<p>I searched for previous threads on this topic but only found stuff from 2005 and earlier. I need another perspective on this.</p>
<p>My H got a call two months ago that someone was attempting to pay a rather large credit card bill with a check from him written on a USAA account. He closed that account the same day and opened another. Two months and 9 other incidents, we are still trying to get answers. Today, I had a security expert help me to set up a randomized security code for both of our accounts and another agent called to discuss facts of the case.</p>
<p>My husband does not use a computer and is practically phobic about using them so I have been handling most of the issues. He wants to close the accounts and go elsewhere. I think that FINALLY we have a very secure system set up and that going somewhere else will only carry the identity theft to another location. The agent that I talked to today said that once they have name and date of birth they can get almost any information needed to continue the fraud. Our best defense at this point is to monitor frequently and with the safeguards we have set up, no one can get information by phone or computer without the randomly generated code. </p>
<p>Here is my question: Would you trust USAA or would you move the money to another institution? Although there have been 10 incidents involving all three of us, all have been caught before any money was transferred. I check online frequently and while someone attempted to call today for access, the security that was set up stopped them from getting into my account. I am very unhappy that USAA did not take the initial stolen checks seriously but I think they have belatedly done a good job of making things secure.</p>
<p>Have you both placed a freeze on your credit via the 3 credit bureaus? I think I’d give up on USAA and go elsewhere, as that has been quite a few attempts–10 incidents for all 3 of you. </p>
<p>We have only had isolated incidents and never anything ongoing like you describe. Once it is seen (a charge we didn’t authorize) and we question it, a new card is immediately issued and the item is immediately disputed. This has happened twice or so to us over our lifetimes, many years apart.</p>
<p>I would base the decision on whether USAA has handled the situation well. Are they checking with you when there is activity that seems unusual? Did they hold you responsible for any of the fraudulent transactions? </p>
<p>As far as we know, the perpetrators have not gotten any money. Two check books were ordered for the closed account. Two checks of the four checks were written for over $4million each which obviously did not go through; we don’t have that kind of money. Both of those checks were written to charities. I can’t figure out why that was done. Who would benefit? Two ATM transfers on my son’s card were discovered before they were paid. The other events were attempts to change our passwords and security questions. </p>
<p>My two complaints with USAA are the time that elapsed before they helped me strengthen our security and the lack of coordination among and even withindepartments. Each time something has occurred, I have had to start at square one and explain the entire history. I worked with the security expert on Friday and today she had someone call me that will coordinate all efforts in the future. I am satisfied that the safeguards have protected my money but I am pretty sure that my husband will pull his money out and deal locally. Since he won’t use a computer, I guess that makes sense. I hope that he doesn’t become like my dad in his later years; he hid cash around the house because he didn’t trust the local bank.</p>
<p>If your husband wont use the computer, do you?With USAA we get an email when any change is made or attempted on our account. We havent had any security issues that I know of but this lets us know when any transactions occur. </p>
<p>We are in their wealth management department and have found them to be easy to work with. </p>
<p>My husband and I have separate accounts with USAA. Yes, I monitor my accounts, both banking and credit card, at least once a day, more frequently now that we know there is a problem. When we first discovered the checks had been ordered, I set up my computer so I could monitor my husband’s savings/checking. After the attempted wire transfer from his new account, I can no longer access his accounts with my computer. The day after I got my new iPhone (I had previously had a flip phone) I received an alert that someone had tried to change passwords and security questions. My husband has been understandably freaked out by all of this. While I am upset with the poor coordination among divisions, I do feel safe in that all 11 events so far have been stopped before any money was lost. </p>
<p>Thats awful that that happened. Glad no money transfer has occurred and that you did receive the notifications when the attempts to transfer funds or change a password occurred. Note to self: talk to DH about changing our passwords.</p>
<p>That’s honestly terrifying. Were you ever able to find out if the breach was from USAA’s end or did they get your information some other way? 10 incidents in three months is pretty bad though I don’t know how much of that would have been different if you had switched banks right away. I agree with the person above who said that it depends on USAA’s incident response. The more open and forward they are about proactively defending you the more likely I would be to stay with them. </p>
<p>We were first notified August 7, so it has been 2 months. We know now that two books of checks were ordered and sent to two different states. Now that I have written that, I think my H should contact the check company to find out why that was allowed. The information has come in bits and pieces. For some strange reason, it does not seem that USAA took what was happening seriously until the past two weeks. Now they have put security measures on the account. I use a random number app on my phone and H was sent a random number generator since he does not use a computer or smartphone. When we call USAA, the phone call is routed immediately to security where we are asked additional questions. </p>
<p>I visited my local Apple store to see if they would advise any extra measures in addition to firewalls and changing passwords. I don’t think the initial breach was through my computer because I did not have my H’s accounts listed until USAA advised me to monitor them for any suspicious activity. The account that was originally breached was in investment banking but it was not active as an investment account. He had been using it as a savings account until he decided what to do with it. </p>
<p>It is possible, although highly unlikely, that the attempted use of my son’s ATM card was just a coincidence. It seems to me that USAA is the only source of all of the stolen information. I didn’t even know my son’s card number or password although we share the account and I noticed the attempted transfer. </p>
<p>I would love to know why they haven’t given up since all 10 attempts have been unsuccessful. The $4 million checks written to charities seemed like kids playing a game. I suspect that we probably will not get complete information even if USAA does solve the problem.</p>
<p>I hadn’t gotten around to changing my aol passwor so this morning my aol account was hacked. When I tried to check my email, I got a notice that the account had been frozen. I changed the password so I could see what was sent and tried to notify the groups that were sent the mass email. I think it is past time to close that account. I am thinking of opening two separate accounts, one for personal email and one for everything else. </p>
<p>I also called the check company. USAA had not notified them of the security. The woman that I talked to was not very helpful but did say that new checks were ordered, probably online, and were mailed to two different states. They took no responsibility for not questioning why we would have checks sent to a different state.</p>
<p>No, not honored. As far as we know, no money has slipped through the security. Our neighbor just stopped in and mentioned receiving the hacked email that was sent. He said his wife had had her identity stolen a few years ago. Someone filed an income tax return using her identity and received a refund check from the government. I hope our thief doesn’t go that far. </p>
<p>I would report this to the police as well. I know nothing about how hackers work, but as good a reputation as USAA has, you would wonder if it is somehow an inside job. Wouldn’t police or FBI (since out of state) be able to see where checks were sent? USAA probably has this info.</p>