Consumer complaint received 2022-04-27
Company: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
State: AK
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem making or receiving payments

Complaint:
On the evening of XXXX, XX/XX/2022, I ordered a {$1300.00} certified/official/cashier 's check from checking account at USAA. I paid {$8.00} for expedited shipping using their online official check ordering application on their website, and was informed the check would arrive in approx. two business days. The transaction did not generate a receipt. I was not informed by the online system of the check number, the approx. time of arrival or a tracking number. In fact, I was not even informed who was to ship my cashier 's check. 

When the check did not arrive by Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX ( approx. 3 business days after order ), I called USAA to inquire into the status of the check. It took the USAA customer service representative nearly an hour to find any information in their system about the check. ( Note : I failed to write down the tracking number, and had to call back and ask it again. It took a second customer service rep. nearly an hour to find the tracking numer a second time. ) The customer service rep. was finally able to provide a XXXX shipping number. Using XXXX 's online portal, I was able to see, to my great dismay and surprise, that the check was supposedly delivered to my apartment on the morning of XX/XX/2022, when I would be at work. Unfortunately, there was no check or there package from XXXX when I returned home from work that day. I can only assume it was lost or stolen, and have reported it to XXXX  as such. 

Per USAA 's records ( as reported by the third phone customer service representative I spoke to on the XX/XX/XXXX ), the check was to be sent with " signature required. '' Per XXXX 's own policies, any shipments with a declared value of over {$500.00} must be sent with signature required upon delivery. Despite all this, XXXX 's records show that USAA sent the check without restricting delivery to a signature. 

USAA 's policies and practices for handling the processing and shipment of official/cashier 's checks is reckless bordering on criminal ( at least, in a figurative sense ), and has resulted in my losing {$1300.00} that was previously in my checking account. I now have no way to pay the deposit for my new apartment. USAA agreed to refund the {$8.00} expedited mailing fee for the check, but otherwise has offered me no solution aside from informing me that the check can be stopped and refunded, but only after a 3 month waiting period. 

In the meantime, I am now facing homelessness due to USAA 's reckless practices. This all could have been avoided had USAA simply set up a system to inform the customer of the identity of the carrier company and the tracking number, once generated, once the customer orders a certified check online. This would have allowed me a fair opportunity to work from home the day of deliver so I could be there at the time of delivery. Alternatively, USAA could have simply followed XXXX 's own policies and required a signature, which also would have resulted in my check being lost or stolen. Again, per one of the three customer service reps. I spoke to on the evening of XX/XX/2022, the check was, per USAA 's own records, supposed to have been sent with signature required. 

Note : I have attached screenshots of the online cashier 's check ordering form.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation