Consumer complaint received 2023-04-27
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: IL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed

Complaint:
I opened my first business checking account with Bank of America in XX/XX/XXXX. My business is Web Design company. In XXXX of XXXX, I went to XXXX for a family emergency. During my visit on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a - {$800000.00} in my account and had no idea what was going on so I called Bank of America regarding this. They said it is due to chargebacks they have received and they have put a hold on the account while they review my account. When I came back at the end of XXXX, I received a letter in the mail stating As of XX/XX/XXXX, " We've made the decision to close your deposit account '' and told me what I can not do with the account. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received another letter saying They have closed my business checking account with {$6700.00} in it. I called customer service regarding the funds and they said I would receive it in 10 business days. A couple weeks later, I received another letter stating on XX/XX/XXXX, they will be reviewing the transactions and I should call their department for any questions regarding this matter. It's been almost 6 months now, I have not been informed about the funds in my account or when I will be receiving it. Every month, I keep calling them or going to the branch for updates and seeing if there is a way for me to help them resolve this issue to receive the funds as soon as possible. During the time I have called, they have said that a different upper department is handling the issue and I would have to wait for them to finish their investigations. They also indicated there was a {$500.00} overdraw in the account which I or any branch managers have not seen. I have requested a statement and not even the statement includes any amount about this. Since XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX, I have received letters " requesting reimbursements for the checks returned to them unpaid after deposited it '' which I have. These chargebacks are mostly back from XXXX. They have been a total of {$2500.00} and I have paid back every XXXX to the bank on time. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke to a supervisor, XXXX, about this issue. I have told him it has been more than 6 months since you guys stated you will close my account. My last real update was XX/XX/XXXX and no one can give me any updates, when I will receive my funds, or let me know if I can help them in any way to move this process faster. I also stated him, no one, especially me, can not run a business without any funds. I have fulfilled the customers orders with my own funds which includes paying for software, employees, etc. I did feel like XXXX did take my concerns seriously and wrote an email/message to them, the upper department, regarding this issue. XXXX also stated I should receive an update that following Friday, XX/XX/XXXX. Since that day, there has not been any updates on the funds or from the upper department, I have not been able to speak to XXXX or any supervisors, and my business has been on pause/hold since then. I can not continue my business like this if BANK OF AMERICA is going to hold my funds. My business has been on hold since this occurred. All I want is my money that I earned. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX told me they are verifying the funds, but since that day I can not get a XXXX UPDATE from any department. They answered all the useless complaint except the main big one and that is " WHERE IS MY MONEY?! '' They constantly try to avoid answering my question about where my money is. They constantly transfer me to 3 departments back to back and no one can give me an update on where my money is. Bank of America have the worst customer service in the world. They have a total of {$6700.00} and NO ONE can give me an update. They did not try to call me back, email or anything to give me an update on this. This is how annoying this bank is. The main complaint is the most important one and that is that BANK OF AMERICA has {$6700.00} of MY money which they have not refunded any amount to me! MY ACCOUNT HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR PAST YEAR. They and the previous complaint stated said they will send a check after the time of account closure. It's been more 12 MONTHS and I still haven't received any UPDATES OR CHECKS for the amount. They CANT even update what is being verified, the amount, or ANYTHING. THEY STOLE MY MONEY AND KEEP MAKING EXCUSES NOT TO RELEASE MY MONEY. BANK OF AMERICA avoided to answer that question. I WANT MY MONEY AND I WANT IT NOW! 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a response back with an update on this matter after 7 MONTHS LATER. XXXX XXXX has informed me in writing that my checking account ( of {$6700.00} ) & saving account ( of {$150.00} ) has been closed already which I've known since XX/XX/XXXX. I've also received " returned items notice '' of {$2900.00} which was paid from my owe personal money of {$2000.00}. There has been total of {$6800.00} on hold from Bank Of America and they constantly CANT tell me where's my money is, which funds has been verified, or any sort of information EXCEPT that I need to reimburse them for the money when they're HOLDING {$6800.00} of MY MONEY. I've been requesting for updates since XXXX of XXXX and I'm sick of tired of their XXXX that this is an internal investigation and they cant provide details of MY MONEY THEY STOLEN. XXXX has stated, " In the enclose Hold Harmless Notice, The remaining balance in the accounts will not be returned to you. '' The Hold Harmless Notice that I received, it also states, " AT THIS TIME, any remaining balance wont be returned to you. WE'VE ( Bank of America have ) frozen the funds WHILE we REVIEW the transactions and VALIDATE the source of funds. '' As I stated multiple times in these cases AND on the phone calls ( which are RECORDED by Bank of America ), I like to get an UPDATE of MY FUNDS and I NEVER can get XXXX. On XXXX of XXXX, When I spoke to XXXX XXXX in a recorded line, she has said there's a chance I can still receive MY FUNDS after a period. XXXX XXXX also informed me that this is being reviewed by their internal team and can NOT release the information about these verification to the ACCOUNT OWNER ...? I CAN'T EVEN GET A UPDATE OF MY FUNDS WHEN IT'S MY MINE!?!? DUE TO THIS, the only choice I have is to complaint on here so the upper departments CAN ACTUALLY DO THEIR JOB ... As of right now, NO SOLUTION has come out this, but THREATS FROM BANK OF AMERICA. They threaten to ruin MINE & MY BUSINESS REPUATATION by reporting my account to XXXX, XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX which BOTH COMPANIES HAVE NO RECORDS OF THIS ... BANK OF AMERICA has NOT provided any documentation of the work that was being done, proof of validation/claims of this sort, etc. BANK OF AMERICA HAS BEEN LYING & AVOIDING TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS! I WANT MY MONEY & I WANT IT NOW!!

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 explanation