Complaint Investigation Report

It was reported, that since 02/1/2021, checks were made out to “CASH” in R1’s name, in the amounts of $6,400, $6,000, $4,000 and $2,020. It was also reported that Staff 1 (S1), accompanied R1 to the bank and identified themselves as R1’s Power of Attorney (POA).

Information gathered and reviewed during the course of the investigation revealed that in early February 2021, R1’s family members received a call from Pacific Western Bank Rosemead Branch informing R1’s family that there were several suspicious checks in R1’s name made out to cash and to other entities. There were (5) written checks totaling in the amount of $22,400:

$2,200 made out to Silver Hospice Care Inc.

The auditor’s interview with Pacific Western Bank Rosemead Branch banking staff revealed they had known R1 for about one year and that the signature on the checks were not consistent in comparison with R1’s signature depicted on the bank signature card. The banking staff stated when R1 was living by themselves, the monthly expense payments were usually utility bills and insurance. Payments were normally in the range of $50 to $100. The banking staff further revealed that on 2/1/2021, after multiple attempts to contact R1 and noticing multiple red flags, R1’s account was frozen to ensure no checks were cleared. It was further revealed that on 02/08/2021, the Pacific Western Bank Rosemead Branch received a phone call from someone pretending to be R1. The branch staff knew it was not R1 because of the different type of voice. The branch staff also knew R1 was having memory loss and/or mental illness. The individual who called in seemed to be very coherent. Later, the branch staff found out that this individual was a worker from the facility where R1 was residing. This individual wanted to find out why R1’s checks were being returned and if the bank could provide the process for adding a POA (Power of Attorney) to R1’s accounts. The branch staff did not give information to this individual because the branch staff knew this individual was not R1. On the same day, S1 called Pacific Western Bank Glendale Branch asking for the same information. The Glendale Branch did not give the information either and referred S1 to the Pacific Western Bank Rosemead Branch