Consumer complaint received 2025-03-16 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem — 
Company: GREENSTATE CREDIT UNION
State: IA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/year>, I was the victim of a criminal phone scam. Several individuals posing as the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, as well as supposed Federal Officers, informed me by way of phone call that there was a warrant out for my arrest for failing to show up as a member of a federal jury. I was told that I had to withdraw funds to post state and federal bail to exonerate my charges. I left my home in the middle of severe weather ( XXXX XXXX- XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and my children 's school, had been released early ) and proceeded to my long-time bank to meet what I believed were the requirements to keep me out of jail. I left my husband and XXXX children at home, believing that if I informed anyone, I would immediately be imprisoned. The criminal phone scammers maintained constant phone communication with me for approximately XXXX hours while I met the conditions of their requests. 

I first pulled up at the drive-through of my bank, Green State Credit Union XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX to request the withdrawal of a large sum of money. The drive-through attendant asked me to come inside the bank branch in order to complete the transaction. I did so and approached the bank teller at the desk. This employee asked me no questions about my request to withdraw from a joint account with my husband. It felt as if all eyes were on me as the amount of employees greatly outnumbered the amount of customers inside the building during an ice storm. I was allowed to withdraw {$9900.00} in cash with no questions that could have potentially " awakened '' me from the deceptive criminal act that was happening at the moment. I left and made a deposit into a nearby " kiosk, '' as the scammers directed. 

I returned to the same branch location of Green State Credit Union ( XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  ) for a second attempt at following the deceptive orders to " keep me out of jail. '' This time, I met with the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, who minimally asked me " Are you purchasing giftcards or bitcoin? '' ( I did not even make a connection to bitcoin at that time as the scammers only referred to the term " kiosk. '' ) I replied " No. '' - believing that my response to her was truthful. This same branch manager had been present the first time and allowed me to withdraw an additional {$10000.00} from the same joint account with my husband. These XXXX withdrawals were completed within an hour at the same location, with the same employees present and aware of my requests. ( As my husband and I were told upon a later in-person meeting to change our accounts, the branch manager remembered my presence and requests for large sums of money. ) I am now aware that transactions over {$10000.00} must be reported to XXXX under the Bank Secrecy Act. I had just completed XXXX large transactions ( totaling {$19000.00} ), with none-to-minimal questions asked in order to protect me. I believe that negligence occurred by my long-time financial institution, which had power to protect my assets and wellbeing by identifying, questioning, and intercepting this criminal action. Instead, they stood by and allowed the action to continue. Had they asked any questions initially and more detailed questions subsequently, I may have been protected and alerted to the reality of my situation. 

Following the XXXX  visit to the XXXX XXXX XXXX, I deposited the cash given to me into a " kiosk, '' as directed on the phone by the scammers. I then went to another branch of Green State Credit Union in XXXX ( XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ). I withdrew a total of {$6000.00}. Again, there were no questions asked by the teller, in spite of what must have appeared on my account records from the last XXXX hours. At this point, {$26000.00} total was withdrawn from my joint personal checking, savings, and my husband 's business accounts. I was not protected by my financial institution while in the middle of being victimized by a criminal scammer. Once again, I lost the money by way of the kiosk. 

By the time I had been to XXXX branches of Green State Credit Union in XXXX individual trips, speaking face to face with XXXX separate tellers, I was only asked minimal questions and lost the majority of my checking/savings/business account assets with minimal ( and ineffective ) -to no intercepting attempts by my trusted financial institution. 

Police reports were filed, investigations have begun, and several phone calls and personal visits were made to the bank. During my husband 's and my personal visit to the branch on XX/XX/XXXX, the XXXX XXXX branch manager ( the same woman who easily handed me a stack of {$10000.00} ) expressed shock that no questions were asked on XXXX of my XXXX visits. She stated to us that training and implementation protocols were not followed. 

My questions remain : What is the bank 's role in helping to protect its customers from scams? Were policies violated or ignored by Green State Credit Union 's tellers on XX/XX/XXXX? Can more be done to make it more difficult or impossible for scammers to bypass perceptive and protective bank tellers and branch employees? Why was it so easy for me to withdraw a sum of {$26000.00} over the course of less than XXXX hours? What secure, protective system is in place to combat what the branch manager herself described as increasing criminal activity in this very way? I felt none of the impacts of a protective system at the most vulnerable spot of violation that I have experienced. 

I am requesting that specific branch policies and systemic change are put into place for the protection from criminal scammers. Those policies must be followed. I am also requesting repayment of the specific amount that was stolen. I believe that the bank is negligent and should be held liable. I also think it is appropriate to consider my personal loss of trust and mental anguish within this situation, which warrants additional compensation. I would like to avoid litigation for this negligence, but I am willing to pursue it if necessary.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation