Consumer complaint received 2021-01-19
Company: NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: VA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
To whom it may concern, I am reaching out for the second time, in regards to fraudulent activities that transpired on XX/XX/XXXX, with my bank accounts. 

The first attempt for help was denied. One of the companies involved, XXXX XXXX, misunderstood the whole situation that took place that lead to the hacking of my accounts with Navy Federal Credit Union. 

I will explain again what happened on Friday, XX/XX/XXXX. 

At approximately XXXX, ( NFCU : A Transaction for {$18.00} was approved on debit card XXXX by XXXX XXXX XXXX at ay XXXXEST on XX/XX/XXXX Txt stop to opt out ). 

I was home sick from work resting when I received the text from Navy Federal credit Union, alerting me that a purchase was just approved at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with my debit card. Clearly, I could not be shopping because I was home sick. 

I immediately called my financial institution, Navy Federal credit Union, to dispute the purchase. Upon speaking with the customer service rep, I explained what had just happened. The customer rep explained to me that because the purchase did not come straight through my account, and it was a third party purchase that XXXX XXXX had sent it through, I would have to contact XXXX XXXX. 

At that time, I looked up the XXXX XXXX official site to contact them. I called the number, a customer service rep answered the phone, and asked, how may he help me? I explained what had happened with my account and explained that there may be some unauthorized purchases on my account ( for the record when you make purchases through XXXX XXXX, your bank card is attached to your XXXX XXXX account ). 

XXXX, the receptionist, looked up my account and stated that yes, there looks like some fraudulent activity has been going on. He stated some purchases amounts to me and stated that at this time, we will need to secure your account and your funds and investigate what is going on. 

He stated that we will need to secure your money in a safe secure place, until we research the hacker, because they are still out there hacking my account. He then had me load some apps through the app store on my phone in order to protect my accounts. ( I later found out that these were remote apps that allowed him to come in and see my phone and all of my personal information. ) Navy Federal told me that, later, after I called them that night to report that I believe that identify had been stolen. 

After the apps were down loaded, XXXX had me open up my debit card activity that was connected to the XXXX XXXX account. At that point, he began browsing through my accounts, claiming to be searching for fraudulent activities. Sadly, all of my accounts were visual during this period of time. He then said again that the hacker is still out there " If your phone rings do not answer, or it will disrupt the flow of things and we would hate to start the process all over ''. 

I continued to stay on the phone with him. He then said again that " we need to protect your money ''. He then asked me if I had a money transfer accounts. I told him that I only have cash app. He said great! we can transfer your money there for the meanwhile while we get your XXXX XXXX account straight. He clicked on my XXXX XXXX, he then typed in messages to cash app, in order for XXXX XXXX to allow access to my XXXX XXXX account. In addition, He asked XXXX XXXX to change my password, the text was sent to my phone and he accepted it because he was able to operate my phone with the app that he installed. 

He then went back to my navy federal account and started moving money around from one account to another, then he moved the money to the cash app account, then typed in some information, and told me that it was his supervisor, and he needed to inform her on what was going on. Come to find later, he was sending the money to an account in which he cashed out all of my money from all of my accounts. XXXX was doing so much and so fast, I could not keep up. I did say to him that I am not sure why this is necessary. He said mam, if you want to save the rest of your money, in your account these steps are very necessary, we have to do this, he said he moved all of my money to the XXXX XXXX, even from the joint account that I shared with my son. At that time, my phone beeped, it was my son. XXXX said don't answer the phone, the process will be lost by that time, I became frantic. My son sent me a text and said what is going on I am trying to pay a bill and my money is disappearing out of my account as we speak? I texted him back and told him that I was compromised, and that I was on the phone with XXXX XXXX trying to straightened things out. He told me to hang up the phone, he said that I was being hacked right now. I hung up from XXXX immediately. He continued to call back time after time and again. I did not answer. 

I then called XXXX XXXX back to explain what I had just experienced. Unfortunately, the agent said, because this was a third party situation, I could not file a claim. They said that they do not support XXXX XXXX. 

The amounts taken from all of my accounts total were approximately {$2900.00}. 

I did file a claim file a claim with XXXX XXXX and they told me that the transfers were legitimate, and they could not help me. 

I am attaching some pics that may help my verification of the monies being transfers, and the impression that it was being security safe temporarily.

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