Consumer complaint received 2019-04-03
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: MN
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card

Complaint:
I work at a XXXX school as a XXXX, XXXX  XXXX, and XXXX. In XXXX of 2018 I purchased an antivirus/anti spam software/computer support through XXXX XXXX. They scanned my computer and told me I had a lot of viruses and needed to purchase the antivirus software through their company and my computer would be lifetime warrantee with their company antivirus software. The price was {$540.00} so I purchased it and they said I could call them anytime something went wrong with my computer and they would help me at no cost. My computer was running great since XXXX, then on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX  called me ( several different men spoke with me : XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX ) and said their company is closing and they wanted to give a refund of {$540.00}. He said they could not send checks out because they are closing. He said he had to refund me on my usbank account and could wire me the money right to my account. He was doing a lot of stuff on my computer and he said to type in my name, address and then type in {$600.00}, I said I thought it was only {$540.00} and he said we are giving {$600.00} for the inconvenience and taxes, etc. He then had me type in my name again, address, and then he would type the first part of it and then he would say ok now you type. Then when I went to type in $ the number 4 kept popping up and he started to get angry with me and said you have to be very careful and not type in anything wrong and you cant hit the backspace. It took about three times and finally on the third time when I typed in {$600.00} he then added a zero so it said {$6000.00}. I kept saying No that is wrong it says {$6000.00} and he wouldnt listen and then he freaked out on me and said oh my XXXX what did you do, that money went into your account, you need to get that money back to me or I will get fired. I can not believe this has happened. You are responsible to get that money back to me. This is a nonrefundable account that it came from so we have to figure out how you can get the money back to me. Then he showed me my usbank and it showed an extra {$6000.00} in the account. Looking back now they had access to my computer and could change any of the numbers. He told me they are partners with XXXX and I would need to get XXXX gift cards for {$6000.00} and keep him on the phone. This phone conversation was over an hour and half long on Wednesday, XX/XX/XXXX XXXX you can listen to the entire conversation if XXXX & XXXX has the capability to share that information. He told me to keep him on the phone the entire time, but not to tell anyone. I kept him on the phone, I was shaking and I went into XXXX and purchased {$5000.00} in XXXX gift cards on my usbank credit card then he told me to get XXXX XXXX gift cards for {$400.00} and the store only allowed me to purchase {$100.00} of that. Then I got back in my car, still shaking I wanted to get this guy his money back for fear that I would be in trouble. He said to stop at a XXXX or gas station and purchase {$300.00} more in XXXX XXXX   cards so then it would total {$5400.00} and the other {$600.00} I would keep because that would be my refund amount. I questioned him several times in our phone conversation and said I feel like I am doing something illegal and I said do you swear on your life that you are not lying to me and I will have this money in my account. He said yes yes of course. I asked what religion he was and he said XXXX. I said I am a XXXX and I dont want you to lose your job and I would hope someone would do the same for me. He then said yes yes and you are responsible to get this money back to me or you could be in a lot of trouble too. Then I went to the XXXX gas station to purchase XXXX XXXX cards for {$400.00} but my credit card was declined. Then he told me to go to XXXX and my credit card was declined there too. I said sir I am so sorry I need to get back to work I have class coming in a little bit. He said ok scratch off the numbers on the back of your gift cards and read them to me, so I did. Then he said ok let me get the receipts in order and Ill make sure everything goes through. I taught my classes still shaking and then he called back and said {$2000.00} didnt go through and you need to get me that {$2000.00} today. I said I couldnt get it until the next day. I then checked my account again and the {$6000.00} was not in there. I confronted him and he said you cant have that money until the gift cards go through. Then I said I am at the point where I am going to involve the police, then he got really mad and locked up my computer and said he will erase everything off my computer and will keep my computer locked until I give him his money. He said if I want my money back I need to do what he says. So then I went to the XXXX  XXXX using my XXXX and bought XXXX XXXX   gift cards for {$1000.00}. Then at XXXX on the XXXX  card I bought XXXX XXXX gift cards for {$1000.00}. Then he wasnt going to unlock my computer until the money went through. The next morning he did not unlock my computer and no money was in my account like he said so I called chief police and met at the police department with him and filed a police report. I brought my computer into XXXX XXXX to have them unlock it and clean it up and put a new antivirus software on my computer. I called all three credit card companies and labeled this as fraud. Both XXXX and XXXX XXXX both immediately when I called gave me a provisional credit and have labeled it as fraud and I am not liable to pay that money back. I would hope USBANK Visa would do the same. I have been a loyal customer with USbank visa for well over ten years I believe and usbank checking/savings for 17 years. XXXX card I have been with for 17 years and never ever had bad credit. My credit score is over XXXX and I am an honest trustworthy XXXX, parent, friend, and XXXX in our society. There is no way I will ever be able to pay USbank visa back {$5100.00} and I should NOT have to because of this Fraud I will do whatever I can with the police to try to get these XXXX XXXX guys closed down so they do not scam anymore people and I will fight this fraud case as long as I have too. This is morally wrong and unacceptable and I DO NOT want this to happen to any more innocent people. I would appreciate any help and support from USbank visa so this does NOT happen to anymore of your customers. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX & XXXX & XXXX XXXX XXXX ( supposedly the owner of XXXX XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX These are the XXXX Gift Card numbers on the back of the card, Please trace them and see how they were spent and in what country or state they were spent in, I did not benefit or purchase anything with these cards : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX pin # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX pin # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX pin # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX pin # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX pin # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX pin # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX pin # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX pin # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX pin # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX pin # XXXX This is the letter I sent to USBANK visa and they refused my claim as fraud and charged me the full {$5100.00} plus interest. This is ridiculous I do not have that type of money as a single mom with XXXX children. USBANK is a multi million dollar business and I did not benefit {$1.00} from those gift cards! I have amazing credit and have never had an issue with XXXX XXXX in 18 years and they labeled the {$1000.00} as fraud and never charged me.

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