Consumer complaint received 2020-04-13
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: PA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2020, I was notified by my gmail account that there was suspicious activity on it and also on my XXXXl account. After changing my passwords, the next day I received an email of an almost {$XXXX} camera being suddenly purchased on my XXXX account. I had my debit card saved on this account, and had not been notified about any weird purchases from XXXX before. 

I cancelled the expensive purchase and went onto my XXXX account ( which I hadn't used in over a month ) just to make sure everything was okay. I discovered someone had hacked it, ordered over {$XXXX} worth of expensive tech items which they shipped to various addresses in Missouri. I've never been to Missouri, lived there, or even met anyone from Missouri. 

This was an experienced criminal scammer. They hid the evidence by archiving all orders. Apparently, this person had also hacked my gmail account that I was using for my XXXX notifications, and was going in and deleting the purchase notifications without me noticing for about 3 weeks. I had no idea things were being ordered. Several items were also put on credit payment orders so the money would be taken out slowly over time, making it hard to notice the activity. I later found some of these emails as evidence in my trash. 

I notified my bank and XXXX immediately on XX/XX/2020. Basically XXXX said they could do nothing and I had to hash this out with my bank. They also locked me out of my account and destroyed the evidence of the orders. Bank of America temporarily credited the money back to my account and opened an investigation. I did receive about {$XXXX} dollars back eventually from XXXX because one of the items never made it to one location, but I am still owed {$XXXX}. 

My bank tried to close my claim right around the end of XXXX, saying that I " took too long '' to respond and therefore the purchases were valid ( the purchases spanned from XXXX   XXXX XXXX, but majority of purchases were only made a few days before I notified the bank, on the XXXX ) and that they were going to take the money back out. So in reality, I took about 5 days to respond. I dont think thats very long of a delay, all things considered. 

I made several more calls, this time to a supervisor at Bank if America named XXXX. I explained that I just lost my job due to the current Covid-19 situation, and that I had proof that I did not order these items from XXXX and even had proof of the addresses they had been shipped to. 

They extended my claim and XXXX told me to fax in the documents I had, saying that if I could prove it I could keep the money. I faxed in about 10 pages of documents that day ( Around XX/XX/2020 ). However, the claim closed again on XX/XX/2020, and they went ahead and stole the {$XXXX} back out of my account. They did not even mail me or email me an update or explanation. They just quietly reversed the credit. 

I am at a loss as what to do because I have no income, can no longer get a job because of the current pandemic situation, and am down {$XXXX} I didn't even spend. Now I will not be able to pay my bills next month because that was my rent money. I find it very insensitive during this difficult financial time for many, and feel highly exploited. It seems like they didn't even investigate the situation.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief