6/24 -- I call USAA (from roommates phone) to report wallet and phone stolen; all personal information as well as debit and credit cards. I am told that my accounts will be frozen & locked immediately in order for them to investigate. I ask if I should file a police report, and the USAA rep tells me, "No, we don't work with the police so that will not help." At this point I realize my checking account has been emptied of about $2000. Panic and disarray.
6/25, 6/26, 6/27 -- I call USAA every day to check status of investigation (from google voice or borrowed phone). I am told that its underway and there's nothing they need from me. During these days, I am receiving multiple emails about my USAA balances going up and down -- and of course since I believe my account is locked/frozen, I dont try to logon to see why. However, I bring this up in a phone call -- "Why are my balances going so haywire??? This seems crazy what's going on??" To which I am told, "Don't worry! That's how we handle fraud, we will deposit money back in chunks and withdraw it if we decide you're responsible." During another phone call I tell them, "hey, I really need to get access to my money soon I am really hungry out here and don't have family/friends nearby." USAA rep: "Oh, just use your USAA credit card!" (you know, the one that makes USAA profit)
6/28 -- My brother wires me some cash so I can get a phone. I get the phone and activate it, and use some of the extra money to get some food -- as I hadn't eaten in days. Then I almost immediately call USAA. The new debit/credit cards I receive have been cancelled, and I find out that two bogus checks were deposited with the stolen phone, and the funds transferred to a nondescript series of paypal accounts before the checks eventually bounced. I find out that this activity occured on 6/24 (after original phone call), 6/25, and twice on 6/26. Leaving me with a balance of negative $2000. For a grand total of nearly $4000 of theft. I spent 5 hours on the phone with a USAA rep who was appalled that my accounts were never frozen, and appalled that no one responded correctly to my call when I said "hey why are my balances going nuts??". She submitted another fraud claim, and I hauled my ass to the police department to file a report.
6/29 -- claim denied. I push to re open.
6/30 -- claim denied. I push to re open.
I filed another police report, outlining the fraudulent checks and transfers -- and submitted a 7 page letter via fax to the USAA Financial crimes department. They have since returned $870 of the ~$3700 total theft. They tell me that I am responsible for the fraudulent transfers. You know, the ones that occurred as a result of their cascading mistakes?
I spoke with a representative today -- she told me there's nothing they can do. She tried to sell me a credit reporting tool to help protect me against identity theft (lol). She said I can write a letter to USAA Legal Department.
I feel like I'm bending over backwards to try to remedy a series of USAA's gross mishandling of my accounts. And it feels futile -- what the heck would I even put in the letter to the legal department?
My friends and family are all telling me "threaten to sue," "change your bank," or "damn, that really sucks but there's nothing you can do."
I don't need anyone to sympathize with me here -- I really need some help in viable options for what I should do? Is there any reasonable course of action for me to take at this point?
Thanks in advance :)
Submitted July 15, 2017 at 12:12AM by stillot2 http://ift.tt/2vnrpQu
