Consumer complaint received 2018-06-05
Company: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
State: TX
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
Late XX/XX/XXXX I bid for a XXXX on XXXX. I did not win the bid but the seller reached out to me on XX/XX/XXXX. He told me that he had a second that he wanted to sell if I was interested. We exchanged emails via ebay and he gave me his phone number and email via an attached business card. Email reference id : [ # XXXX # ] _ [ # XXXX # ] XXXX XXXX XXXX - XXXX - XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX We emailed back and forth a couple of times and had a phone conversation on XX/XX/XXXX.  Emails were initially exchanged via email XXXX as well as the email for the initial payment. I made the negotiated payments in 2 installments of {$1000.00} each. Prior to shipping the item he offered a second device for a discounted price since the ebay bidder fell through. I fell for it and provided payment in additional installments as shown in the banking transaction history. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, there was always an excuse. First he stated that he shipped it but didn't have the shipping label number so we couldn't track it. Then he shipped it again, supposedly, but gave me a tracking number that did not match the size/weight of a single device, let alone two. That " shipped '' item never showed scanned in. XXXX told me that the post office lost it but recovered it about a week and a half later. XXXX offered to fly out to XXXX area to bring the computers provided I could make the rest of the payment installments. I did and I do not know if he was actually here in XXXX area, but he was always conveniently not available, phone turned off, or 'just missed ' me. He returned and we still didn't have anything resolved. There were several additional attempts made over the next couple of months ( I have documentation for all of it ) where he said he attempted to send via XXXX XXXX, XXXX, another XXXX transfer and all supposedly failed. XXXX XXXX he stated he forgot to get the tracker so I couldn't track it, it took. him several days to get that order canceled. We had similar issues with XXXX and XXXX, he stated he transferred but they were never processed and sent over to me. Supposedly, XXXX 's father died, causing delays in the process and then there was another issue with another family member. XXXX told me that a friend was going to manage this for him as he had no time/bandwidth to fix this. Meanwhile, while all of this was going on, I had been emailing his 'fried ' XXXX to try and get resolution on that side. My gut told me that this was the same guy posing to be two different people. Now I am dealing with 'XXXX XXXX as the friend and we are repeating the same issues. Supposedly they are being sent but nothing is reaching me. Every time something is supposedly sent, they don't have a tracking number or transaction number. At this moment, it has been over 4 months without any resolution and no refunded monies. I have contacted USAA to dispute but they said they were unable to help me and that XXXX had to do it, but if I got a police report and the police got involved, they could help. I filed a police report and they told me they couldn't help as it was internet fraud and out of their jurisdiction. I went to XXXX to try and get a resolution and they refused to help me. I then filed a complaint against USAA with the XXXX  to try and get a resolution, at that time they closed the case and told me that they couldn't help me. I filed an XXXX complaint on XX/XX/XXXX and have never heard back. I am at a total loss at this point and my naivety has put me out of a lot of money. The sum is large enough to be a felony, if I understand correctly. I need an advocate on my side who can help fight this and ultimately get XXXX to reverse the transaction and go after XXXX XXXX to get the money from their customer. This shouldn't be that difficult. Please help me!

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation