NEW ORLEANS – A New Orleans woman is suing a local bank after she allegedly discovered tens of thousands of dollars missing from her bank accounts.
Anna Deschamps-Hughes filed suit against Hancock Holding Co. and Whitney Bank in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court on July 9.
Deschamps-Hughes claims that she held checking, savings and money market accounts at Whitney Bank. The plaintiff alleges that on July 10, 2012, she noticed that another party had accessed her account through an online banking portal and diverted substantial amounts of money to pay for an unknown credit card balance and car loan despite her never opening an online account to access her funds.
Deschamps-Hughes asserts that with the assistance of a Whitney Bank employee she filled out an affidavit to begin an investigation into the matter, but several months went by without anything occurring. The plaintiff claims that although the defendants have begun a new investigation into the matter, they still disagree on the amount that was taken from the accounts.
The defendant is accused of allowing a third party to set up online banking without authorization, allowing one of more third parties to divert monies from accounts without authorization, authorizing transfers of monies without authorization, failing to timely notify of diverted monies, failing to actively investigate diverted funds, failing to implement or follow proper banking regulations to safeguard against unauthorized diversion of funds, failing to admit any responsibility for disappearance of funds, failing to exercise ordinary care and failing to properly supervise online banking.
Damages in the amount of $28,688.70 is sought for reimbursement of all monies diverted from the plaintiff’s bank account, embarrassment, inconvenience, emotional distress, damage to credit rating, damage for financial hardship and out of pocket expenses.
Deschamps-Hughes is represented by attorney Steven T. Richard of Metairie.
The case has been assigned to Division A Judge Tiffany G. Chase.
Case no. 2013-06417.
Whitney Bank sued by customer who claims over $28K was illegally taken out of accounts
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