Consumer complaint received 2023-01-02
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I applied an travel reward card on Bank of America, I received the card on XX/XX/XXXX, but the credit card account had not appeared on my online banking yet, so I didn't activate it and then I traveled abroad during XXXX holiday. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed that there are fraud activity on the newly-applied credit card and the strangest part is that I have not activated the card yet. I immediately call Bank of America and they have restricted the card. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed a payee account has been added to my XXXX account, but I didn't take that action, so it's clear that someone has obtained my login credential. I was still able log in the online banking, and I removed the payee account, canceled the {$2500.00} scheduled payment, and changed password immediately. However, after 3 hours, I found out that I can not login to my account. I tried to contact Bank of America, but since I was abroad, I can not receive text message to verify my identity, so they kept saying there is nothing they can do, even though a fraud activity was on going in my account. After 4 hours of calling, Bank of America finally said that they have suspended the online banking access. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I was back in US and I called Bank of America to grant me the access to online banking and I was shocked to find out that my user ID and password has been changed without me being notified. Furthermore, there are several phone number and email address that have been added to my account, also without me being notified. The scammer even change the phone number and email address that I used to register XXXX and I was not notified about that as wekk. There are several successful payment from my checking account to XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX and one failed XXXX transfer that I did not recognize and was not notified either. I called to remove the unrecognized phone and email, most are removed but there is still one unrecognized phone remain on my account. Bank of America says they have removed it on their end but I can still see it in my mobile banking account. 

I also try to change the password and username and according to customer service, that action trigger fraud department attention but when they try to transfer the phone, they says they are still on holiday so I would need to wait till XX/XX/XXXX I suspect that when I applied for the travel reward credit card, my log in information, account information, and social security number was leaked through Bank of America website, and I was very shocked that the scammer can make so many change to my account without me being notified and that the fraud department of Bank of America can only offer very limited help. 

The day I am writing this complain is XX/XX/XXXX. I don't know how can the scammer use my checking account directly to make payment and how they can change so many of my information without me being notified. My credit score has already been affected, there may be more fraudulent charge on the way, and I may lose access to my own account at any time, but according to Bank of America, all I can do is to wait for the financial center to open on XX/XX/XXXX and hope nothing disastrous happen in-between. I don't think the whole process is acceptable.

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