Consumer complaint received 2022-08-22
Company: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
State: VA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
XXXX I noticed there were three deposits made to my account by someone I didn't know in the amounts of {$200.00}, {$200.00}, and {$300.00}. I contacted USAA and asked to have the funds returned to the sender. I have the original chat transcript to prove what was said. 
XXXX I received three letters confirming that the amounts of {$200.00}, {$200.00}, and {$300.00} were returned to the sender. 
XXXX USAA debited {$850.00} from my account and sent it back to the original sender without my authorization. I was told that the representative made a mistake when he disputed the other three transactions on XX/XX/XXXX and added this one as well. I immediately contacted USAA and told them that the {$850.00} was an authorized transaction and should not have been returned. I was told that a dispute was opened and should be settled within 10 business days. 
XXXX I contacted USAA again to let them know I hadn't gotten my {$850.00} back yet, and they said it was all settled, and I had been contacted, which was not true at all. No one had attempted to call or email, and there were no letters in the document inbox on USAA.com. I was told another note was made and to call back on Tuesday if the money wasn't back in my account. 
XXXX I called USAA back, and after explaining what had happened, I was told that more research needed to be done, and another dispute was filed to get this {$850.00} back. I was also told that because the transaction was via XXXX, I had to contact the original sender to have her resend the money to me. She and I are no longer in contact so this is not possible. I explained again that USAA made the mistake of debiting {$850.00} from my account and needed to return it. I was told it would take 1-5 business days. 
XXXX I called USAA yet again to check on the status of the dispute and was told that the dispute had been canceled and that my XXXX XXXX were limited. I understood this, but this wasn't a dispute with XXXX. USAA, of their own free will, debited the {$850.00} from my account, and even though they couldn't recover it from the sender, USAA needed to return that {$850.00} to me. It was USAA 's mistake, not mine. 
Another case was opened, and I was told it should be settled within 1-5 business days. 
XXXX I called USAA yet again to check on the status of the dispute and was told that a decision had been reached, and I was contacted about the final decision. Again, I was never contacted by USAA. As I once again tried to explain what had happened, the representative told me that nothing wrong had been done and tried to rush me off the phone. I asked to speak to a supervisor and once again had to explain the whole thing.I was again told that because it was a XXXX transaction, I couldn't get my money back and I again explained that USAA had made the debit, not me. I was not going to pay for a mistake made by USAA. Another case was opened. 
XXXX I received a letter saying that claim had been denied again.

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