Consumer complaint received 2022-09-17
Company: MOUNTAIN AMERICA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: UT
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Virtual currency
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
What : Money movement through deception Damage : {$33000.00} stolen, plus {$30.00} in wire fees and penalty fees for closing growth certificates. 

Wheres the money? Please reference the XXXX file attached that shows the transaction hashes provided by XXXX How : On XX/XX/XXXX around noon : I called the contact number XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX on an emailed XXXX receipt ( sent to XXXXXXXX XXXX  XXXX ) for a {$990.00} charge that I didnt make. XXXX support, named XXXX, told me there were a lot of fictitious charges being made on my XXXX account and scheduled payments for the future. She asked what my banking institutions were so that they could also connect me to the right people. She then instructed me to get the XXXX App on my phone and had go to a website called What is my IP address to check if my IP address was exposed. 

She explained that my identity was more than likely compromised and that its a more serious situation than they thought and it goes beyond the stage XXXX transactions. She instructed me clear my spam inbox folder and search for viruses in my phone by having me scroll slowly through all my applications listed in my settings. They said they needed to know what other devices were connected to my IP address because those are possibly compromised by high-level hackers. 

She said shed connect me with the Fraud branch at XXXX. I went through a legit call tree and got connected with XXXX, who told me he was my fraud prevention officer. 

From Monday through Friday XXXX was connected with me via phone and told me to not discuss this case with anybody, and that there was a team of people, including the FBI involved in this matter. He has answers to all my questions and gave a full story while providing me instructions of what to do in order to save my assets. Additionally, each morning around XXXX XXXX would call me on secure line and have me open and access my laptop through XXXX App to install anti-hacking software and use it as bate to locate hackers. I was instructed again by her that I was to not talk about this case until it is closed and to remain connected on the phone lines with them for monitoring and capturing international and domestic hackers utilizing my information. 

In order to safely move my money to new protected accounts I was told to create a XXXX account and open a XXXX wallet, Which took 24 hrs. I was told to print off wire instructions, then delete the email : On Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX : My laptop was turned on and accessed by XXXX and XXXX it looked like Black boxes with white coding text. 

I was told to go to XXXX at XXXX to wire XXXX from my XXXX  account after being told that my money market account was what was initially messed with by the hackers, 10 of which were located and two caught. So, I successfully followed instructions to move my money from my money market account into my checking and then wire {$25000.00} To the XXXX XXXX wallet fowling those instructions. I sent XXXX a copy of the receipt : After the funds hit the XXXX wallet in XXXX, he instructed me to purchase XXXX XXXX XXXX, precisely XXXX USD worth. Then, to make a XXXX  withdrawal to an account which was provided to me by him. I was told that this money was going to be put into a new XXXX account # XXXX I was told Id be given access to it no problem when the case is closed. 

Wednesday : I gave access to my laptop again the morning. There was all day monitoring and reports of the hacker chase. XXXX says hes going to Texas for court about this case and wont be in the office Thursday and wont talk to me again until Friday morning. 

This pattern repeated in the same fashion again on Friday. 

Friday : Im connected with XXXX at noon. He uses a different phone number. We text. 

Im told that there are some more suspicious hackers activity scheduling withdrawals on my growth certificates once they mature and to protect them I need close and move my XXXX growth certificate funds Into the checking account and repeat the same process of wiring the money with the same instructions as before. 

So, Im tears, A second wire of {$11000.00} was made and I shared the receipt : The remaining funds in the XXXX wallet were then used to purchase XXXX  currency and then another XXXX withdrawal was made to the fraudulent wallet. 

Once the money was successfully transferred, I lost connection with my instructors. The new phone line was disconnected, and XXXX never answered on the XXXX support line. 



What Ive done since : I called XXXX fraud line to start on my case And have them doing their due diligence trying to retrieve any funds. I called again Saturday morning at XXXX XXXX  and had them sign an affidavit. I asked for a refund due to this Authorized pushed payment scam. I await their response and more than likely denial letter. 

I filled out information on the website identitytheft.gov, made a FTC report ( XXXX ) I have put a freeze on my credit reports and posted a fraud alert through the bureaus. 

Ive called XXXX XXXX XXXX  and they are following their due diligence. I have an ID @ risk status but cant get an Investigation going by their specialist until XXXX provides a denial letter. 

Ive changed all passwords. Looking into getting my phone and computer wiped, and new systems. 

I plan to go to the XXXX FBI office to provide any info in case the scam is part of a bigger organization, which I think they are!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation