Consumer complaint received 2021-05-29
Company: Comerica
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Government benefit card
Issue: Unexpected or other fees

Complaint:
I wrote the following to the Defendant Company " Direct Express '', dba, Comerica Bank. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, California XXXX, United States of America Ph. XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX Email : XXXX XXXX TO : XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX Hardcopy to Follow Page XXXX of XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Direct Express Master Card XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Texas XXXX XXXX : Dispute of Fraudulent Transactions on Account Number : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Dear Madam/Sir : This is to confirm that on XX/XX/XXXX, I notified your company that I am a victim of identity theft or a victim of your companys computer accounting system being hacked, and that I requested that you remove all fraudulent charges from my account and close said account, i.e., account number : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I made this request over the telephone with XXXX, your companys representative. I subsequently made a similar demand to another employee by the name of XXXX in order to dispute fraudulent charges made against the account. In fact, one alarming charge took place on the same day as my call to your company, i.e., XX/XX/XXXX, and had not gone through as it was according to XXXX still pending. Notwithstanding the fact that I properly identified myself to XXXX, he informed me that the company had to let the fraudulent transaction go through any way! There were several other charges made that were fraudulent as well. XXXX only confirmed the ten transactions that your companys computer automated services had quoted over the telephone. He stated that he could not inform me of any previous transactions for XXXX of this year nor could he inform me of transactions for XXXX. He stated that he would be sending me a print-out of the previous transactions and that I would be receiving them within five days or so. He failed to inform me that I could have went online to review both XXXX and XXXX transactions so as to not waste valuable time. I was informed about this availability by another employee by the name of XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. I had received the new replacement credit card the night before, on XX/XX/XXXX. The following morning after activating the new card, I called to see if someone else could help with identifying the earlier transactions so that I could start the complaint and/or dispute process as soon as possible. 

The Claim Number given to me for this complaint is : XXXX. Based upon information obtained from XXXX, it was determined that the fraudulent activity appear to have occurred outside California, as well as in another country. Therefore, I filed a complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ). I spoke with a professional staff person by the name of Ms. XXXX. She advised me to also file a complaint with the United States Secret Service. Thus, I subsequently spoke with a Ms. XXXX XXXX of the service. Thereafter, I filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. I spoke to Ms. XXXX thereof. Thereafter, I contacted XXXX XXXX, one of the credit-report companies which is obligated to notify the other two credit-report companies, for credit alert purposes. My Reference Number is XXXX. 

The fraudulent transactions took place between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. I have another Master Card Account with Direct Express. On the other account, I receive a text alert immediately following any transaction regardless of how small or large the transaction may be, in order to confirm that it is me making the transaction. On the account in question, I did not receive a text or email regarding the same. 

Direct Express charged another {$13.00} to close the account and send me a new credit card. 

Fraudulent charges for XXXX of XXXX took place on the XX/XX/XXXXand XX/XX/XXXXfor {$60.00} and {$12.00}, respectively. The vendors cited were XXXX XXXX XXXX, of XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX, respectively. 

Fraudulent charges from a company called XXXX XXXX XXXX , XXXX., in Delaware, with a XXXX California telephone number of ( XXXX ) XXXX, which is inoperable, charged {$1.00} twelve ( 12 ) times on XX/XX/XXXX ; another charge of {$6.00} on XX/XX/XXXX ; another charge of {$1.00} five ( 5 ) times on XX/XX/XXXX ; another charge of {$6.00} four ( 4 ) times on XX/XX/XXXX ; another charges of {$1.00} eight ( 8 ) times on XX/XX/XXXX ; and yet another charge of {$6.00} three ( 3 ) times on XX/XX/XXXX. 

Fraudulent charges of {$180.00} were made again, by XXXX XXXX XXXX, located in XXXX XXXX, on XX/XX/XXXX. 

Another fraudulent charge of {$.00}, was made by XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. 

XXXX XXXX, XXXX. of Delaware, made another charge of {$1.00}, eight ( 8 ) times on XX/XX/XXXX. 

A company listed as XXXX XXXX XXXX, of XXXX XXXX, XXXX made a charge of {$140.00}. 

The total amount fraudulently charged is {$500.00}. 

It should be obvious that I did not make any of the charges made in XXXX since I do not have a passport. Furthermore, on XX/XX/XXXX the day the last XXXX transaction was taking place, I was calling from California. With regard to the charges made to XXXX XXXX, XXXX, with a XXXX California telephone number which is not operable, it appears that this is originally a foreign corporation based in XXXX, XXXX. Its XXXX XXXX XXXX is a XXXX XXXX. The CEO is XXXX He. According to the Secretary of State for Delaware XXXX XXXX, XXXX is registered there. Likewise, Californias Secretary of State also has them registered here. However, the telephone number listed on Direct Express transaction list is incorrect or an inoperable number. 

Moreover, I have not used the Direct Express Credit Card during the entire month of XXXX of XXXX. Thus, none of the charges made were made by me. Thus, the charge made on XX/XX/XXXX to XXXX could not have been made by me. Likewise, if the charge of XX/XX/XXXX is false the charge made on XX/XX/XXXX to XXXX is likewise false. When looking at my pattern and practice for all of the previous months, the first vendors patronized each month are XXXX and XXXX, once in a while coupled with XXXX. After these vendors, I may shop at other locations. When looking at this month, i.e., XXXX of XXXX, I have not shopped at either XXXX or XXXX and as such have not shopped anywhere as of yet. 

I would appreciate Direct Express replacing the full amount on to the new card immediately. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX/brm Enclosures A : /XXXX XXXX Credit Card Dispute Claim On XX/XX/XXXX, via the telephone the defendant notified me that they were not going to refund all of the money that they had stolen out of my account. I learned that they have been responsible for approximately {$500000.00} from other customers in XXXX alone. Senator XXXX XXXX has already investigated and prepared a report on them. 

The new or replacement credit card/ATM account number given me is XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief