Consumer complaint received 2017-07-14
Company: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
State: IL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I intend for this to be extremely direct and to help highlight some of the important details which I have experienced thus far -- since the theft of my personal property/identity on Friday, XXXX. Some of these details are where are I believe USAA has improperly handled my case/account. Please keep in mind that all of the phone calls with USAA are recorded and on file somewhere -- because I believe these greatly help my case.
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Friday, XXXX, my phone and wallet were stolen and used fraudulently.
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Saturday, XXXX, upon notice of stolen property and original misuse of ATM Debit card, I immediately called USAA from my roommates cellular phone -- ( XXXX ) XXXX. I was shocked to see unauthorized ATM transactions listed on my account with the use of my stolen property. I was also responding to an automated USAA Alert about Suspicious Activity on my account. During this phone call I was in shock and panic about the events leading up to, during, and after the theft of property/funds, and continued theft of funds. A USAA representative was able to immediately put in an order for new USAA debit and USAA credit cards. The representative also informed me that my account would be sent to Fraud Claims -- and that my accounts would be frozen & locked for investigation into the recent suspicious activity. My accounts were NOT frozen as I was told. I deliberately asked the representative if I needed to provide any additional information, and deliberately asked if it was in my best interest to file a police report, in the interest of recovering the stolen funds. I was specifically told : NO -- it would NOT be necessary to file a police report because USAA does all of their fraud claims in-house, and do not work with the police during their investigation.
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Sunday, XXXX, & Monday, XXXX, & Tuesday, XXXX, I continually call USAA in order to check on the status of my account. Keep in mind this is a vigorous process without owning a cellular phone at these points in time -- and you will also see that none of these calls were from my registered phone number, since my phone was stolen. I attempted to check the status of my account multiple times, and to continue to try to keep up with the investigation process so that I could be as aware and as helpful to USAA as possible. I even at one point, told a representative that I was worried about USAA e-mails outlining a volatile DROP / INCREASE / DROP / ETC pattern on my account ( s ). The representative ASSURED me that this was normal as part of the process for a fraud investigation -- I believe he/she told me that USAA will deliver portions in chunks, and then withdraw them back if needed, and to disregard any activity on my account during the fraud investigation In fact, the volatile activity on my account was actually continuing fraud on my NON-frozen account. The criminals were using my cell phone to deposit fake checks and to make electronic payments directly from my checking account before the fake checks would bounce.
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Wednesday, XXXX, I was able to purchase a new phone from XXXX XXXX ( with money westernunioned to me from my brother ). I call USAA again to check the status of my accounts -- and this time after be transferred multiple times, and not taking no for an answer, I was patched through to what I believe to have been the USAA Security team. XXXX and XXXX were both very helpful in describing what had been going on with my accounts for the previous days after the original theft -- they informed me that in fact, my original claim had been mishandled by USAA and that they were APPALLED about my entire experience thus far. XXXX told me that I should ABSOLUTELY file a police report -- which I have now done twice. And she told me to contact the credit bureau as well, which I have done -- XXXX -- in order to place a fraud alert on ALL of my credit activity. After a dropped call, XXXX reiterated similar information as XXXX. XXXX then assured me that my case would be immediately sent over to the Financial Crimes Department -- where it would be reviewed on an expedited catastrophe level basis. She told me that people with my wallet/phone were using my cellular phone to deposit bogus checks, and withdrawing all of the immediate funds before the checks would eventually bounce. She tells me that this was able to occur MULTIPLE times. Absolutely none of this should have ever been allowed had my accounts been tended to correctly on the original file for Fraudulent Claims -- my accounts should have been properly locked on Saturday, XXXX. Even beyond USAA 's first error -- my accounts should have been reviewed PROPERLY with respect when I called each day after XXXX -- and I would have been able to freeze these continuing fraudulent deposits/transfers immediately!! She told me that I would receive a phone call personally from your office in the time period of 24-48 hours. She also reassured me that my account would absolutely be frozen this time, and ordered me yet another set of USAA debit and USAA credit cards. She also reassured me that everything would be sorted out. However, she did not mention that the new fraudulent activity was actually bank transfers -- she described the activity as withdraws. I file an original police report to Chicago Police Department with R.D. No. XXXX with the complaint that my wallet/phone/keys were stolen from my person, in order to use my cards to drain my bank accounts.
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Thursday, XXXX, & Friday, XXXX, I wait patiently for a telephone call from USAA Financial Crimes Department. ( no call ) Saturday, XXXX, I call USAA to check the status of my pending fraud claims -- and as you may imagine, I am extremely distraught and losing patience at this point in time. I have not been able to afford adequate meals, and I am missing 20+ hours of work in order to work with USAA to fix what should have been prevented from the original phone call. Once again, to my surprise, XXXX from Executive Resolutions tells me more undesirable news. She informs me that there are missing records on the original ATM/Debit claims. She also informs me that as a customer of USAA, I am not covered under the Zero Liability Policy for outgoing bank transfers -- and I believe this is the first I am hearing of this -- seven days after the first of four ( as Ive been told ) outgoing, unauthorized, fraudulent transfers. I will absolutely under no circumstance allow USAA to fault me for what totals to be approximately {$3800.00}. XXXX informs me that the original fraud claim ( during which my account was NOT locked ) did refund ( yet only partially ) for the original submitted obsessive, and in my opinion obviously fraudulent, ATM/debit charges. XXXX informs me that the following transfers have taken place : XXXX {$1000.00}, XXXX {$750.00}, XXXX {$610.00}, XXXX  {$380.00}. She reassures me that my account should have been locked from the original phone call as I was told -- on XXXX. Even beyond that, I should have been properly informed upon each, or any of my several phone calls between XXXX and XXXX. Had USAA correctly handled my situation, either on XXXX, or on any one of my followups previous to XXXX, USAA could have done what it should have done in the first place -- which is to protect me, the customer, and to handle my situation seriously and correctly. Because of the continued and repeated lack of courtesy, seriousness, and correctness that I have received from USAA in general, and because of new information provided by the helpful XXXX from USAA Executive Resolutions, I re-visited the Chicago Police Department today to file a new more in depth police report. I sat with a Sergeant of the Chicago PD for approximately 3 hours to file a new and updated police report with R.D. No. XXXX. The Sergeant was very accommodating, and made sure to include the entire nature of the crime -- including the criminal use of stolen property in order to defraud me, and to steal what totals to be ~ {$3900.00}. I have not yet been assigned a detective, but I will be calling USAA daily again in order to further protect myself. As of right now I believe that it is USAAs duty to acquire the physical Police Reports with numbers : XXXX XXXX  and to work their best to review all of my records & phone calls in order to determine that I have, in fact, been let down by USAAs customer service and by USAAs improper handling of my claims since my original calls on Saturday, XXXX. The police Sergeant told me that I do not have access to the actual reports -- but said that as an institution, you may be able to acquire copies after any choice information is redacted. ( Please note I am paraphrasing the Sergeant here -- I do not fully understand the legal terminology he used -- but I understand the fact that he told me to provide you with the two documents following this page, as they pertain to police reports mentioned above. ) During the week of XXXX I was notified that my claim was again denied -- - and I fought to have it reopened. Since then, I have been credited for ~ {$870.00} of unauthorized ATM/debit payments, but still have not seen a penny of the unauthorized transfers ( which were made possible in large due to multiple errors on USAA 's side ) I called USAA on XXXX again to discuss the open fraud case and was told that it was still pending investigation -- and to limit my calls to approximately once a week.
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I called USAA again either XXXX or XXXX to discuss the case -- and was told that it was still pending.
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I called USAA today, XXXX to discuss the case and was told that it has been closed and I have been denied my claims for the four obviously fraudulent transfers -- XXXX {$1000.00} -- XXXX  {$750.00} -- XXXX {$610.00} -- XXXX {$380.00} -- And I have been told that I am responsible for this. Which is absolutely insane to me. None of these transfers would have ever occured if USAA had frozen my account from day 1 ( XXXX ). Even further, these transfers could have been stopped and reversed immediately if USAA had responded to my concerns of a highly fluctuating balance which was being sent to me in recurring e-mails over the period of XXXX, XXXX, XXXX.

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