at the bank that they cashed the checks because our son had an account at the same bank. He didn't even have any money in that account. After showing the local TCF manager the image, she assured me that we would be protected by TCF's "fraudulent coverage".

On 01-19-2007, after repeated phone calls to both the manager and fraudulent office, they finally told me that my claim was denied based on the fact that these checks were not securely kept in my house. We kept our checks as securely as anyone keeps checks and our son has no history of stealing checks.

This decision has caused considerable hardships. We were told all along that we would eventually get our money back. They even reimbursed us for 3 fines that we incurred as a result of limited money in our account. We borrowed money from our already stressed out credit cards to cover the fraud.

We also went forward with our prior plans to buy a more environment friendly car. The worst consequence, however; resulting from TCF' s Inept company's policies is that my son, who had recently been diagnosed as needing mental health assistance had to be moved from a facility in which he was known by the staff and could have begun getting help immediately to a much more restrictive place far from home.

If they hadn't cashed the checks that were written in my son's handwriting, there's a good chance he would have given up his idea of running away. He would have started the residential program that he was admitted to after Thanksgiving, instead of being on the streets for 2 weeks then being in an inpatient hospital program for 3 weeks.
Please help us.

Thanks,
Frank
Bloomington, Minnesota
U.S.A.