Consumer complaint received 2024-06-05
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION (FL)

Complainant background. I have been a member of USAA Savings Bank for over 39 years. I do all my banking through USAA and have 3 pensions direct deposited monthly ( XXXX, Social Security, XXXX ). XXXX % om money is deposited to USAA and am forced to rely on credit to survive this month. I also carry my auto insurance and even homeowners insurance when I did own a home. My credit rating is over XXXX ( excellent ). 

XX/XX/year> I obtained an unsecured loan to pay for a shipping invoice that I did not have cash to pay the bill. I believed the bill was legitimate and due. 

XX/XX/year> I sent a wire transfer of {$10000.00} which was automatically cancelled during overnight processing since the money was not in the specific checking account used. 

XX/XX/year> I re-sent the wire transfer after correcting the money placement. I later received a call from an USAA fraud investigator advising that it might be fraudulent and advising I investigate the matter further. I cancelled the wire transfer and contacted the shipping agent, and I also obtained a copy of the shipping bill. It appeared legitimate and believed the billing to be legitimate. 

XX/XX/year> I re-sent the wire transfer a third time. I again received a call from an USAA fraud investigator but this time I was told he believed it was a fraudulent bill so I cancelled the wire transfer for the final time. I then contacted USAA Banking by telephone and inquired about cancelling the loan as the shipping billing ( my original purpose of the loan ) appeared to be a fraud. I was advised that I could not cancel but listed options starting with paying back the full balance plus any fees and interest. I was informed I could also use the loan money to consolidate or pay off bills. I opted to pay off credit cards gradually as I received their bills. 

XX/XX/year> I submitted an international wire transfer, totally unrelated to the previous wire transfer. This was in relation to my membership of the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for which I have an active account. That group has since merged with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, and I remain an active member. The wire transfer was {$5000.00} plus {$45.00} for transfer fees. I received a receipt for the transfer. Days passed and the wire transfer was not received by the addressee, so I checked my mobile USAA application and found that USAA had cancelled it. That evening, I also received a phone message asking I call USAA concerning my personal credentials. I called the general USAA phone number in the message from a person named XXXX ( I assume banking services ) but banking service was closed until the next day. 

XX/XX/year> The next day I checked my USAA mobile application with listed their receipt for international remittance transfer stating the transfer was done ( USAA XXXX # XXXX ). Seeing it was completed I took no further action that day. 

USAA wrote XXXX letters dated XX/XX/year> with there adverse action information taken against me. I received them by mail on XX/XX/year> although I was aware having seen them posted on my USAA mobile application. XXXX cancelled my XXXX checking accounts ( XXXX, XXXX ) and my savings account ( XXXX ). The other cancellation was for the unsecured loan ( XXXX ). It cited the reason only as USAA was exercising their right to no longer do banking business with you per our deposit agreement. That closure would be completed within the next 60 days. 
What USAA did was seize all my money with USAA and not allow me access to my money, nor make payments to my car insurance and loan that was previously set up for auto payment, nor allow me to use the seized money to pay the XXXX USAA bills on their due dates. USAA has full control over all my money without justification, authority, or even XXXX order. USAA even is assessing late fees when in fact they have all my money to pay off the bills but refuse to do so. 
I have written various written requests for review and appeal, and I requested written responses. I uploaded numerous documents addressing what I believe to be relevant to include identity documents. I would have uploaded/sent more documents ; to address the second wire transfer had I been informed about them having any issues about it. USAA then blocked my ability to upload more documents anyway. 

I have not received any written response to date. 

XX/XX/year> I finally received a phone call from the USAA Fraud Department ( only return contact following my requests ). There was no fair or just resolution at all. The investigator talked about how serious USAA takes fraud cases and how they have many members whose accounts were emptied out by fraud. This is irrelevant as that is not the case in this situation. My account was secure and never compromised. My password and access are not shared with anyone, including my wife who is now separated and only has access to our joint accounts ( XXXX XXXXXXXX and XXXX XXXX ). She was blocked from having access to our joint accounts as well. 

The wire transfers were never completed, and if they were in fact fraudulent, would not have resulted in any loss to USAA whatsoever. I would have been the only victim, and I took that risk. The caller stated that it was their policy and would not change it. He further stated that I had facilitated the fraud attempt. Facilitated! To me it implies that I was part of an attempt to scam myself. How ridiculous. I was also informed my money left over from paying off the loan and 30 days of car insurance, would be sent to me some time after XX/XX/year>, by mail ( intentional delay? ). This has caused irreparable harm to me. 

I submitted the wire transfers in good faith, believed them to be for valid reasons. I simply am the victim of all of this. The irony is that I am the only victim of USAAs unreasonable and adverse actions to include their poor treatment of a XXXX customer. I have cancelled my USAA car insurance effective XX/XX/year> to minimize unjustifiable penalty charges and risk of police cancelation because USAA refused to allow payments to force late charges.