Consumer complaint received 2025-02-26 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: VA

Complaint narrative:
I was a victim of an online rental scam that resulted in the loss of {$2600.00}. The scam took place through the Furnished Finder platform, where an individual posing as a landlord listed an apartment for sublease under the username XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX  ). 

I was in direct contact with an individual claiming to be their realtor, XXXX XXXX, throughout the leasing process. After reviewing and signing a lease agreement that included the apartments address, I proceeded to make a payment : {$1000.00} security deposit {$1600.00} first months rent The lease listed XXXX XXXX XXXX as the landlord. At the realtors request, I sent the total payment of {$2600.00} via XXXX transfer to their designated business bank account. 

XXXX of Events : XX/XX/year> Found the listing on XXXX XXXX. 
XX/XX/year> Received an email from the realtor ( XXXX XXXX ) and signed the lease agreement the same day for a XX/XX/year> move-in date. 
XX/XX/year> Sent the full {$2600.00} payment via ACH transfer. 
XX/XX/year> The realtor claimed their bank rejected my payment and stated I would receive a refund. Instead of returning my money, they requested that I resend the payment via a different method, raising suspicion. 
XX/XX/year> They requested my bank account number, claiming it was to process my refund faster. However, no refund was ever received. This was a red flag for potential further fraud. I did not provide my account number. 
After XX/XX/year> The listing was removed from XXXX XXXX, and the realtor claimed they never received my payment. However, my bank confirmed that the funds were successfully processed and received. Despite their claim that the transfer was rejected, I have not received any refund. 

Details of the Fraud : On XX/XX/year>, the realtor initially communicated professionally but later falsely claimed their bank rejected my payment while refusing to provide proof. 
On XX/XX/year>, instead of issuing a refund as promised, they asked me to send more money using a different method, suggesting an attempt to extract additional funds. 
On XX/XX/year>, they requested my bank account number, stating it would help process my refund faster, but I never received a refund. 
The listing was removed from XXXX XXXX, suggesting they deleted their account to avoid further contact. 

Supporting Information : Platform used : Furnished Finder Scammer username : XXXX Property number : XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX Alleged realtor : XXXX XXXX XXXX landlord : XXXX XXXX XXXX Payment method : ACH Transfer Total amount lost : {$2600.00} I am filing a complaint regarding my banks refusal to dispute a fraudulent ACH transfer, leaving me in a dire financial and housing situation. 

Despite providing my bank with evidence that this was a fraudulent transaction, they have informed me that they can not dispute ACH transfers. This policy has left me with no recourse, despite clear indications that I was deceived. 

To make matters worse, the scammer continued to falsely claim they never received the payment, further complicating the situation, and have since stopped responding due to my growing suspicion. Because of this, I have lost a significant amount of money and currently have nowhere to live. I urgently need assistance in resolving this matter and recovering my funds. 

I am requesting that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau review this issue and advise on how my bank can be held accountable for failing to assist in a clear case of fraud. Any guidance or action you can take would be greatly appreciated. 

Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to your response.

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