Consumer complaint received 2025-07-11 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem accessing account
Company: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
This is a follow up to complaint # XXXX SUBMITTED ON : XX/XX/XXXX I'd just like this email to USAA added into the previous complaint as follow up. 

Dear USAA Executive Office, I am writing to formally express my concern about how a recent account lockout was handledand more importantly, how it was never acknowledged, documented, or resolved in writing.

I have been a USAA member for over 50 years. I opened my account at XXXX. Thats a lifetime of trust, during which Ive relied on USAA to protect not just my finances, but my familys future. In recent years, Ive become the sole legal guardian, then adoptive parent of XXXX grandchildren, and I recently opened youth accounts for them at USAA. 

Shortly after doing so, my own account was locked due to a security issue. I uploaded my ID as instructed. I received no further communicationno notification that there was a problem, no email update, and despite repeated calls, no promised follow-up ever occurred. 

Because I was preparing for our first family vacation in 8 years, I did not try logging in again until I returned from a very altered vacation due to my unknown financial access, ( XXXX XXXX were canceled with penalties, destination was changed to simply go stay with friends not far away and the children were very disappointed when the fun plans were canceled ). 

When I finally did check my account yesterday, I discoveredwithout warning or explanationthat access had been restored. I called customer service and was fortunate to speak with an empathetic and diligent representative. She and I pieced together what had likely happened : the freeze was probably triggered by the childrens associationthrough birth recordswith a parent who has a criminal history related to identity theft and two parents with criminal histories related to drug use. I could have explained all of that and provided all documentation and proof to a person with the power to actually see my account, had I had access to one. 

I have gone to great lengths to keep the children physically distant from both parents .. We stayed 2000 miles away from home, where I happened to be working at the time as an XXXXt for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX It seemed prudent to keep them in Montana since the parents were in Georgia. Two years ago, when I was ready to move back home, I still did not move back to Georgia where I have community and connections, but moved to XXXX instead, to keep the children separated from the biological parents and associated drama. During this entire episode, their mother, with a record of fraud, has been in jail awaiting a court date with no commissary money for phone calls or other communication access. 

While I understand and appreciate the fact that USAA must flag potential fraud, I was never informed that this was the reason. In fact, no department has provided any communication or documentation at all. There is no record in my secure messages, alerts, or inbox of this lockout ever occurring. I had to escalate the issue myself through a CFPB complaint and a direct email to the executive officejust to be heard. 

If I hadnt had some emergency cash on hand and close friends who could let us visit, we would have had no vacation at all. And yet, according to my USAA documents, none of it ever happened even though it cost us both a planned vacation and non-refundable deposits and fees. 

I will be submitting the childrens adoption paperwork and a formal statement confirming weve had no contact with either parent for over XXXX years. But this isnt just about my caseits about ensuring this doesnt happen to another legal guardian, grandparent, or long-standing member who gets flagged by an automated system with no human safety net. 

You have been involved in almost every financial activity in my life. A person, not a system, would have many, many ways to verify my identity simply by looking into my account. 

Please acknowledge this experience and consider implementing a clear pathway for escalated reviewespecially for long-term members facing account restrictions with no notification, explanation, or recourse. Ive kept my trust in USAA for XXXX decades. Id like to continue doing so, but this experience has left me feeling unsafe with USAA. If I'd moved all my funds to XXXX XXXX, for example, I would have been able to reach a person simply by walking into my local branch. Since your business model that includes no physical banks, access to customer service should be available in alternate ways when there is an issue like this. 



Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation