Consumer complaint received 2021-04-10
Company: NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: FL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
On XX/XX/21 I received a call supposedly from the Department of State Fraud Investigation Unit, asking me about high dollar transactions linked to my social security number, which I immediately denied I had done. They did now about a fraud report I had made on a small unauthorized transaction from my bank, as well as small transactions to XXXX, which I sent to my family. They said my SS # had been used in 18 different bank accts., and asked me if I was aware of different balances from them, which I also denied. They said my social and these transactions were tied to a trafficking ring and that I had a pending arrest warrant. Since I denied all these transactions, they pretended like they believed me, and asked me if I was willing to collaborate with their department to track the movements of these accounts and whoever stole my identity. 

I asked them if they could just report the fraud and I would close my accounts. At this point they became aggressive and implied I was denying collaboration with a govt. agency, and that they would then proceed to keep me in their custody until they verified the validity of my statements. They asked me to look for the XXXX XXXX police department phone number, since it was where the original flag to this activity was reported ( for context : I previously lived in SD and opened my bank account with Navy Fed there ). I verified the phone number with them and they said I would get a call from an officer from the department. The next call I received had that number in the caller ID ( from SD XXXX  ). The person asked me if I had enough phone battery and if I was in a secure space and that I could not disclose any of the info discussed to outside agencies, since there was an ongoing investigation and any info couldn't be breached due to policy. He then told me I had to follow their instructions precisely in order to " secure '' my accounts and to clear up any links to the active investigation of my identity as they were in the process of freezing all my accounts. 

He told me I needed to withdraw all the money from my account, and that I would transfer the money into secure government vouchers and they would have two police officers come to my residence at XXXX the day after to give me a new SS # and instructions on how to transfer my money to new accounts. I began to ask more questions, but he insisted I remained calm as I drove to Navy Federal and to focus on the task at hand. 

When I arrived at Navy Federal Credit Union ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX  XXXX. XXXX, FL XXXX ), before going to the teller I told them I would keep my money cash instead and once I opened new accounts I would deposit them myself. However. they insisted they needed to be put on the government voucher in order for the money to appear as " clean ''. When he noticed I stopped believing, he said that if I didn't believe I was speaking to the government, to look at two different people which he described correctly ( clothing, location in relation to me, etc ), and they were in fact watching me. At this point I feared for my security and my family 's and knew I was being scammed and followed so I followed their directions. My decision was based on the fact that they knew I was an XXXX XXXX service member in the XXXX, and knew our residence address. 

They made me purchase 15 XXXX gift cards with {$4400.00} in cash which I withdrew from the teller in Navy Fed and {$3000.00} with my XXXX  XXXX credit card and I had to give them the access codes. XXXX XXXX is collaborating with me, XXXX  fraud department is also collaborating by cancelling those cards right away and trying to get any funds back ( I have not heard back if they found any ), but Navy Federal Credit Union will not help me in recovering my money despite the evidence provided & the current police report. I called that same day the Fraud Department and they justified their lack of action by the fact I personally withdrew the money, regardless of me explaining I was being followed, the XXXX people were outside the bank waiting, and felt threatened and feared for my safety. On Monday XX/XX/21, I personally went to the branch in my second attempt to get help from them, I filed a fraud report and they closed the original account and opened a new one. However, they said that they were not sure what the outcome would be after submitting the report, and that I should call the Security Department, although they had already said they couldn't help. I recently received a letter from Navy Fed dated XX/XX/XXXX ( attached ) in which they denied any error occurred based on account activity. 

I have documentation of the police report, XXXX  's case # for the scam, receipts of gift cards, my report to the Federal Trade Commission since by SS # was breached, and I am willing to provide any further information needed to resolve this matter. 

XXXX  Case # XXXX Federal Trade Commission Report # XXXX

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