Consumer complaint received 2015-09-30
Company: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
State: MD
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
I am writing to inform you that USAA did not provide diligent to my checking account by allowing XXXX fraudulent checks by letting the theft withdraw {$14000.00} from our checking account within XXXX hours. The first check was deposit on XX/XX/XXXX, second and third check deposit XX/XX/XXXX in the total amount of {$14000.00} by POS and ATM withdrawals. This is my son account that my wife and I open when he was XXXX years old. I understand that I should have closed the account when he turns XXXX year olds. My son notifies me on XXXX XXXX that his account was overdrawn by {$14000.00}. I immediately called USAA and open a fraud claim. They told me it would take three business days and they would contact me. I called back on XX/XX/XXXX and they told me the fraud claim was close and we were in fault. I explain to them how could we be in fault if USAA allow the money to be withdrawn before the checks cleared. The representative which is a data call center that receives USAA calls could not explain the situation. I ask to speak to the fraud specialist that close my account and they stated I could not speak to them. They would give them my name and number and they will call me. We waited 10 days XXXX XXXX, XXXX, and called back because no one called us about the fraud claim. My wife and I went to the banking center to speak to person and they put us in a room and a live representative came on and we told her the history and she put another fraud claim in for us. We ask her how could & XXXX be withdrawn from a checking account over the weekend without the checks cleared the bank first. She gave me a shaky answer and I felt something was wrong. I hung us and proceed to go to XXXX XXXX XXXX and told the Bank Manager what happen and he stated it is no way {$14000.00} could have clear my account without those checks been cleared. He stated we would have release {$400.00} for immediately release, but no more until the checks clear. I went to XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and they both stated the same things that it would not be possible for an individual to without {$14000.00} in XXXX hours without the checks first have cleared the bank. I ask XXXX Manager ( XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX ) to call because we were a member of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. She told me must have misunderstood what was happen because she stated that USAA could not possible allow {$14000.00} to be withdrawn from our account within XXXX hours. She called and got the same run around that I receive and could not believe it. XXXX XXXX asks to speak to the Fraud Department and was told no because they could not transfer anyone to the fraud department. On the same day they withdrew {$14000.00} from XXXX different accounts to satisfy my son account. I immediately mailed a letter to USAA to voice my concerns and to gets some answer about counterfeit checks and why all the money was release for the theft to withdraw from the account. Why the fraud department did not alert me or my wife if they could not get in touch with my son. They held us liable, but gave us no opportunity to stop the illegal transactions. We are a retired military family and {$14000.00} might not sound like a lot for USAA, but it was our life saving. I did not work for 23 years for XXXX who I though was an advocator for the military families is just like the rest and prey off our service to this county. I have read the countless letters on the internet about what USAA has done to other military service members and I am for a loss of words. Please help us recoup our monies from USAA because they never responded to our letter and now they will not speak to us about the matter. Thank you for your time and patience concerning this matter.

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