Consumer complaint received 2025-05-12 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was result of identity theft
Company: NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
, I tried to open an account with Navy Federal credit Union because I am married to somebody who is in the XXXX. He cheated did on me after 4 months, and left me ; wouldn't divorce me and continued to get the benefits for me but didn't give them to me. He lied about still being in the military and said he was XXXX XXXX, I found out he was still in the military and the next time I ran into him he was using his XXXX XXXXXXXX. At the time that they said this account was open ; I was living in Georgia and I was having a baby. I did not open a Navy Federal credit Union account. I was trying to open one now but they said that if I paid off this amount that's owed to some checking account that I told them was fraud, it would be easier than me filing fraud because then I don't need to be reverified to open an account and I don't have to wait on the fraud department and I can just go ahead and get all the information about who opened the account, where the money was spent, what addresses were used and phone numbers etc. So, I did what they said even though I kept telling them it was fraud and they refused to give me any of the information even though they say it's me that opened the account so I'm not allowed to know the addresses on it or the phone numbers or anything? They didn't even verify me because there was some code number or word on it and like I don't know it because I never open the account, and I would have needed to be sponsored to have opened that account and my husband was off with another woman. He wasn't going to sponsor me to open that account in XXXX to XXXX and apparently it was more than just the checking account they told me about, there was a savings account and possibly other accounts but they said the money in the savings account went to the money owed in the checking account. I was told initially I had to pay {$68.00} even though it's fraud and I made that very clear and they said well you can wait weeks on fraud or we can just let you pay this and immediately open an account because now you're already verified. And I was like well can I get the information about all of it and they promised I could and they didn't give it to me and I know I'm repeating that but that's very important. How am I not allowed to have my " unquote own information of My apparent own account that I opened, yet you're telling me you can't give me that information because I'm me but I'm also not me. So they take my money, and then they tell me I'm not allowed to have account unless I've been verified by my husband or another family member of the military. And I said but you told me otherwise and that's why you guys convinced me to not file fraud, I said this is ridiculous I was lied to and I told you it was fraud you didn't give me any of the information she told me you would have it when I was transferred to you and now he was refusing to give it to me, & So, he's supposed to have the information now because I've paid them and he's going to give me all the information, he refuses to give it to me He says it's already been charged off when I paid it and that they can't and they can't see that information but the other woman told me she could see it, and they replaced all that information fraud information, with my current information. Refused to tell it to me, tricked me into not filing fraud, when I repeatedly told them it was fraud, even to the credit write-off company because they've written this off already. They changed the amount from {$68.00} to XXXX. So, I go off their advice, I pay something that I tell them is fraud and is not mine, with the guarantee that once it's paid off it won't be held against me and I can have any account there because I've already been " unquote verified to have this fraudulent account. I make it very clear it's fraudulent and I make it very clear I want the information that's on this fraudulent account, where the money was spent, all the addresses and phone numbers, All that kind of information etc. I'm guaranteed that the charge off department will give it to me, they refuse to even though they have it and replace it with my current information and then they tell me that when I go to open an account now, which this won't be held against me, even though it isn't mine. That the man who opens my account can tell me all that information. And I don't need to be reverified because they verified me to have this account in XXXX to XXXX. I was told it was just a checking account and then I find out it's a checking & savings account, & possibly other accounts I do not know about, like credit cards etc. So, I have a really good credit score and now I'm terrified and these people have taken money out of my bank account, haven't given me a receipt, didn't keep their word, didn't tell me any of the information, and didn't allow me to get an account with them without being re-verified. When that wasn't supposed to happen, that's the whole reason they talk to me into not filing fraud. They said with fraud it would take months, and I would have to verify myself. Which to me wasn't a problem because I was just going to get my marriage certificate and do it that way. But they kept telling me, oh we won't hold this account against you and you can just immediately get an account and even if it's fraud it's just {$68.00} and we won't hold it against you and you'll be able to get all the information about who filed it when they filed it, where the money was spent, all the addresses on there, all the names used etc. But all of that was a lie, to get me to pay for a charge off, from a fraudulent account. And during that time that this account was open, they were sued for opening accounts under other people 's names. I'm pretty sure this is either my husband who had all my information opening an account, with another female that he was with and defrauding it, so it wasn't under his name. Or they opened an account, like XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX tried to do with me without my permission, and that's why they wouldn't tell me the address is or the phone numbers or where it was opened or where the money was spent. And then they want me to verify myself, but why would I have to do that if I've already had an account where I've been verified? None of it makes sense, he was gas-lighting me, he was trying to trigger me and was like being really mean. This is unacceptable behavior. I've already been done dirty by the person I married and they have kept every benefit that is supposed to go to me. Then this happens? And this is how I get treated. Navy Federal credit Union, really needs to get it together. There are four phone calls in total and my friend who is an XXXX XXXX veteran was sitting there listening to all phone calls. She also spoke to them because she heard the way they were speaking to me and how they were getting me upset, and she let them know that what they were doing was wrong. And they just went silent. Even though there was permission given to them to speak to her. Because they knew she was right. Now I'm going to go file it as fraud again with their company. But I would like something done. I should be able to open a Navy Federal credit account since I am married to somebody in the Navy. I should be able to get all of the back pay for the money that he has been given for me since he married me at XXXX XXXX XXXX. I am XXXX XXXX XXXX and I have never gotten my benefits after that 4 months, I've never gotten my XXXX I don't have an ID to go on base and I never got my financial benefits that he received to take care of me. I am terminally ill and now I've been played by the bank. That doesn't feel very good. I have no receipt from them, and none of the information I was promised.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief