Consumer complaint received 2023-07-19
Company: NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
This is in regards to a national scam in which multiple victims have been a part of. The scam was very complex, but I tried to gather as much information as I could. 

XX/XX/XXXX I contacted a XXXX XXXX XXXX on XXXX on XXXX, XXXX XXXX. She posted ads regarding short term rental services. Her business was to find properties that agreed to allow rental arbitrage and then completely furnish and manage. 

She initially offered a XXXX, XXXX property. I paid an initial {$4500.00} deposit for it on XX/XX/XXXX through XXXX with my XXXX credit card. 

XX/XX/XXXX We later switched to XXXX properties in XXXX and voided the XXXX property contract. 
XXXX then suggested XXXX wouldnt be a good property and told me I should switch to a property in XXXX, CO. I declined, but saw she was doing a special deal for 2 properties in XXXX so I asked if we could switch to 2 properties there instead. She accepted, but said I needed to get 2 properties as well as a third property in XXXX to fulfill the XXXX listing I had wanted. So there were 3 apartments altogether in XXXX I was supposed to purchase her services for. 

The XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX also operates with another entity with whom she says is her sister and whom she made me send the money to. 
XXXX XXXX - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX This is the company I made payments to through XXXX with my credit cards. 
I used my XXXX XXXX Credit Card and my XXXX Credit Card to pay her. I used credit cards to protect myself against situations like this. 

XXXX XXXX {$4500.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX - XXXX XXXX XXXX {$9300.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX - NFCU XXXX XXXX {$10000.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX - NFCU XXXX XXXX {$3200.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX - NFCU XXXX XXXX {$3200.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX - NFCU The total amount XXXX XXXX XXXX took from me was {$31000.00}. 

XX/XX/XXXX She finally sent another invoice request in XX/XX/XXXX, asking for roughly {$19000.00} more. She stated she would not start until she received those funds. Those were extra and out of contract, but each property was only {$10000.00} to acquire and I had already sent over {$30000.00} for the XXXX XXXX properties. 

I asked XXXX for proof that she had this exclusive deal with the apartments allowing short term rental, because laws are very strict against short term rentals in XXXX. She sent me spoof emails impersonating those apartments of which I have copies. I visited both apartment complexes in XXXX in XXXX and asked if they had ever heard of XXXX or The XXXX XXXX and they said theyve never spoken with anyone with those names. XXXX hides behind her " cohosts '' and other partners so her name doesn't show up on leases. I showed them the fake emails and they confirmed those werent from their corporation. XXXX had a unit at The XXXX XXXX apartment illegally running short term rental and management found out and evicted her. 
When I confronted XXXX about it, she denied everything and told me I still owe her money. I never received any services or products owed. I then stopped speaking to her. 

I hired my own personal lawyer to submit a federal judgement against her. My lawyer spoke to XXXX and refuses to refund me. Since then I have searched for others who have been scammed and found dozens of victims. We have finally found out through multiple private investigators and lawyers that XXXX is a professional scammer. She is linked to multiple evictions, XXXX social security numbers, and federal judgements. The list goes on. 

As soon as I was aware, I contacted XXXX and Navy Federal Credit Union in XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX immediately refunded the disputed scam amounts. 

XXXX XXXX has not refunded me and continues to deny protection. I have submitted multiple letters with evidence and called several times. Their online system kicks my disputes back saying I need to submit evidence, but the evidence is clearly attached. When I call they said they would not provide any protection. I paid with credit card on purpose to protect myself from situations like this, but Navy Federal is failing to provide any security.

I have been with Navy Federal for a long time as I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX from XXXX and feel taken advantage of after many years of loyalty as a customer. 

My last phone call to NFCU was XX/XX/XXXX and they still refused to offer any assistance. Please help me resolve this situation and prevent my credit from being ruined. I have more evidence if needed.

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