As a result of recent damage to my vehicle, I received a check from my insurance company for property value loss. Unfortunately, it was addressed to both me and Fifth Third Bank (title holder). Since the nearest branch of Fifth Third Bank is 100 miles away from me, I contacted customer service for the best way to handle this. I was instructed to endorse the check (which, obviously, I was wary of) and mail it to their claims department. I was told by this person, who stated she was reading from the policy manual for instructions for this situation, that this was the only way they would endorse the check but that, not to worry, they would put their endorsement and return the check to me, Fex Ex if i preferred since it would then be completely endorsed. Today I received a phone call from Fifth Third Bank letting me know my check had been applied to my loan. Obviously, it is not awful to have a chunk of the balance of my loan taken off. However, I had been told I would get my check back. My loan payment is not behind. There was no reason for them to absorb it. I live paycheck to paycheck, and I had made plans to pay off a bill and give my son a nice birthday for a change. Now I am going to have plan an expensive, last minute birthday for my son because somebody lied to me in this company. Not only that, but the fact that I was lied to by a supposed "professional" infuriates me, especially when there is no recourse. I was suckered into endorsing that check because I chose to have a little faith in this company's honesty with their customers rather than getting in my car and driving 100 miles to the nearest branch.