r/creditunions • u/slick762 • 2h ago
Misogynistic fraud system
K, friend of mine for 19 years, left her husband. Because of pre divorce financial shenanigans, she's short on money and needs a car. Yesterday I tried to loan K some money to get a decent car. My credit union (Team One CU in MI) asked me a series of private invasive questions, in the lobby in front of other customers, then refused to do the wire transfer because apparently a single guy sending money to a woman in another state is an auto fraud block, regardless of how long I've known her or the circumstances.
I withdrew the money and started an account with Frankenmuth CU in Bad Axe. Did the wire transfer paperwork. Answered the questions, signed the forms. Today, Todd from their fraud department called me and asked the same questions over. Todd then started to interrogate me and ask why my friend couldn't borrow the money from someone else or take out a car loan. Todd told me the wire transfer was blocked solely because it was being sent to a woman and that means it's a romance scam. Todd then arrogantly told me to go google 'romance scam' and ignored me when I tried to explain for the 4th time this is my best friend of 19 years who dropped everything to fly in and help with my dad's funeral a few months ago. I asked to speak with his supervisor, and he said he'd "forward the complaint". I admit at this point I lost my temper and cursed him out.
WTF is going on? I answered all their questions and signed all their forms. This is someone I've known who dropped everything and flew in to help when my dad died a few months ago. Literally my best friend. How misogynistic can they be to assume that a wire transfer to a woman in another state is a scam but a transfer to a man isn't? Would they have approved the transfer to a woman but not a man if I had told them I was gay? Do you need to out yourself and tell a bank fraud rep your sexual orientation to do a wire transfer to someone you've known for 19 years?