Consumer complaint received 2020-06-13
Company: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
State: IL
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Other problem

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX Consumer Financial Protection Bureau XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX, IA XXXX Re : COVID 19 Hardship Company Name : USAA Company Address : XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX USAA Member Number : XXXX Dear CFPB : This complaint is regarding USAA and how they bankrupted us during the COVID pandemic. In order to understand our situation, we need to provide you with some background. 

In XXXX I proposed to my girlfriend with the goal of getting married in XX/XX/XXXX. We withdrew money from our paychecks each month in order to save for our dream wedding. We found a beautiful wedding venue in XXXX XXXX, Wisconsin called XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. We happily signed a contract with XXXX XXXX and made payments according to the contract. Please see the enclosed executed wedding contract with The XXXX and corresponding credit card statements from USAA. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX wedding venue asked us for a credit card for the initial deposit in order to secure our wedding date of XX/XX/XXXX. We happily complied and I provided my USAA Visa credit card for the deposit. As the months went on, I found it easier for the venue to continue debiting my USAA credit card on file instead of providing an entirely new payment method. After the venue charged my credit card per the deposit schedule, I then transferred the exact funds paid to the venue from my XXXX XXXX Wedding Savings account to my USAA credit card to offset the charge. This is confirmed if you review the enclosed USAA statements and XXXX XXXX Statements. 

In XX/XX/XXXX the XXXX pandemic occurred and ruined the wedding we had planned for the last XXXX years. We had a family member die due to the XXXX and we decided to cancel our wedding scheduled for XX/XX/XXXX as a precaution. XXXX XXXX XXXX was awesome and agreed to a full refund. The only problem was that they had to refund the credit card on file ( USAA Visa credit card ). They could not send a check or wire funds back to our XXXX XXXX Wedding Savings account. 

This prompted me to call USAA on XX/XX/XXXX to find out what my options were to get the funds returned to my wedding savings account. The representative escalated the call but was unable to assist. He advised its a company policy that they can not reverse payments and return to a customer. I explained the COVID pandemic and how this impacted our wedding plans but he insisted there was nothing he could do. 

Requested Resolution from USAA : Since our wedding was canceled because of COVID and the venue refunded the {$16000.00} paid thus far to my USAA credit card, we are asking USAA to please refund the cash payments placed toward the credit card from the XXXX XXXX Savings account so we can use the money to put down on a house. We need this money for a down payment and USAA is holding it hostage. Im more than willing to keep paying the monthly interest on my credit card balance but PLEASE return the funds we need to purchase our first home. This outcome would financially benefit USAA so I dont understand why they can not help. 

Ive been a USAA member for years. My grandmother served in the military as a nurse and thats how I learned of USAA. We saved these funds for years and now that the wedding is cancelled due to COVID, we cant get the money back into our account. This is all because I made the mistake of using my credit card instead of providing the bank account information to the venue. PLEASE help us, WE NEED THIS MONEY. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX Email : XXXX Phone : XXXX Enclosures : USAA Credit Card Statements and The XXXX Wedding Contract

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