Consumer complaint received 2022-02-22
Company: NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: MD
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I met an individual over XXXX back in XXXX of XXXX. About a month later they indicated they were deployed to the XXXX ( XXXX XXXX, XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, is the info they provided ). Initially XXXX XXXX asked me for money to help get him home as he was sick and they wouldn't send him home, however, I said no. Later on XXXX XXXX had asked me to assist him with his business investments as he was not able to access his bank account or bitcoin wallets over in XXXX. XXXX XXXX would have money sent to me through various means, wire transfer, cash and checks. Back in XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX had a " business partner '' send me a check for deposit with the expectation the funds would be used for bitcoin investment. The bank flagged the check as fraud, at that point I decided it was best to stop speaking with XXXX XXXX. A few weeks later XXXX XXXX contacted me through a different number and winded up talking his way back in. I am a very trusting person and wanted to believe he was telling me the truth. He told me he loved me, quickly told me he wanted to get married, would ask about my son, would tell me that everything would work out when he returned from deployment but they continued to extend his deployment. He would have flowers sent to me, to keep his hold on my heart. On Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, I tried to log into my account with Navy Federal and was unable to. When I called them they said the wire transfer I received was flagged by the issuing institution ( XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX  ) as a fraudulent transfer. They then told me it looked like I was laundering money because as soon as it hit my account I transferred the money out of my account. The transfer was for {$5000.00}. I transferred {$2000.00} through XXXX XXXX and {$2600.00} through XXXX via XXXX for bitcoin transfer. The individual who supposedly made the transfer into my account was XXXX XXXX 's business partner. When I decided on XXXX to cut ties with XXXX XXXX the business partner " XXXX XXXX '' called me, pleading with me for over 30 minutes to work things out with XXXX XXXX, his mom is the one who made the transfer, and she made an additional transfer in the same day by accident, she called XXXX XXXX bank to report it and they posted it it as fraud to the wire transfer to my account. This is not the first time money had been transferred into my account for the purpose of bitcoin investments. Navy Federal is basically stating it is my fault as they warned me that it was fraud a few months ago and there is a hold/restriction on my account and I am out almost {$6000.00}. I am a single mom with full custody and can't afford to be out that kind of money. XXXX XXXX would sweet talk his way back into me letting him back in and assisting him with his business transactions. I assumed that because he wasn't asking me for money that I wasn't doing anything wrong. Navy Federal is placing me under investigation for fraud. I did not think I was doing anything wrong as I wanted to believe the fraudulent check was truly a mistake and wanted to be able to help him with his business transactions. I provided all supporting documentation to Navy Federal. Every time I call to talk to someone at Navy Federal I get a different response. Last week I was told by XXXX individual to submit an appeal and provide all supporting documentation which I did. The next person I spoke with then told me I should have never been told that, the person was new and didn't know what they were talking about. She then indicated to me that they would put a hold on my account for {$5000.00} which was requested to be returned from XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX  and the remainder of the funds would be released to be but I wouldn't be able to continue to bank with them. Today when calling to check the status, I was then told that they have a full restriction on my account and none of the funds are available to me as they are investigating all transfers into my account. So now I am out almost {$6000.00}, I have bills that need to be paid, I need to get groceries, I need gas to get my son to and from, I just don't even know what else to do at this point. I clearly understand I was part of a scam, but innocently so, as I thought I was assisting with his business investments, and I feel like I am being targeted as someone who knowingly and willingly committed the fraud. 

Contact information I was provided for XXXX XXXX was XXXX, with the phone number for his mother being XXXX. 

Contact information used by XXXX XXXX - XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, conversations were initially over XXXX chat using the email XXXX. When I cut contact back in XXXX he switched to the XXXX email. 

I was not able to provide my account number on the next screen because I do not have access to anything on my account, I am not even allowed to sign in and look at it.

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