Consumer complaint received 2021-12-25
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
I went into Bank of America in XXXX, CA ( bank number XXXX ) on XX/XX/XXXX with my mother as my mother wanted to add me as a beneficiary to her checking account. My mother and I are both longtime customers of Bank of America. 

When we entered the branch, we were greeted & my mom explained the reason for our visit. The personal banker, XXXX XXXX, came out and walked us to her desk. XXXX did not confirm with both my mom and myself the reason for our visit before making any changes to the account. Instead, in XXXX, XXXX said okay, so we are adding your daughter to the account, and my mom nodded. I waited for XXXX to speak to me to confirm since I am also a BoA client but instead she was silent and typing for several minutes. She only directed a word to me when she asked for my ID - I shared my drivers license and BoA debit card. 

After 5 - 7 minutes, XXXX tells me, you wont be able to get a card today but youll be on the account. I responded, Im not sure what you mean, I dont want access to her money as a beneficiary so I dont need a card, right? She said, Oh, then she just kept typing without answering me. I felt this was very odd but she was acting busy and I did not want to distract her while she was typing away. 

Finally, XXXX handed a tablet to my mom and said, we added your daughter to the account, [ electronically ] sign this paper to confirm she is a joint account holder. Since XXXX was finally explaining what she was doing, I corrected her and let her know she had made an error - I was not to be added as a joint account holder, I was to be added as a beneficiary. XXXX laughed and said, whoops, I thought it was something else. I did not find this to be light-hearted or funny - The banker was not professional and laughing at a banking error is not appropriate. It is alarming that a bank employee would make changes to a bank account before confirming the changes with both bank customers. 

XXXX continued on speaking to my mom and said we needed to sign the document since the changes had already been made. I let XXXX know we would not be signing since she made an error and instead she had to get a manager to reverse the error. At this point, XXXX demeanor changed and she was very XXXX. She said the greeter had told her something different so she added me to the account. I responded with, why didnt you ask me if you were unsure? and she got up and walked away. I could immediately tell she did not want to get a manager to support her with making the correction and it increased my suspicion of her actions and the banks. 

After another 5 or so minutes, the bank manager- XXXX, came out to save face for the bank and the employee. XXXX introduced herself and repeated XXXX demand that we sign the document that showed the account was changed to add me as a joint account holder on my mothers checking account. 

I let XXXX know I was not comfortable with signing the document since adding me as a joining account holder was an error on their behalf and asked why they couldnt reverse it. XXXX avoided my question and just said we were going to do it this way ; Sign the paper with the erroneous action, then we had to sign another document to show I was removed from my mothers checking account to correct the error and finally, we had to sign the document to complete the original request of adding me as a beneficiary. At this point I felt things were very off since I had XXXX bank employees ignoring my requests and they refused to explain why they couldnt just reverse their original error. We had been at the bank for over 30 minutes at this point and I was not going to get any help from them. 

I agreed to sign the documents they had as I did not feel I had any other option. If I were to leave the bank, I would have left my mother under more stress since she just wanted to add me as a beneficiary. I requested copies of all the paperwork my mother and I signed to have documentation of the error and most importantly, the correction. XXXX was reluctant to provide the documents to me as I had to ask a few times before being acknowledged. 

The experience at this branch was extremely unpleasant and leaves me continue to wonder - why wouldnt they just reverse their original error? Did XXXX want to make her account-opening quota by adding me to an account? Did XXXX want to avoid any documentation to explain why XXXX bank customers had refused to sign and instead opted to coerce us to sign? 

I shared my experience with Bank of America on XX/XX/XXXX and they have not responded. The bank personnels error, their poor customer service while attempting to rectify/hide their error and lack of response after I shared my experience is why I am filing a complaint with the CFPB.

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 non-monetary relief