Consumer complaint received 2023-12-12
Company: CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION, THE
State: AR
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
Schwab account fraud-ALL CALLS WERE ON SPEAKER XXXX XX/XX/XXXX received a text alert from Schwab to verify purchase I attempted to responded NO since I didnt recognize the purchase however we live remote and I was on XXXX  or no signal this happens a lot finally got the text to send.

I did attempt to contact SCHWAB bank at XXXX call dropped in reference to text call would not go through. 
I received a call caller ID Schwab XXXX asking if I had a moment to verify some transactions ( this is normal when I dont recognize a transaction via text ) this called dropped. 
An individual identifying himself at XXXX with XXXXchwab Fraud called again wanted to continue to confirm my identity I put the phone on speaker so my XXXX  could hear EVERYTHING as she is IT and my XXXX  who was also present is XXXX XXXX. Call continues individual asked questions I did not respond so he starts to tell me the transactions in question and list my last gas fill up while I was traveling, my travel alert dates and locations ; my last deposits on the account clearly he was in the account ; when he asked me for the XXXX XXXX to black list it I dropped the call and called the number on the back of the card XXXX. 
Contacted Schwab at XXXX asking to verify if I was talking to one of their reps as someone was claiming to be with them asking me for information ( I had NOT provided ) wanting to send me some codes ( again had not received anything yet ). I WAS NOT transferred to XXXX XXXX instead was informed XXXX was indeed working on a fraud case on my account that was it nothing else was offered no assistance NOTHING!! I did what the BANK instructed us to do if someone contacts us asking for information to stop and call them, I DID THIS. Important note : XXXX XXXX at Schwab XXXX XXXX  stated to me directly when asked why I was not transferred to XXXX XXXX  at time I called because we were just beginning to work on your case so I asked then why didnt you stop the money from transferring she replied because at this point it was already gone so I replied at the time I called no codes or any kind had been sent you already said that so which is it?? No response, I was informed on XXXX XXXX the initial part of the investigation had been completed I email XXXX XXXX again got the out of office reply, I did ask for contact information for her supervisor. 
Individual called back XXXX stating again he was XXXX from Schwab Bank XXXX XXXX as I just talked with bank and they verified XXXX was the name of their employee in XXXX XXXX  working on my XXXX case I spoke to him hesitantly still on speaker as he asked if I had received the email stating the hackers has been in the account and wired the funds out I did get two emails stating funds had been wired out they were confirmation emails from schwab bank my husband also received these emails he then stated he would attempt to send text or email the XXXX XXXX Only thing I received were confirmation emails with codes the wires were cancelled on ONE wire never received text also to note when I receive a text from Schwab or any other bank with a code I can not open to read the text if I do the text is blank this is a security feature on the phone I have screen shots of this happening I can only use the copy from message feature to insert the code into my own device I can not physically see the code to share it with anyone.

Now I received a verification code confirming that the first wire transfer was successfully CANCELLED I did not have to do anything with the code unless there was an issue with the wire.

Received email with codes for wire / wire confirmation. These arrived in my inbox hours later indicating something was going on with my email When I hung up phone and I received a second code stating the same as the first confirmation of cancelled wire. Received email as well however it too was hours earlier. 
Checked the XXXX email and saw a new device was added, removed the device changed password. 
Now 5 hours later I get a call from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Schwab Bank informing me the money had indeed been wired as below and when I questioned why I was NOT transferred when I called and had this all stopped she told me the money was already wired when you called. Now I have a serious issue with this as they at Schwab will not guarantee my funds stating I gave codes to transfer funds well how is that when I CALLED THEM before any codes to cancel were received on my phone which I could not even open to read when I open the text the codes the text are blank and my phone only received CANCELLATION codes which I DIDNT SHARE? XXXX herself said the funds were gone when I called which was over XXXX XXXX XXXX the text came in?? and said the codes to confirm the wire transfers were already sent before I called so those I had not seen or received if sent then didnt come to my phone. The person was already in the account when he called me I know this as he was able to see transactions he could only see from inside the account. I did not give him access and have two witnesses. The bank should have seen a red flag on any wire transfer by me my XXXX  does them ALL I dont know how to do them. 
After much research I see several individuals are having issues with Schwab XXXX XXXX security at Schwab Banking and the ability to keep funds secure not only did my account get hacked we had the authentication on the account and no security code was sent, the email that a new device was added was no received until AFTER the XXXX  was into the account yet fraud department wants to blame the customer??? Just because your forensic states a code was sent doesnt mean it was received by intended recipient, I live where I only get XXXX  reception, I cant send a text XXXX XXXX of the time nor get them I am surround by XXXX acres of trees in the mountains of the XXXX  not getting text is normal dropped calls is normal. I am providing particulars below. My previous cell phone was spoofed and used to gain access to my bank account ( different bank ) over the phone three times. 

I have also found the same type device was added to my cloud and email that the bank said was added to the bank account, I have since removed and reset that password as well so both email, cloud and bank were all hacked on same day same device. 
I am a victim of XXXX  theft from XXXX when my XXXX  was compromised from the XXXX data breach and the XXXX  data breach I have kept the Fraud lock on my credit reports. 
ALL EMAIL AND TEXT disappeared from my phone and XXXX account not in spam or deleted folders this was found when I attempted to send to XXXX XXXX next day and there were gone. 
Schwab XXXX XXXX : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX The following unauthorized transaction ( s ) were made in our joint Schwab account number ending in XXXX : Brokerage ( funds were transferred from our joing checking to the joint brokerage to wire out XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Attaching the screenshots where you will see the text from bank are not readable if you open to see the code and where the delete as well as you will see I dont have wireless service. First picture Is when the text came in as a preview before it faded off the screen second is when I tried to open to see if we could read it third if after you try to open and close the text it deletes from phone.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation