Consumer complaint received 2019-06-22
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: FL
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Check cashing service
Issue: Problem with customer service

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2019 my daughter endorsed her paycheck to me at a Bank of America Branch ATM located On XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, FL via a check deposit. Immediately, about XXXX was made available and the due to the XXXX XXXX the remaining amount was made available that following Tuesday. On XX/XX/2019 the same process was completed, only this time both of my daughters who work at the same Daycare  endorsed their checks over to me and again only XXXX was made available from one of the checks. The only difference this time around is that we completed the transaction at a Bank of America ATM located in a low income area that just so happens to be near to my home which is approximately a mile away in a Middle Class area. The following day, after reviewing my account I saw that the checks were not honored and the XXXX that was made available prior to was reversed. I immediately contacted the bank to ask what had happened and the Customer Service agent informed me that the checks were not honored because my daughters were not listed on my account. I asked her to explain a check endorsement to a third party and she was unable to do so. I also work for a bank  and already knew the answer to the question. After a few moments of going back and forth with my daughters who were very upset, and with the agent I decided to ask for a Supervisor. I was transferred to XXXX a supervisor, who was very assertive and knowledgeable and was able to provide a better explanation. The issue at hand is, I believe the checks were not honored due to the Bank of America 's ATM location and was rejected based on redlining within this particular lower income community. If I had attempted this particular transaction at the XXXX XXXX ATM location then the checks would have been honored without any further conditions applied like it was before. The excuse I received from XXXX, was the first check was allowed by mistake and was a slip through the cracks and never should have been allowed. This is unacceptable, the reason I believe it was allowed is solely based on the location of the Branch ATM location and not by any mistakes or slips through any cracks. This after all is the same situation, just in different areas within the city of XXXX, Florida. Therefore, I am led to believe that ATM check deposits are unequivocally unequal, unfair and discriminate in lower income areas based on this experience. It is the bank 's responsibility to be non-discriminate, unbiased, equal and fair to all they encounter within the business. This wasn't the case and the only explanation I was warranted was that it was a mistake that should have never happened. There are consequences for these types of mistakes and I am holding the bank responsible. I strongly urge someone to look into these matters, since I don't believe I am the only person who have had this experience within this lower income community. Redlining is an unethical illegal issue that should never ever be allowed, especially without consequences.

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