Consumer complaint received 2023-12-15
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed

Complaint:
Below is a description of the incident explaining how I became a bitcoin ATM victim, which was stated in my IC3 complaint I filed with the FBI on XX/XX/XXXX, the day after I lost {$19000.00} from my money market account ( " savings account '' ) at US Bank. I have yet to receive any response from the FBI regarding my IC3 complaint. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the US Bank Fraud Dept and verbally reported a fraud claim and on XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted a written fraud claim form to US Bank together with a copy pf my IC3 complaint and other related supporting documents. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called US Bank to check the status of my fraud claim and was told by a fraud investigator that my claim was denied because I withdrew the money from my savings account. In response, I told her that I was under DURESS when I withdrew my money and that I did it to save my money, {$20000.00}, at my savings account. And I told the fraud investigator at US Bank that there was no single security alet sent to me by US Bank when my savings account was compromised by hackers/ scammers on XX/XX/XXXX and that had I received a single security alert from US Bank XXXX I could have avoided being a victim of this so-called bitcoin ATM scam. 

Below is what I stated when I filed my IC3 complaint with the FBI on XX/XX/XXXX. 

My name is XXXX XXXX XXXX, and I am an XXXX with offices in XXXX XXXX, California. My office address is XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX. I am filing this complaint because as a victim of computer data breaches, bank fraud and Bitcoin ATM scam, I lost {$19000.00} to a group of scammers on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, at XXXX am, while working at my office, my desktop computer was locked all of a sudden and stopped working with a warning sign of data breaches and hacking alert. The warning sign says that I should not close the screen and contact XXXX at XXXX XXXX to fix the problems. 

I called ( from my cell phone ) XXXX at the number provided in the warning notice and was able to connect with a lady named XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX : XXXX Employee ID : XXXX. XXXX guided me through the whole process to fix the problems for 2-3 hours. She gave me her name, her XXXX Employee ID number and secure phone line number, which is XXXX and told me to reach out to you if I have any more securtiy problems. 

XXXX also told me that she would serach for any financial hacking. Soon thereafter XXXX informed me that hackers gained access to my U.S. Bank money market account and suggested me that I should talk to the Fraud Department of US Bank. She requested me to give her US bank phone number. She told me to find the bank phone number from my US bank debit card. After I gave her the US bank phone number, she directly called US Bank to connect me with the Fraud Dept. I was not given a chance to directly call the Fraud Dept. From that point on, I was transferred to XXXX 's secure phone line number listed above ( XXXX ). 

While I was on the phone, a guy started talking to me by introducing himself as an employee with the US Bank Fraud Department. He warned me that hackers contacted the US Bank at XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX to have access to my money market account to withdraw {$20000.00} for the purchase of Bitcoins. US Bank, once verifying all personal information about me, was ready to authorize their {$20000.00} withdrawal request. 

When I asked him what his name is, he said his name is XXXX XXXX. Yesterday, XX/XX/XXXX, when I reported this incident to the Fraud Dept. of US Bank, I asked a lady named XXXX if a XXXX XXXX works at the Fraud Dept. I was told there is no such person working at the fraud department. 

This guy, XXXX XXXX, brought another lady to this scam alleging she's working for the FTC. She told me to buy bitcoins with {$20000.00} I withdrew from my bank account no later than XX/XX/XXXX not to lose {$20000.00} at my US Bank money market account. I followed their nstructions and went to US Bank at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, CA. XXXX mile away from my office and withdrew {$20000.00} in cash. And the lady allegedly working for the FTC asked me to go to a XXXX Bitcoin ATM located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, LA. When I got there, XXXX XXXX started giving me the instructions about how to buy bitcoins from a ATM and around XXXX XXXX. tht were sent to a wallet OR Code XXXX XXXX emailed to me. At the time, I did not know what a waller is for because I had never purchased bitcoin before. 

After I got home from XXXX Bitcoin ATM, I became suspicious about the three persons I had dealt with for several hours in the afternoon and called the secure phone line XXXX employee XXXX gave me, but no one answered. Late at night, I sent a text message to XXXX asking for cancellation of my bitcoin purchase transaction and the next day I received a text message from XXXX that this transaction became final. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called US Bank and verbally reported this incident to the Fraud Department and I also called XXXX to verify that a lady named XXXX XXXX is working for XXXX. I have not received any ansewers to this question from XXXX. 

__________________________________________________________________ XXXX Complaint Financial Transaction ( s ) Transaction Type : VirtualCurrency Transaction Amount : XXXX Transaction Date : XX/XX/XXXX Was the money sent? Yes Victim Bank Name : US Bank Recipient Bank Name : XXXX Bitcoin ATM Recipient Account : Wallet Number : XXXX XXXX I would agree to have the CFPB publish my case only after my personal information is deleted. 

Please check with the FBI whether they have reviewed my IC3 complaint. Thank you.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation