Consumer complaint received 2016-09-28
Company: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
State: MD
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX 2016, my husband contacted USAA immediately after noticing suspicious, unauthorized activity in our checking account. At this time, my husband realized that his debit card was missing, which was communicated with the USAA representative. Since we very rarely use our debit cards during the week, we do not closely monitor our checking account on a daily basis. According to our account on XXXX XXXX, the activity of check deposits ( {$8500.00} ), ATM withdrawals ( {$10000.00} ), and store purchases ( {$5900.00} ) began on XXXX XXXX 2016. The representative assured my husband that the situation would be escalated immediately and that his debit card would be frozen to prevent further withdrawals. 
On Saturday, XXXX XXXX 2016, I contacted USAA requesting insight on the process to resolve the issue and for a general estimate on the length of time that we would be without funds. The representative was not able to give details and suggested that we use our credit cards as a mean of funds to provide for our XXXX children and pay upcoming bills, until the issue is resolved. The following week, we continued to call USAA everyday, begging for an update on the case. Each phone call ended with a disappointment with no one being able to give my husband and me any insight or advice, which lead to an incredible amount of stress and worry. 
After several requests to speak with a manager or supervisor, a manager finally contacted me on XXXX XXXX 2016. She read a note in the system and informed me that we would not have access to any of our USAA accounts until our checking account was no longer in the negative. This was the same note that every other representative had read, which still did not provide us with any useful information of the investigation. At this time, our account balance was - {$18000.00}, due to the fraudulent check returns and additional transactions. When we initially notified USAA of the unauthorized activity, our account balance was {$7200.00}. Transactions were still processed, after we were reassured that the accounts would be XXXX. 
On XXXX XXXX 2016, I called USAA and requested to speak with someone actually investigating the case. The representative informed me that she would enter a callback request and that she would also escalate the case up to the XXXX XXXX XXXX, since it had not already been done. This was shocking to hear because we were under the impression that everything possible had been done to resolve the issue. 
XXXX calendar days after initially notifying USAA and after many calls and pleas for assistance, we were finally contacted by " XXXX '' from the Fraud Department. XXXX informed us that we were liable for the account 's negative status and that the investigators concluded we " provided a third-party with the debit card PIN number ''. After explaining to her that their assumption was wrong because we never provided the PIN number to any other person, XXXX continued to inform me that we were responsible for replacing the funds. 
The police report filed at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, where my husband and I both work, stated that my husband 's debit card was stolen, after forgetting his wallet and phone at work. Until this point, each representative communicated that the bank would replace the funds, since it was fraud. We were never told that we would be reliable. Therefore, we continued to allow our paychecks to be deposited into this account, to which we thought we 'd soon have access. Due to not having access to our funds, we have been forced to miss monthly bill payments, charged returned payment fees, and have not been able to provide our family with essential needs.

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