Consumer complaint received 2019-01-10
Company: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
State: TN
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
soon as possible. Within days they emailed us a copy of the letter they claim they sent. In the letter which basically stated that the fraud division had contact the merchant ( there were two actually ) and that they merchant ( s ) had provided them with information including 'charge summaries and other details '' indicating 'the charge ( again, there were multiple charges ) was authorized ''. As per Federal Statute, the letter continued stating that " if you'd like copies of the documents we relied on to make our decision, please send your request in an email letter with your USAA number and fraud claim number noted to the following address ''.

We immediatedly demanded the documents via email.

We NEVER received any documents related to their 'investigation '.

After repeated attempts to acquire documents from USAA related to your investagation, none of which were responded to, and are required to be furnished per federal statute, we realized we would have to involve law enforcement the USPS Postal Inspector 's office.

Both agencies concluded, contrary to USAA 'S so-called 'investigation '', that we were indeed THE VICTIMS of fraud, and NOT the perpetrators, something we realized the bank was inferring. 

The USPS Inspector 's office actually provided us with copies of the money orders, all ( 4 ) of which had the names of those who cashed them along with a receipt from the grocery store aforementioned. 
When the police offered to contact USAA on our behalf, to discuss their results, USAA never returned their call. 
A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IS IGNORED. 
At this point we realized we needed to hire legal representation. Fortunately, our attorney had a contact within USAA, a person at an Executive level, who once told our saga agreed that your conclusion was incorrect. So after 10 mos. of repeated cavalier treatment by USAA, on XX/XX/18 the funds you had taken were restored back into our accounts. 
Obviously the work of Executive innerdiction.

We even received an email from the bank stating that the fraud investigation had been " concluded in our favor and the restoration of our funds was permanent. '' " No further action on your part is required '' Happy Ending? 
NO. 

SIX DAYS LATER, on XX/XX/XXXX we were declined a purchase of gas at a local station and we immediately checked our accounts only to find they were ENTIRELY FROZEN! Not just our checking, but our savings account, and not for the original debated amount of {$14000.00} but our ENTIRE FUNDS IN BOTH CHECKING AND SAVINGS. 
We called USAA again, and was told that it was an error. 
I kid you not. 
The funds were restored within minutes. 

Happy Ending? 
NO. 

On XX/XX/18, confident that our funds were restored " permanently '', as we were told, our USAA Debit card was again declined at a local grocery store. 
As I write this on XX/XX/XXXX, after being told on Thursday XX/XX/XXXX, that our funds would be restored again, which did happen, our funds were again FROZEN on XX/XX/XXXX. TWO HOURS of conversing with FIVE reps with USAA today resulted in 'you need to call back after the holidays ''.

Again. I kid you not.

I'm only going into this detail not only so I have a succinct and concise record of our experience with USAA for myself, but to warn others who may think that your claim that customers recieve 100 % liability protection from fraud is actually fraudulent. 
A lie. 

I don't know what USAA 's specific problems are, but they are vast, from terrible communication within your own divisions, to bogus 'investigations ' and conclusions by your fraud 'team ', and I am not going to stop letting others know.

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