Consumer complaint received 2022-10-28
Company: PENTAGON FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Ca XXXX XXXX XXXX I put solar into my house and received an XXXX loan from Pen Fed . I never gave any proof of whom I was or anything. Pen fed stated in order to have the loan I had to open an account with them and they would put 5 in it to keep it active. It stayed that way for about 3 to 4 years and at no time was I asked to prove my identity nor was I asked to send them a copy of my license or any document to prove my identity. 
I was not happy with my XXXX account so I decided to transfer money into my pen fed account in order to pay a mortgage on a property that XXXX XXXXd XXXX XXXX ladies. I created a username and password and opened my penfed online access account and started the transfer on XX/XX/XXXX for XXXX from XXXX into Pen Fed that is the daily limit. In order to do the transfer they had to make small deposits into the account and all three had to be verified. We received only 2 and without the verification process being completed, they made the transfer. XX/XX/XXXX I also applied for a credit card offer they sent. That same evening I logged into my account and it showed the credit card for XXXX being approved as well as the XXXX was successfully transferred. The next day we needed to transfer the remaining balance into pen fed to make a mortgage payment. I was unable to log in and saw emails asking for me to fill out an online form. I tried a couple times yet it would not go through. Even using different computers and browsers. 
I started the calls and had to call in three times and re explain myself three times that day due to the CSR putting us on hold for too long and the automated hold stated they were going to end the call. XXXX XXXX and We finally spoke to XXXX and she stated they needed to obtain verification as they believed I was fraud. They asked me to send a selfie with my face and my drivers license in the same photo in order to unfreeze the account as well as download the XXXX form that is on the webpage. The CSR went through the process to download it online. We tried while on the phone with her and it would not work. We uploaded the photo id and she asked us to wait for a bit to try the online verification form again Unfortunately for Pen Fed their Webpage developer did not put the correct form online. They tried to email me an online portal page which is used to verify my identity. I put in all the information asked and answered the questions and none of the questions pertaining to me and after the XXXX questions it stated I was not who I was. We tried it a couple more times and it would not verify who I was. None of the questions pertained to me. 
Friday we called and once again had to tell the story a couple times and spoke with 2 CSR ( XXXX XXXX ) and tying to get them to understand the urgency to get this through to pay a mortgage. She transferred me to a Supervisor XXXX. XXXX said there is nothing he could do and would overnight the XXXX form to me. It should have been here Saturday it did not arrive until Tuesday ) He also then decided to tell me I would also need a copy of a utility bill with my address and name as well a as a social security card copy. I tried to explain to him that I am XXXX and I have not needed my soc sec for over 40 years and my x wife had taken all my personal papers. That did not matter to him. 
Next time we call we are told they didnt receive all the documents I had uploaded. Once again I had to give them the document numbers and they found them after putting me on hold a couple times. This time they said they need all the pages of my utility bill front and back not just the first page and they wont accept my IRS Social Security award letter. I needed to upload my XXXX taxes. For my XXXX taxes I put an extension on and I did not have to finish them until 2 weeks ago. I have been ill and have not been in to go down and sign the paperwork nor had paid yet and cant pay now because you are holding my monies. At this point I have XXXX in pen fed and unable to use to pay my XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX taxes they asked for nor my mortgage. 
During the weekend I uploaded a copy of my electric bill and my IRS Social security award letter with my name address and soc sec number. We started calling again on Monday morning speaking with a couple different CSR due to the phone call was dropped ( nobody has EVER called back when a call has been dropped so I am always having to start all over and explain the situation. After going back and forth telling me they didnt receive the documents and then after giving them my confirmation receipt numbers and putting me on hold 3 times they found them. Again they tried to send me the form for the verification link via my email and while on the line I went through and completed it with XXXX it stated it couldnt verify me. I asked to speak with a supervisor due to me having to pay a mortgage with the monies in my account. They transferred me to XXXX. She downloaded the form internally due to Pen Fed XXXX mistake and sent it to me via my email as an attachment. I told her I still had not received the onvernight XXXX form that XXXX said it would be at my home overnight. She stated I needed to choose a word and to put it on the paper and have it notarized. No rules as to what it can or cant be. We did that and uploaded it During this nightmare I have called in about 30 different times to get this straightened however each and every time they talk to me they asked for more and more identity paperwork. I have spent 3 to 4 hours each and every morning since this started to get it resolved. I have also received about 20 emails with the same electronic form for which does not work. Please remember this is after they have loaned me XXXX for my solar and then another XXXX for a credit card without any forms of ID. 
I then called penfed again and they stated this time I also needed to upload. Once again they stated I didnt not upload the documents and I had to give them the numbers again but sitting on hold they dropped the call so I had to call in again.The next agent heard the situation and was going to verify the documents were all uploaded.. After investigating they stated they received all but one of the documents and it was being reviewed. 
We waited until the next day and started calling again. This time the agent stated we needed MORE documents to prove who I am. They stated they needed all pages of the utility bill front and back as well as a color copy of his social security card. Once again I tried to explain to the CSR that I am almost XXXX years old and have not worked in 30 years and that my x wife had stolen all my personal documents during my divorce. I live in a very rural are and it would take 45 minutes to get to a social security office and it would take over 3 weeks to make the appointment and to receive a copy of my social security. I tried to explain the severity of the monies that were in the account and the monies are to pay a mortgage for a piece of property for XXXX and XXXX of domestic XXXX and due to the issues with XXXX. I had not paid the monies and and I was going to be in default of the loan and have the property forclosed on and it would be on my credit not to mention it would cause XXXX  and anguish for the familys we help not to mention the XXXX it has caused me and I am XXXX. They also told me that they dont want to accept my verbal password and woud have to choose another word and have it re notarized. They are being prejudice against me. There are no rules or regulations. In fact my online password to PenFed is almost the same password. 
During this nightmare I have called in about 30 different times to get this straightened however each and every time they talk to me they asked for more and more and more and more identity paperwork. I have spent 3 to 4 hours each and every morning since this started to get it resolved. I have also received about 20 emails with the same electronic form for which does not work. Please remember this is after they have loaned me XXXX for my solar and then another XXXX for a credit card without any forms of ID. 
We did receive the form that XXXX overnighted to me however it was not until Tuesday and it was a completely different form that the one I was emailed from XXXX. XXXX is very unprofessional and did not help and even made matters worse by sending me a completely different form.

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