Consumer complaint received 2024-08-08
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: Block, Inc. (AZ)

On XX/XX/, I was scammed by an unknown person going by the name of XXXX XXXX and pretending to be with XXXX. He even gave us a fake employee ID #. He had me convinced that my account had been hacked and he was going to help me stop it and reverse the effects. He said criminals were using my account and money to buy digital currency and that he was handling this non-stop because of the hack. Yes, I was convinced by a practiced and smooth con artist. Somehow, and I dont know how, he managed to route money from my checking account with XXXX through Cash App to a XXXX XXXX . Immediately after I suspected I was being robbed, I hung up and called XXXX to report the fraud. Then I called Cash App to report the scam. Neither of these institutions immediately reversed the transaction if that had been possible. XXXX informed me that they would put in my account a provisional credit for the stolen amount of {$3900.00}, but this would be taken back if the claim was denied. Ultimately, the con artist used Cash App and my gullibility to transfer money ( {$3900.00} ) from my checking account to an unknown online bank account. Before he did that, he transferred money between my wife and me on Cash App. This was probably to get the money into Cash App. He had me hypnotized to what was happening and I caught on too late. I dont know why XXXX could not or would not reverse the transaction, nor why Cash App didnt either. We, my wife and I, called Cash App repeatedly and eventually were given the alleged last four digits of a receiving debit card. We gave this number ( XXXX ) to XXXX as part of our claim, but XXXX XXXX  affirmed for us that they have no account number ending in those digits. Someone from XXXX XXXX told us that their bank is a hybrid bank, whatever that means. We have reported the incident with the FBI and with our local law enforcement. On XX/XX/XXXX, by email, Cash App denied our claim. I requested more information and was give a single page showing half of a single transaction in a table. They claimed this to be their research though it has no information about where the money went, or who received it. On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX mailed a letter ( read by us on XX/XX/XXXX ) informing us that our claim with them was denied and that the provisional credit would be removed from our account on or after XX/XX/2024. We called XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX for more information and was told that the denial was based on information from Cash App. Cash App is incredibly difficult to deal with. They attempt to minimize contact with account holders to emails or through their app and put a caller on repeated and lengthy holds. I have begun to doubt that they even have a fraud prevention department. We called Cash App again on XXXX XXXX, and were told many different things about our claim and given multiple claim numbers. This conversation is recorded and available upon request due its file size. We were finally told that we could ask for a manager next time because one was not available at that time. We called again on XX/XX/XXXX and were able to speak with a manager. This person continued to repeat the same information and was unwilling to answer questions. When I asked if they could tell me where the money went, she claimed that she had given me all the information I required. This conversation is recorded and attached to this claim ( in multiple files due to CFPB 's system constraints ). Cash App facilitates criminal activity and apparently has no ability or interest in fraud safeguards. Their research shows nothing at all and affirms no action was taken. The perpetrators could continue this activity through Cash App unimpeded by any safeguards. During and after our phone conversations on XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, there were emails between me and Cash App. They escalated our claim and almost immediately closed it again. Cash App should be shut down because they have no safeguards nor interest in fraud prevention. We reported the incident with the FBI the day after it happened, and with our local law enforcement on XX/XX/. The Incident Report Number for the XXXX XXXX XXXX is XXXX, but will not be available to attach to this claim for another week or more. It will be available upon request by anyone through the Police Department at that time and we can provide it at a later date. Attachments to this claim include : *Recorded phone conversation with Cash App " manager '' contains holds with hold music playing ; in multiple attachments due to CFPB 's claim system limitations. *Screen shots of Cash App showing fraudulent transaction the fraudulent transaction is circled in Red on the file " XXXXCash App Screenshot overview Fraud Circled. *Emails and attachment from Cash App. *Claim denial letter from XXXX . *Cash App " Research '' Provided