Consumer complaint received 2021-10-07
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: MI
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Government benefit card
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer
Sub-issue: Charged for a purchase or transfer you did not make with the card

Complaint:
I have a State of Michigan unemployment debit card issued through Bank of America. I was placed on partial layoff because of the pandemic in XX/XX/XXXX and my unemployment benefits were deposited into this account. On XXXX I discovered that my account was depleted of over {$13000.00} with all the fraudulent purchases being made on XXXX XXXX. These purchases were not made using my XXXX account XXXX ), which has no previous history on XXXX XXXX. My card was never lost during this period and was always within my possession. 

I notified Bank of America immediately upon discovering this on XXXX. A claim was filed and I was informed that an investigation would be conducted. I sent a follow-up letter mailed to Bank of America Claims Division on XXXX. I also immediately filed a fraud report with XXXX Police Department on XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received in the mail a response from Bank of America dated XXXX, which indicates that they permanently credited my account with {$490.00} for fraudulent usage and have closed my case. I have never used my card online, have never used it at an ATM and have never given it to anyone else to use. The total amount charged through fraudulent purchases on XXXX XXXX was {$13000.00}. 

I regularly checked my banking statements at the end of each month to see where my balance was using their website ( XXXX ). At the end of XX/XX/XXXX, I had at least {$13.00}, XXXX in my account. There was no fraudulent usage at that time. On XXXX, while attempting to a make a purchase of approximately {$68.00} at XXXX XXXX XXXX, my card was not completing the transaction. Upon arriving home and checking my account, I discovered the expansive list of fraudulent purchases using my card information to make hundreds of purchases on XXXX XXXX. The fraud purchases with XXXX XXXX begin on XXXX. 

I do not understand how Bank of America determined that fraud was committed on my account, but only credited me with less than 5 % of what I lost. My case with Bank of America has been marked as resolved with this permanent resolution of {$490.00}. I do not believe that a full investigation was completed fairly and I am requesting assistance in this matter. Using the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus consumer education page, it says you must notify your bank within 60 days after your bank or credit union sends your statement showing the unauthorized transaction. I notified the bank within 10 days, well within the required time period. 

This money was given to me because of the layoffs occurring during the pandemic. I was holding on to it to pay off bills at the end of the year. Currently, I am unable to make these payments. Therefore, I am hoping that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can reopen my claim with Bank of America and give me a fair resolution.

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