Consumer complaint received 2022-12-20
Company: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
State: AZ
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2022, I was the victim of a phishing attack that led to approximately {$3000.00} being stolen from my credit and savings accounts at USAA. I have provided a detailed summary below of the events that transpired on XX/XX/2022, and the steps that I have taken since that time to ask USAA to investigate the fraudulent activity, restore my credit, and ensure I am not charged or liable for any of the fraudulent activity. 
Detailed Summary : On XXXX XXXX, 2022, at approximately XXXX XXXX, I received a telephone call from a registered USAA number while driving on the XXXX highway from XXXX to XXXX in Arizona. The speaker informed me that USAA had flagged charges on my account. The speaker proceeded to list out a series of charges and stated that an unknown person had accessed and withdrawn money from an in-person branch of USAA in XXXX XXXX XXXX Texas. 
The speaker then asked me to read out a code that was sent to my phone via text. I briefly checked my text messages to provide the requested code and checked my app to see if there were any discrepancies. Shortly after that, I asked if the speaker could call me back after I got home to ensure the subject matter at issue had my full focus and attention. 
Once I arrived home, I checked the USAA app again and waited for USAA to call me back. After waiting for USAA to call me back and having not received a call, I called USAA at approximately XXXX pm. I reported the information that had been provided to me. Specifically, I explained that USAA had contacted me to report fraudulent charges on my account, including ( 1 ) a deposit from a bad check for {$16000.00} into my checking account, ( 2 ) a {$2500.00} cash advance from my credit card deposited into my savings account, ( XXXX ) a {$390.00} dollar cashier 's check from my savings account going to an unrecognized address, and ( XXXX ) a {$2500.00} cashier 's check from my savings account going to an unrecognized address. 
Upon reporting this activity, I learned that a fraudulent individual had contacted me, not USAA. USAA filed the information that I reported as general fraud and began to investigate what happened. Next, I contacted USAA account takeover and was temporarily locked out of my account while USAA conducted its investigation. After contacting USAA account takeover, I contacted the checking and savings department and requested they cancel the checks that were sent. That department informed me that, " We are unable to cancel cashier 's checks after they have been sent, the fraud and security department should refund the lost funds. I also contacted the credit department and informed them that I did not deposit that large amount into my credit account and did not authorize a cash advance. 
Over the weeks that followed, USAAs analysis of what transpired on XXXX XXXX, 2022 vacillated between finding no evidence of fraud to claiming that I sabotaged my own bank account to determining that I fell victim to a phishing attack. 
I continued to follow up with USAA about the status of the Companys investigation and consistently affirmed that I was the victim of a phishing scam. USAA documented the cash advance on my credit card as fraud and the cash advance was refunded, but I have never been reimbursed for my lost savings. 
While I believed USAA had properly documented all reported account activity on XXXX XXXX, 2022 as fraud, on XXXX XXXX, 2022, I noticed that my savings account was negative {$2500.00}. Upon noticing that negative amount, I contacted USAA. A USAA representative informed me that the cashiers check that had been fraudulently sent on XXXX XXXX had been cashed and the funds were removed from my savings account. I then asked USAA to reopen the investigation as the cashers check was fraudulently sent which I had informed USAA of at the time it was sent on XXXX XXXX, 2022, when I asked USAA to stop payment of that check, but it did not. The fraudulent cashers check was also directly linked to the fraudulent cash advance from my credit card that occurred on XXXX XXXX, 2022, which USAA had determined was fraud. 
USAA opened and closed its investigation into the cashiers check within 3 days and informed me it believed that I was the one who requested the funds. USAA reached that conclusion even though I asked the Company to stop payment on the cashiers check on XXXX XXXX, which USAA did not do. 
After a lengthy conversation with USAA members resolution on XXXX XXXX, 2022, I was informed that I had 21 days to pay off the balance or my account would be terminated. I responded that the amount in question was directly linked to the transfer of fraudulent charges on my credit card. Nevertheless, USAA informed me that I was responsible for the charges. 
On XXXX XXXX, 2022, I met with a legal assistance attorney and we contacted USAA together. After more than fifty minutes on hold, we received instructions about how to further dispute the negative {$2500.00} in my savings account.

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