Consumer complaint received 2024-05-13 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: Block, Inc.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I'm under the impression that Cash App is disregarding financial regulations and acting against the interests of their users while profiting from our activity. In XX/XX/XXXX, a thief managed to steal my devices and infiltrate my accounts. He just plead guilty to these crimes a week or so ago. While many transactions had already been executed via XXXX XXXXXXXX, and other services, I managed to notify Cash App that someone had control of my devices and was attempting to transact money from my account into their personal. I made them aware of a {$1500.00} transaction that failed as not initiated or performed by me. Believing I had done everything I could to contain the breach I went to work reporting and/or notifying the other services/banks. 

Despite all that. XXXX transactions for {$200.00} each were executed some time after I spoke with Cash App. Why were transactions authorized after I notified them of a security issue? I filed a claim to dispute these XXXX transactions and proceeded to call my bank to inform them that the cash app transactions weren't mine. XXXX XXXX, conducted their investigation and concluded that the transactions were fraudulent crediting me back {$600.00}. I believe that they also charged back the same amount to cash app. I was made whole and I thought that would be it. 

Months later, I try to use cash app to discover that my balance on the app was negative {$600.00}. Despite the notice I provided them and their own failure to lock down my account they initiated another investigation after the fact where they determined the XXXX transactions were initiated and performed by me. As they had gotten charged back by XXXX XXXX, they erased the XXXX transactions that pulled money from my wells fargo account to cover those XXXX unauthorized transactions. Leaving me with a XXXX balance. 

By this time, the thief had already been apprehended by the police and I had police reports squared away. I attempted to present this information to Cash App in my subsequent disputes. They refused to acknowledge this information or the documents. Ultimately finding me at fault for those XXXX transactions. When I requested the evidence they used to make this determination they presented a log entry of the transaction and nothing else. 

According to my understanding of financial fraud and regulations they flat out ignored their responsibilities in handling my initial report of security breach and subsequently acted indiscriminately to serve only their interests despite evidence and facts. Their dispute process is designed to discourage people from pursuing issues. For users to inquire about a pending or previous dispute they must initiate a brand new dispute via email. Users are not able to request this information from their live customer support agents. I can only XXXX how many people just give up disputing fraudulent activity just from this barrier. 

Those that have the extra tenacity or will or time to go will find additional barriers that again seem designed to disparage even the most fervent in holding Cash App accountable. They have an arbitration clause that prevent users from taking them to court regardless of how egregious Cash App has behaved. Users that are still determined must demand for arbitration. Cash App will ignore this demand until the last week of the time limit whereby they will answer by threatening the user for attorney fees because Users should have known to dispute in small claims. It is now XX/XX/XXXX. The settlement they seem likely to take is XXXX. That's the XXXX to XXXX out my cash app balance and XXXX for the law firm that was integral to this whole process. 

The penalties for them failing to investigate fraud in good faith in in the thousands for each transaction. Perhaps additional penalties for every dispute. They are refusing to acknowledge that they provide financial services like a bank. When mandated to adhere to the same regulations as banks they do so in bad faith. Only the most determined people get as far to realize they need legal assistance and most amounts would likely not be of any interest for most law firms to help. I'm surprised I got help for a XXXX dollars actually. 

I know my writing is not the best and that the account I provide to you is convoluted. Cash App 's behavior is criminal. They're enabling fraud and in some cases outright stealing from your constituents. After a very long fight I was able to get what they didn't deserve to take and not much else. I wonder how many people they've weathered down to give up for every user that prevails.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation