Consumer complaint received 2025-07-09 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: RANDOLPH-BROOKS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I was the victim of a sophisticated scam involving caller ID spoofing and impersonation of RBFCU, my credit union. The scammer called me from RBFCUs real customer service phone number ( spoofed ), knew my personal information of my first and last name, as well as my address and that I banked with RBFCU. When they called the dialog was exactly like a regular RBFCU member call. The caller convinced me to transfer {$2600.00} from my RBFCU bank account via XXXX XXXX by claiming there was fraud on my account and the steps we were taking were to prevent further scams from happening and even used words such as master code and reassured me the call was legit. I looked up the number XXXX caller ID and it matched XXXX and once they verified my address and name which I did not provide them prior, I explained I had not seen any transaction and they reassured me this procedure was to avoid further scams and to activate fraud alerts via XXXX. Once I sent the money to another card under his pressure of guiding me, he hung up the call and when I called the number back it was the RBFCU customer service number line XXXX. 
I reported the scam immediately on XX/XX/XXXX by calling the customer service number XXXX and filed a fraud claim XXXX, then went in person as well the same day and talked to 2 different bank representatives in person and the same fraud department claims specialist over the phone. RBFCU explained it would be 10 business days before giving my provisional credit and it could be up to 90 days of a refund if the claim was approved but the representative believed it would not be approved or refunded. I went back to the bank on XX/XX/XXXX to give further details due to the first time I was crying and under duress from it being my full account balance that was needed for bills and XXXX XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX I called again and provided the police report number of XXXX. RBFCU did not provide the provisional credit at the 10 day mark so, I called on XX/XX/XXXX where the customer service representative said it was denied and explained the notes given for being denied was that when the fraud department investigated they contacted apple to which XXXX explained the amount was authorized. I asked why I was not notified by the fraud department instead of having to call for myself more than 10 business days later and I asked to be transferred to the fraud department and it was a 30 minute wait. The service got disconnected while waiting so I did not have time to call back. I went back in to the bank in person on XX/XX/XXXX due to still not being notified by mail or by a phone call or by email that I had been denied. Once I arrived the customer service member explained it would be a wait to get connected to fraud department on her end. She had me wait in the lobby waiting area. After waiting for 30 minutes or so she came back and let me know the fraud department would allow me to call her and explained the fraud department person named XXXX explained I reopened my claim on XX/XX/XXXX. I explained to her when I called I was never connected to fraud department so did not know how it got reopened but agreed to speak with fraud department in one of the offices, that the wait would be about 5-10 minutes. I was put in the room where she dialed for the person and were on hold for 40 minutes. Once I got on the phone the representative I spoke to from the fraud department explained the claim was denied due to Regulation E, stating that the transaction was authorized since I initiated it. However, I explained once more the only sent the funds because I was deceived and manipulated by someone pretending to be my bank, not because I freely or knowingly agreed to send money to a stranger. This was not true authorization it was a case of social engineering, which Regulation E was designed to protect consumers from. I have requested the claim be reopened and they agreed but explained it will likely be denied again and that it will take an additional 10 business days, but I am asking the CFPB to review whether they properly applied consumer protection rules in this case.

I respectfully request your help in holding RBFCU accountable for failing to protect its member ( me ), against this type of targeted fraud. RBFCU has also acknowledge this is even happening to their own employees of their company.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation