Louisiana women allegedly stole $1 million from USAA Bank members.
Louisiana law enforcement is looking for a third suspect.
USAA is one of the nation’s largest employers and is headquartered on a massive campus in San Antonio.
Steven Santana | MySAInvestigators in Shreveport, Louisiana say two women worked through a third-party company to obtain information that USA Bank members allegedly stole more than $1 million from. Zarajah Watkins and Destan Glass were arrested this month, and Shreveport law enforcement is still looking for a third person in connection with the alleged theft, according to the Shreveport Times.
Watkins worked for a third-party company called TelePerformance, an outsourcing business that provides customer service, accounting and collections services to companies. According to its website, the company has worked with big clients like Santander, Wish and Grubhub. USAA provides financial and insurance services to active duty military members, veterans and their families.
The Caddo-Shreveport Financial Crimes Task Force began the investigation in September. Watkins used the company’s resources to obtain USA Bank member information and sell it to Glass, who used it to defraud many bank members of their money. Glass used the money to buy a house, an expensive car, and other items.
Watkins was arrested on November 17 and charged with 175 counts of identity theft, while Glass was arrested on November 22 and charged with 65 counts of identity theft.
Brad Russell said in a statement with USAA Bank that he could not comment on the details of the fraud, but that he was aware of the matter and was working with law enforcement.
“We take member safety and security very seriously and are working directly with affected members,” Russell said in a statement.
On Monday, Nov. 28, Shreveport police issued an arrest warrant for 22-year-old Eric Lude, Louisiana station KTBS reported. Loud has been charged with 58 counts of identity theft.
Russell said USA Bank members should exercise caution whenever dealing with third-party companies that request bank information. These precautions include:
- If you meet someone who claims to be family and asks for financial information, hang up and call your bank or a family member.
- Never give personal information to anyone who contacts you. Never transfer cash, gift cards, or money to strangers.
- Check bank accounts or online accounts regularly. If you see any unauthorized activity, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.
- If it sounds “too good to be true” or a little fishy, it probably is.
- If you are a victim of fraud, call the police and report it.
