Consumer complaint received 2024-06-20 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Banking errors
Company: NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
I am writing to file a formal complaint against the mortgage company, XXXX XXXX, managed by XXXX, and my bank for making mistakes in my account costing me thousands. This is regarding illegal and abusive practices that have resulted in significant financial harm to my mother and myself. 
We purchased our home in Georgia and began making mortgage payments around XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. Our payments were set up to be automatically withdrawn from our Navy Federal account to ensure timely payments and to include additional payments towards the principal. However, despite our efforts, we have noticed a troubling trend in the increasing balance of our mortgage principal, contrary to the expected decrease with extra payments. 
Upon further investigation, we discovered that our life savings account has been negatively affected, with thousands illegally withdrawn over time. This unauthorized activity has been detrimental to our financial well-being, as the withdrawals were made without our knowledge or permission. We strongly believe that these actions constitute financial elderly abuse, as we are retired individuals relying on our fixed income to cover expenses. My social security should have covered the mortgage but they illegally and arbitrarily took double payments from my account through ACH. The unauthorized withdrawals began in XXXX XXXX XXXX, with increasing frequency and amount taken from our accounts. By XXXX, money was withdrawn from our savings account four times, and in XXXX, six times, despite our agreement for bi-monthly withdrawals. This pattern continued, with money being withdrawn four times a month when we were only on a bi-monthly payment program. 
Upon discovering these unauthorized withdrawals, I immediately contacted XXXX XXXX and blocked any further ACH withdrawals from our accounts. However, the damage had already been done, with a significant amount of money unlawfully taken from our savings. The bank 's fraud department confirmed that these withdrawals were made to cover overdrafts caused by XXXX XXXX 's unauthorized actions. 
This situation has caused us immense stress and financial hardship. We request a thorough investigation into XXXX XXXX 's practices and actions to rectify the harm caused to us. We also request the immediate cessation of any further unauthorized withdrawals from our accounts. Navy Federal has a rule that if an account is overdrawn, then they can find money in any other count and pull it from there to make up the difference. However, it was overdrawn because Navy Federal was sending extra payments and XXXX XXXX was pulling payments over the correct amount which doubled up on payments causing my account to be overdrawn. This was going on for months until one day I saw that my retirement account was practically drained. 

The account is in such shambles that it is hard to figure out what they did. Now I have to fight to get my money back. The only thing that I can do is to get an attorney and an accountant which will cost even more money.

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