Consumer complaint received 2017-11-13
Company: GOLDEN 1 CREDIT UNION, THE
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I was contacted by phone by Golden 1 Credit Union XXXX fraud unit stating they were calling to verify suspicious activity on my XXXX credit/debit card. I was told that charges had been made at the artist 's website XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX as follows :XX/XX/XXXXWithdrawal POS Withdrawal at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX - {$25.00} XX/XX/XXXXWithdrawal POS Withdrawal at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX - {$100.00}XX/XX/XXXX Withdrawal POS Withdrawal at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX - {$100.00} XX/XX/XXXX Withdrawal POS Withdrawal at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX - {$100.00} XX/XX/XXXX Withdrawal POS Withdrawal at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX - {$50.00} XX/XX/XXXX Withdrawal POS Withdrawal at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX - {$25.00} They asked me if I had authorized the charges. I said that I absolutely HAD NOT authorized any of those charges and that they were definitely and without any question or doubt, fraudulent charges. I then asked what I needed to do to obtain fraud protection with regard to the charges. I was told to go into my branch of Golden 1 and report the fraudulent charges and sign an affidavit swearing or declaring the charges as fraudulent. I went to my branch immediately and filed the affidavit as instructed. I explained that the charges were made for points. That is points that can be cashed in for various merchandise. I explained that all XXXX needed to do was to find out what XXXX account the points went to and there they would find the thief. I said that the record would show that the points did not go into my account but they had to go into someone 's account. Also, since I had provided my XXXX  number ( obviously ) ONLY to XXXX, then whoever made the fraudulent charges had to have been either an employee of XXXX, or an accomplice of an employee. I also explained that I HAD authorized charges previously on XXXX but that every one of the previous charges were exactly {$5.00} each because {$5.00} is the cost of a three month core membership. While the representative at my branch was filling out the affidavit, he asked me if I had authorized a {$5.00} charge on XXXX several weeks earlier. I said yes, as I had just explained that {$5.00} charge was for a three-month core membership. He acknowledged that he understood and removed that {$5.00} charge from the affidavit. I told him that is was very important that ONLY the charges made onXX/XX/XXXX were to be addressed in the affidavit. After I signed the affidavit the Golden 1 representative told me to not worry because I was protected from fraud as part of Golden 1 services. I asked if my signing and filing of the affidavit of fraud was all I needed to do and I was told yes. He then told me that the affidavit would be sent or copied to the fraud unit that had contacted me, along with all other information I provided to him.
About two or three weeks later I received a letter from Golden 1 XXXX Fraud Services stating that my claim had been reviewed and that they decided that since I had approved ( the {$5.00} ones ) charges at XXXX previously to the string of fraudulent charges, they had determined that the charges were NOT fraudulent. The letter further stated to the effect that they were through with my claim and that it was my responsibility to investigate the matter on my own. Well, I had sent three emails to XXXX, the first of which was within two days after the fraudulent charges were made. XXXX was unreachable by phone so I was at the mercy of using email only. In my emails to XXXX I explained everything that I explained to the Golden 1 Representative at my branch. I had no idea of how else I could further investigate the matter and the XXXX fraud unit provided no suggestions. The total {$400.00} charges were deducted from my checking account so I received zero fraud protection whatsoever. It seemed to me that as far as further investigating the matter, I was at the mercy of XXXX and as far as being denied fraud protection, I was at the mercy of the Golden 1 VISA Fraud Unit. Who was I to argue their decision? The fraud unit 's letter also said I had sixty days to investigate the matter, after which time the statute of limitations would expire. By the time the sixty days expired, XXXX  had not followed through on their end ( no surprise considering that the fraudulent charges had to have been made by one of their employees. ) Golden 1 was of no further help and the XXXX Fraud unit had disregarded my signed affidavit and essentially then called me a liar. I find it incredible that the XXXX  Fraud unit could ignore and disregard my signed affidavit. That affidavit is a legal document yet it is perfectly fine for them to totally reject a legal document. Why was I instructed to file the affidavit in the first place if anybody could nullify it on a whim and speculation? I find that very disconcerting and it speaks volumes about the apparent worthlessness of legal documents!
XXXX XXXX / ( XXXX ) XXXX / XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX

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 monetary relief