Consumer complaint received 2025-06-24 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: VYSTAR CREDIT UNION
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
Police report case number XXXX XXXX XXXX This my statement about being financially assaulted this past week. Monday XX/XX/year> I received as text message from Vystar asking if I had transferred {$1000.00} via XXXX to XXXXXXXX XXXX to a XXXX XXXX. To which I replied no. Approximately XXXX minutes later I received a phone call from an individual calling from XXXX stating he was from Vystar XXXX Department. He asked me a series of questions about the transfer and if I knew the person the funds were being sent to ( I do not recall the name he gave me of that said person ). I replied to him that I did not know this person and again, that I had not sent any money to anyone through XXXX. 
This same person that called me stated that my funds were now frozen to prevent anyone from getting to them since he could see that someone was trying to get into my account. 
Her told me not to access any of my online banking, to include any of the accounts with other people that my name was on, XXXX. my grandsons and my wife both have accounts that have my name on them. He ended the call by explaining that they were investigating the said attempted fraud and that if I opened ANY accounts with my name it would mess up their investigation process. 
On the same evening of XX/XX/year>, my wife, not thinking, opened her mobile accounts, which opened my accounts attached to her online app. Tuesday, XX/XX/year>, I received a phone call from the same Vystar individual, wanting to know if I had opened my account because they saw activity on my account. I explained about my wife opening the app with her accounts which inadvertently opened my attached accounts as well. He told us not to access any accounts until this investigation was settled. Call was ended and no further contact from that individual was made until Tuesday afternoon, XX/XX/year>. He then told me to go to the closest Vystar branch and tell them of the fraud attempt and get new accounts set up. He then said emphatically, NOT to say ANYTHING at all to them about the investigation. Just that someone text me and told me I needed to close my old accounts and open new ones. He explanation for not divulging the information is because he believes that the person who tried to hack my account is an individual employed within Vystar. He didnt want to make anyone suspicious in case it was someone at that branch we were going in. 
I also need to make it known that each time this individual called me from the XXXX number he sent me a text to confirm my identity to him. The texts showed VyStar 's name and give a six-digit pin that I had to repeat to him before each call proceeded. This is common practice with VyStar already as I have banked with them many years. This was comfort to me in letting me know, or I should say, feel like it was legit, and I was in fact speaking to the fraud department at VyStar. 
My wife and I went to the Vystar ( XXXX ) branch on Wednesday, XX/XX/year>, inside the lobby. I spoke with XXXX XXXX ( I have his business card ). XXXX, closed out my old accounts and opened new accounts for myself and my wife. During this process, he called someone to ask them how to proceed and that person then wanted to speak to me and he said there was activity on my accounts from XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX and asked if I knew anyone from down there. This let me know that Vystar was aware of fraud attempt. XXXX issued new debit cards, credit cards and ordered new checks for mine and my wife 's new accounts. 

My wife felt to need to say something to the representative about receiving the phone call from the vystar fraud and that we were not suppose to say anything about the call due to the fact they thought it was someone inside vystar. he had a strange look but did not say anything like he thought I was talking to a fraudster so we presumed we were in fact dealing with vystar fraud department. 


That afternoon, the person from XXXX number contacted me and wanted to know what happened at my visit to the branch Vystar. I told him every detail from that visit. He then confirmed the XXXX XXXX being investigated. Thursday XX/XX/year>, the XXXX number called and he said that they were going to set up a special XXXX XXXX XXXX Account usually this account is used for wealthy individuals, but since this was inhouse fraud they were going to give it to me for free because with it being inhouse they will just hack the new ones again. 
He went on to explain that Vystar would be putting money ( {$7500.00} ) in my account and that I needed to go take that money out at a different branch than the one who set up our new accounts ( again, not to alarm the inhouse fraudster ). I was advised to tell them that I needed said money for home XXXX. He also gave me a debit card number with a pin to use at XXXX bank ATM. He helped me set up that debit card information on my apple pay wallet, in my XXXX He aslo said I needed to delete the debit card after the deposit was made. I was advised that with this XXXX account I would be able to use it for our living expenses, bills, etc. until the investigation was completed and the fraudster was caught. I was told that Vystar would be able to get that money back from chase once the account was approved so I need not worry about that money. I took the money out of the XXXX XXXX Vystar XXXX and deposited it into the Chase ATM on XXXX XXXX XXXX as I was advised to do. 
Later that evening, on Thursday, XX/XX/year>, I received a phone call from XXXX number again. 
He advised me that the support team had made a mistake, and they were supposed to send an additional {$8500.00} to my Vystar account and I needed to do the same process on Friday XX/XX/year>. Again he gave me new debit card information, helped me set it up in my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  use, and of course told me of the importance to deleting said card after deposit was made. Friday, XX/XX/year>, I entered the XXXX XXXX Vystar branch to withdrawal the money. It also should be said that each time I went into the bank on XXXX XXXX to withdrawal funds, he was left on the phone with me on mute so he could listen to what was said. 
This time I tried to take out the money, there was only {$8200.00} available. I told the teller I needed to check with my wife in the XXXX and then spoke to XXXX person when I got to the car. 
He said that was okay, they could work that out later. He advised me to go back in and withdrawal the available funds. This time, I used the same teller from prior day, prior withdrawal of XXXX. The teller said More home repairs?, to which I replied yes, and he proceeded to withdrawal my funds and handed it to me. I then drove to the same XXXXXXXX XXXX  on XXXX XXXX XXXX and deposited it with my XXXX apple pay feature at the indoor ATM. 
At this time, my calculations show I had {$15000.00} stolen from myself and my wife. I have receipts for those XXXX deposits at XXXX if needed. After speaking with family members and a friend that works at another Bank, I was told that I had most likely been scammed and that I needed to call the bank immediately and lock all my accounts and cards and talk to fraud department and then call XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX and file a report. I called and had Vystar rep at main number XXXX and had them lock my accounts and cards and asked to speak to the fraud department. By this time, approximately XXXX pm, fraud was closed, and I

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