Consumer complaint received 2018-10-02
Company: Army and Air Force Exchange Service
State: GU
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Difficulty submitting a dispute or getting information about a dispute over the phone

Complaint:
Email I sent to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Company on  XX/XX/XXXX : -- -- -Original Message -- -- - From : XXXX <XXXX> Sent : Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX To : Credit Reporting Disputes <XXXX> Cc : XXXX Fraud & Disputes Dept <XXXX> XXXX XXXX Subject : [ External-Mail ] -Severe Credit Score Drop Due to Unacceptable Fraud Processing by XXXX XXXX Dear XXXX XXXX Credit Disputes, This month my credit score dropped from XXXX to XXXX due to XXXX XXXX XXXX   unacceptable handling of a fraudulent charge to my XXXX XXXX   credit card. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, I moved to XXXX on military orders. Prior to moving to XXXX, I shredded my XXXX XXXX Credit card because I never used the card. 
My XXXX XXXX account had a {$0.00} dollar balance when the card was shredded. 
I also did not want to use the card because I knew the address and phone number listed on the account were going to change once I moved to XXXX. I did not want to use the card and not receive billing statements because I had moved. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, my mom called to inform me that I had received a notice from XXXX XXXX that I had an overdue balance of {$24.00}. That same day on XX/XX/XXXX, I immediately called XXXX XXXX  's customer service line at XXXX and stated that the {$24.00} charge made to my account on XX/XX/XXXX was fraudulent because I had NOT USED THE XXXX XXXX credit card. I asked where the charge took place and was told XXXX XXXX. I asked the customer service representative to please provide the location ( i.e. country, city, etc. ) of the charge. She said she could not provide the location of the fraudulent charge. I needed the location to prove with 100 percent certainty that the charge was fraudulent. I have only been in XXXX and no other location since XX/XX/XXXX. Any charge outside of XXXX would had to be fraudulent. The XXXX XXXX representative said that due to my limited internet access I could call the Fraud department at XXXX to report the fraudulent charge. I immediately called the Fraud Department and no one answered after several attempts to call. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the XXXX XXXX 's customer service department a second time to try to find out the location of the charge. Again, the representative would not provide me the location. The representative told me that I had to email XXXX to file a fraud claim. I told her that my internet access was extremely limited. She said sending an email or mailing a completed form were the only ways to dispute the charge. I never received a copy of the form because I am stationed in XXXX and mail went to my mom 's address in XXXX. 

After not being able to send an email due to very limited internet access, I called XXXX XXXX 's customer service department again, a third time, on XX/XX/XXXX and explained I could send an email and did not have a form to mail. Again, I was told those were the only options and that the representative could not provide any more help. 

It was hard for me to believe that XXXX XXXX  's customer service could not help me over the phone given my situation of limited internet access and not having the form to mail. I called the XXXX XXXX customer service line a fourth time on XX/XX/XXXX asking if there was any more assistance they could provide given my limited internet access and was told, " No ''. 

I have worked hard to maintain an excellent credit score. I was devastated when I saw it drop by 130 points due to XXXX XXXX 's unacceptable handling of the fraudulent charge, I called XXXX XXXX XXXX customer service line a FIFTH TIME asking for help and explaining that I needed to know the location of the charge. FINALLY, I spoke to the first helpful representative. She told me the location of the charge was XXXX XXXX 's in XXXX XXXX. I have never been to XXXX XXXX. 

The name of the extremely helpful and understanding representative was XXXX. 
I wish I knew her last name to give her credit for being so helpful. XXXX was the only representative who provided me the location of the charge. All other representatives on the four other calls said they were not able to provide the location. XXXX also told me that I COULD have paid the fraudulent charge and processed the fraud later to avoid any negative ramifications. The other four representatives NEVER TOLD ME THIS! 

I thank XXXX for her help. She provided the following information associated with the charge : Authorization # XXXX Ticket # XXXX Reference # XXXX Clerk # XXXX XXXX also informed me that XXXX XXXX took money out of my military pay. 
It is absolutely unacceptable that XXXX XXXX did not call me and let me know that my military pay would be deducted and that they were going to make a report to the credit bureau AFTER I INFORMED XXXX XXXX FOUR SEPARATE TIMES of the fraudulent charge and that my internet access was extremely limited and that I can not receive any mail going to the California address since I moved to XXXX. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX handling of the fraudulent charge has been completely unacceptable. The credit card company, XXXX XXXX has always called me about a charge in a foreign country to verify that the charge was not fraudulent. I am very surprised that XXXX XXXX does not follow the same protocol that XXXX XXXX has in place. 

I can not afford to have the incorrect delinquency reported on my credit score. I need XXXX XXXX to immediately correct the inaccurate report they made to the credit bureau so my credit score returns to the XXXX score that I have worked so hard to get. I am buying a house in the next month and need my credit score back to what it should be before XXXX XXXX 's error. Please fix the error as soon as possible, and report the correction to the credit bureau no later than XX/XX/XXXX so that I can still buy the house within the next month. 

The attachment shows the drop in my credit score from XXXX to XXXX due to the incorrect " serious delinquency '' reported by XXXX XXXX. 

Also, please report to the XXXX your mistake in deducting the money from my pay. Please keep me informed of all actions you are taking to fix this situation. 

Also, please provide a good contact number and hours of operation of the Credit Disputes department so that I can follow-up with steps taken to change my credit score back to XXXX. I need a contact number for your department because my internet access is limited. I would also very much appreciate a phone call from your department concerning this matter as soon as possible. My phone number is XXXX and I am on XXXX time. I will also keep my legal department informed of your updates in fixing the inaccurate report to the credit bureau so that it does not prevent me from making my planned home purchase. Thank you. 

Very Respectfully, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX Cell : XXXX -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Response received from XXXX XXXX after I called them multiple times to get them to check the email I had sent on XX/XX/XXXX : -- -- -Original Message -- -- - From : Credit Reporting Disputes [ mailto : XXXX ] Sent : Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX To : XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX <XXXX> Subject : [ Non-DoD Source ] RE : Severe Credit Score Drop Due to Unacceptable Fraud Processing by XXXX XXXX Hello XXXX XXXX XXXX, Thank you for contacting the XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

Regarding your credit reporting inquiry, we can only remove negative reporting, if due to an AAFES error. 

I have forwarded your information below to XXXX to open a case and investigate your account. All requests are worked in the order received. 
Thereafter, they will determine the results of the investigation. 

Thank you for your service, and if you have any further questions or concerns regarding your account, please feel free to contact XXXX. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Army & Air Force Exchange Service XXXX Visit our online store! XXXX -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - After additional multiple phone call to XXXX XXXX, I sent this email on XXXX : XXXX XXXX Credit Reporting XXXX, I plan to file suit against XXXX XXXX. As of XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX still has not finished their investigation to determine whether the charge referred to in email traffic below is fraudulent or not. They have stated that they have up to 90 days from the date of my dispute to resolve the issue. I first reported the dispute through a phone call to XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX due to having extremely limited internet access and no access to my mail until after XX/XX/XXXX. 103 days have passed since I reported the fraudulent charge to XXXX XXXX and they still have not resolved their mistake that has devastated my credit score, a XXXX point drop from XXXX to XXXX. If protocol is to not begin investigation of claims of fraudulent charges made over the phone, then I believe that protocol is unacceptable and needs to be changed, especially for overseas military members with extremely limited internet access and no access to mail at home. I know this protocol can be changed. I believe XXXX XXXX has been negligent and has not fulfilled their obligation to investigate the fraudulent charge to my account and resolve it in a reasonable period of time. I believe XXXX XXXX has violated the fair credit reporting law. 
Please refer to email traffic below. 

Prior to filing suit, I am giving the XXXX XXXX Credit Reporting Disputes Department the final opportunity to resolve the situation. Given that 103 days have passed since I first notified XXXX XXXX of the fraudulent charge to my account, I believe we are already passed a reasonable period of time to resolve the problem. However, I prefer avoiding a lawsuit. Within seven days from now, please resolve the incorrect report made to the credit bureau concerning the {$24.00} fraudulent charge. It is currently XXXX pm on XX/XX/XXXX in XXXX. I am still at work tonight and will be up until XXXX am ( XXXX time ) as a result of my continuous follow-up with XXXX XXXX concerning this matter. I have to wake up at XXXX am tomorrow ( XXXX time ) to get ready for work. However, feel free to call me at any time. I will continue to work around your schedule. To date, I have not received one phone call from XXXX XXXX. 
My phone number is XXXX. I need this situation resolved so that I can return to a more normal sleep schedule here in XXXX and successfully execute my daily duties. 

Email traffic below has full details of the situation previously sent to Credit Disputes. Please coordinate with the fraud department and resolve the inaccurate report XXXX XXXX made to the credit bureau so my credit score returns to the XXXX score that I have worked so hard to get. I have also thoroughly informed the fraud department of the situation. Please work together to get this situation resolved. 

Very Respectfully, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX Cell : XXXX Office : XXXX Current Status : I called XXXX XXXX at XXXX pm last night on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX time after I sent all of the above emails to see if there was anything I could provide to help with the investigation. They asked for me to provide my military orders proving that I have been in XXXX. I am sending them a copy of my orders today. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX handling of this fraudulent charge is unacceptable and goes against the policies of major credit card companies such as XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX should not be allowed to provide a credit card service to the service members of this country as long as they continue to follow unacceptable protocols with devastating impacts to the financial well being of Military members. Please help.

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