Consumer complaint received 2022-06-05
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: Block, Inc. (NJ)

Background I am a victim of identity theft and fraud. Fraudulent applications have been submitted in my name and my identity have been used without my consent to fraudulently obtain goods and/or services. 

There was a Hard Business Inquiry on XX/XX/XXXX by the U.S. Small Business Administration ( SBA ) on my XXXX report. Obtained a copy of the fraudulent SBA document and it listed a XXXX XXXX account and routing numbers on the loan application ( see the Intake Application Summary of the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan [ EIDL ] application for more information ). 

Business Partners : Cash App and XXXXXXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX  on XX/XX/XXXX and on XX/XX/XXXX. Left detailed voicemail messages regarding my identity theft and fraud but nobody called me back. After repeated phone calls to XXXX XXXX  on XX/XX/XXXX ( see XXXX Phone Usage document # 1 for details ) I spoke with XXXX from the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX OH branch Fraud Department XXXX XXXX ) XXXX. She informed me that the account number is not a XXXX XXXX  XXXX or Checking account but a Cash App account. She said I have to call Cash App ( XXXX ) XXXX to take care of the problem. I asked her why she wont help me with this identity theft and fraud concern when XXXX XXXX  is listed on the fraudulent SBA application, not Cash App. XXXX said that they have no control over what Cash App does and since its a Cash App account, XXXX XXXX  has nothing to do with it. 

I called Cash App on XX/XX/XXXX and was presented with only two ( 2 ) automated choices. Whichever option I chose I was told goodbye and then disconnected. Called the XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX OH branch again and was connected to another XXXX. I was told Cash App has been having problems with their system. She said shell reach out to Cash App and tell them to close this account as its fraudulent then shell email me once she hears from them. I had no reason to think that XXXX would lie to me, considering the gravity of the matter entrusted to her. I believed her then took care of numerous other matters related to my identity theft and fraud. 

Since I never heard from XXXX to verify the fraudulent accounts closure, I contacted Cash App on XX/XX/XXXX multiple times ( XXXX ) XXXX and another number found on the internet ( XXXX ) XXXX but could not get through. I called in the morning and in the evening ( see XXXX Phone Usage document # 2 for more information ). An automated system answered that I called outside of their normal business hours and to call again but never said what their business hours were. Their website https : //cash.app also does not show what their hours of operation are. The other ways to contact them are through the Cash App application itself or their website. Both require that you log in first to contact support. Since I dont have a legitimate account with Cash App I cant contact them for help those ways, either.

I finally spoke with a Cash App representative on XX/XX/XXXX. This seemed to be the first time XXXX heard about the identity theft and fraud concerning this account. She opened a case file for me. While we were on the phone I answered an 11-item questionnaire she sent by email and sent it back to her ( see the answered Cash App Questionnaire document for more information ). She said shell forward everything to their Specialty Department and from here on out, all communications will be done only through email. When asked what a Specialty Department is, XXXX said its like a Fraud or Risk Management Department. 

I asked XXXX how is it possible that this person posing as me was able to create an account with XXXX XXXX  and then use Cash App. She responded that customers dont create an account with XXXX XXXX  but the other way around ; they download the Cash App application first, create an account, and then XXXX XXXX  XXXX the Cash App account. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email from XXXX stating that in order for him to look further into the case I have to provide as much of the following information : provide any screenshots you may have regarding this issue. Once I receive the answer, Ill be able to investigate further. I already answered this very same question on item # 9 of the questionnaire ( see the answered Cash App Questionnaire document for details ). On XX/XX/XXXX I emailed and sent XXXX a copy of the fraudulent SBA Loan Intake Application Summary, the only proof I have that this account was being used in my name. The specifics of my interaction with XXXX can be found on the attached # 3 & # 4 email document. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from XXXX XXXX, asking me to verify my Cash App account with front and back photos of a US-issued ID and a selfie of me holding my ID. Uploaded the requested documents to verify my identity using their XXXX link On XX/XX/XXXX. I received submission numbers after successfully uploading both on their portal : Submission ID # XXXX for the front and back photos of my NJ Drivers License and Submission ID # XXXX for a photo of me holding my ID. See # 5 email from XXXX document where I wrote down the Submission ID numbers to save paper and ink. 

Received an email from XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX that we did not receive all the documents needed to verify your account. Please provide another picture of the back and front side of your ID as well as another selfie holding your ID. Responded to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX  EDT that all the requested documents were submitted on XX/XX/XXXX and provided her the Submission ID numbers as detailed in the preceding paragraph. This communication with XXXX is found on # 7 & # 8 email documents. 

On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX  EDT, XXXX sent me an exact replica of the email she sent me on XX/XX/XXXX above. Emailed her back on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX  EDT and reiterated that the documents had already been submitted on XX/XX/XXXX and gave her the Submission ID Numbers again. This discussion is on the # 9 & # 10 email document. 

At the tail end of XXXX emails on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX ( found on the # 7 & # 9 email documents ) it states that Cash App automatically receives a notification to review your documents once submitted and that this process can take up to 10 business days. If that were so, Cash App should have received notification that I submitted the documents on XX/XX/XXXX. If my submissions were unsuccessful I would not have been provided Submission ID Numbers as proof that they were uploaded successfully on their portal. XXXX should have been able to review the documents on their database but she didnt and refused to do it. XX/XX/XXXX was the last I heard from XXXX or Cash App. 

CONCLUSION Being a victim of identity theft and fraud has been a very trying experience. Im still dealing with its effects and it has robbed me of peace of mind. Cash App just added to my stress by wasting my time with repetitive requests and by maliciously stopping the fraud investigation just over six ( 6 ) weeks ago on XX/XX/XXXX. 

You are a business yet there are no hours of operation posted on your website nor announced on your automated phone system. I had to guess and use trial and error to find out whether I called within the parameters of your business hours. You made it very difficult to reach you because your phone line was not working, you did not provide XXXX XXXX  any other number to give to people or to post on their website in case of problems with that one number, and you required log in to your website or the Cash App application itself in order to get help. People who are identity theft and fraud victims or those who are not your customers do not have a legitimate account with you and therefore, can not reach you. 

The support I received from Cash App was not from a Fraud Department but more like a regular customer service department, ill-equipped to handle and take care of identity theft and fraud matters. I received emails from different people who dont know whats going on, dont read whats sent to them, asked for the same things repetitively, asked for documents piecemeal, and never asked for a Police Report or an Identity Theft Report, unless these are common stalling tactics employed by Cash App to deliberately prolong the investigation.

Fraud ranks very high on your list of possibilities by the very the nature of your business. If XXXX XXXX  XXXX  the Cash App account then you are considered business partners. As business partners of financial products, you and XXXX XXXX  are therefore held to a higher standard. Having only one ( 1 ) business partner do all the due diligence of identity verification is negligent and irresponsible. Cash App and XXXX XXXX  have the obligation to individually conduct strict identity verification for each applicant before you do business. What Cash App may have missed, XXXX XXXX could have picked up and prevented. Instead, the application was approved, maintained, and allowed to remain active to the benefit of you both and to my harm.