Consumer complaint received 2019-09-28
Company: PENTAGON FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: MD
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card
Sub-issue: Can't use card to make purchases

Complaint:
My complaint disputes Pentagon Federal Credit Union ( hereinafter, PFCU ) " blocking '' my credit card from any use on or about XXXX XX/XX/2019 ; and on or about XXXX XX/XX/2019 denying my credit card payments to : XXXX XXXX XXXX ( annual dues ) and XXXX XXXX XXXX ( annual dues ) absent factual explanation. 
( i ) Re " blocking '' my credit card from any use on or about XXXX XX/XX/2019, please see my letter sent to Mr. XXXX XXXX XXXX, CEO and Manager, PFCU dated XXXX XX/XX/2019 ( letter copied below ). 
[ my address ] XXXX XX/XX/2019 Mr. XXXX XXXX XXXX, CEO and Manager Pentagon Federal Credit Union XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Virginia XXXX PH : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX   Dear Mr. XXXX : I am writing to report my consternation and disgust with Pentagon Federal Credit Unions ( PFCU ) apparent recent now-you-have-credit-but-now-you-dont-have-credit policy regarding my VISA credit card. 

As a PFCU member since the mid-XXXXXXXX I have had a VISA   with PFCU for several decades. I have never had a late payment nor have ever overdrawn my credit limit of said VISA. Inexplicably and absent any notice, yesterday ( XX/XX/2019 ) as I attempted to make a VISA purchase for {$56.00} I found PFCU had blocked my VISA. What followed at PFCU for nearly one hour, as I spoke by my cell phone to numerous putative PFCU employees in the USA and overseas, was clearly unconscionable negligence. Each employee tried to explain the blocking error ( most, directly contradicting what the previous employee had stated ) while transferring my call repeatedly to get to the PFCU staff who would/could unblock my VISA. 
First, the cardholder service employee ( XXXX ) stated my VISA was blocked because : there was no phone number associated with credit card. I replied my VISA was decades in existence and my phone number had not changed during that time period. Further, I was using my cell phone to speak to them. Thereafter, the PFCU employee admitted she could see my cell phone number associated with my VISA in her database. 

Second, the PFCU employee said that someone from XXXX had tried to contact me by phone to verify an XXXX payment that had been entered three ( 3 ) times. I asked how much XXXX had billed, PFCU employee replied {$440.00}, I confirmed that amount was authorized by me. Employee, XXXX ID : XXXX ( XXXX, OR ), could not explain his own assertion the {$440.00} payment had been entered 3X on XX/XX/2019 by XXXX, so he stated XXXX could not contact you [ XXXX XXXX ] by phone to verify the charge. I responded : I have a VISA with PFCU, not XXXX. I have no business relationship with XXXX ; and, had I been so contacted, would logically assume credit fraud by an unknown third party ( XXXX ) against my VISA. If PFCU needs to verify a PFCU-VISA charge, PFCU can text-or voice-message my phone while showing PFCU-Phone-ID when contacting me. 

Finally, XXXX transferred me to XXXX employee ID XXXX   apparently in a XXXX-call-center ( PH : XXXX or XXXX ). XXXX spoke incomprehensible English and could not understand my questions sufficiently to reply. I ended the call and recalled PFCU cardholder service ( XXXX ), XXXX answered and I explained I wanted to have my VISA unblocked. XXXX said she would have to transfer me to which I replied I needed to speak English. XXXX stated she would remain on the call with me. XXXX answered the phone and asked me a variety of questions ( my birthdate, social security last-4-digits, etc. ) concluding  with : were you forced- or coerced to make purchases to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX , NY XXXX ? I indicated that those were my purchases and asked if she was forced or coerced to question my competence based on my birthdate? XXXX responded my VISA would be unblocked. 

On XX/XX/2019, I again phoned the PFCU cardholder service ( XXXX ). XXXX, employee ID XXXX, answered and confirmed my VISA had been unblocked minutes ago. 

Both my husband and I travel. For the past two years PFCU told us that prior travel notification to PFCU re our PFCU VISA cards was no longer required. In fact, PFCU told XXXX his VISA would be usable without prior travel notification to northern XXXX in XXXX 2019. On XX/XX/2019, I was told prior travel notification to PFCU is a requirement to avoid having your VISA blocked when used away from permanent home area. Which is correct : prior travel notification is necessary or not necessary? We have directly conflicting travel notification requirement depending on what day of the week or PFCU employee we ask re the need for prior PFCU travel notification.

My PFCU VISA expressly affirms credit that I can not be certain is available to me because of PFCUs  unexplained/unjustified blocked VISA from my use. Further, knowing misleading/erroneous and contradictory information stated by PFCU employees, apparently to cover their mistakes or potentially unlawful policies, belies good faith business practice. My concern is that actions and/or policies promulgated by PFCU employees herein described may be prohibited by the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 USC 1691 et seq. and the Federal Credit Union Act, 12 U.S.C. 1751 et seq., If said actions continue or repeat, I will furnish a copy of  this letter and updated PFCU actions to the Chairman of the National Credit Union Administration with respect to Pentagon Federal Credit Union.

Sincerely, [ signature ] ( ii ) Re denial of my credit card ( annual dues ) payments on or about XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/2019 to the XXXX XXXX XXXX ( hereinafter, XXXX  ) and the XXXX  XXXX XXXX and repeated " hang-up '' telephone calls with no messages to my cell phone from PFCU phone number ( XXXX ) from on or about XX/XX/2019 to XX/XX/2019. On or about XX/XX/2019, the XXXX XXXX XXXX ( hereinafter, XXXX XXXX ) called to notify me my credit card ( annual dues ) payment had been " declined '' by PFCU. Immediately I called PFCU and asked why my credit card payment to XXXX XXXX had  been " declined. '' PFCU employee ID XXXX, " XXXX '' replied : " XXXX XXXX entered an incorrect cvv number. '' I replied no cvv number was requested by XXXX XXXX ( nor was cvv ever required for 8 years prior I paid my dues via PFCU card ), so " XXXX '' next stated " XXXX  XXXX entered the wrong expiration date [ on my credit card ]. '' Contradicting PFCU " explanations, '' XXXX XXXX  employee " XXXX '' ( XXXX ) affirmed my payment was " [ PFCU- ] declined '' rather than showing " keystroke error, '' latter, as PFCU employees had opined untruthfully. I retained a photocopy of my credit card payment receipt US mailed to XXXX  XXXX showing all credit card numbers including the expiration date are noted clearly and unequivocally as XXXX ( XXXX XXXX  ) affirmed. In summary, PFCU provided no lawful or even rational explanation for PFCU " declining '' my payment to XXXX  XXXX   ( and XXXX? ). This PFCU " now you have credit, now you do not have credit '' absent any lawful explanation appears to be in plain violation of both the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 USC 1691 et seq. and Federal Credit Union Act, 12 USC 1751 et seq., hence I am respectfully requesting my complaint herein be without delay transmitted to the Chairman of the National Credit Union Administration and/or OIG National Credit Union Administration as specified by said statutes and/or Federal Trade Commission as CFPB deems appropriate.

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