Consumer complaint received 2023-07-23
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
Dear Sir or Madam, I am XXXX, a citizen of the XXXX of XXXX ( Passport No. XXXX ) and I am writing to you with a request for help in a difficult situation which somehow I got myself into. I don't know where and anyone else whom I could contact to get more information and ask for help and advise how to get my money back. I would be very thankful if you could help in any way possible. 

Due to the strict US policies, laws and regulations regarding money and its management I got into the situation where there is no way for me to recover my personal money that is held at the Bank of America in the United States. I have been trying to get back my money for almost a year now, but the bank has a million processes, departments, reasons and does not agree to give my money back to me. I can't do anything and even when I'm asking I am not being informed what actions I should take and what to do to get my savings back. 

When I called and contacted the bank employees ( and that happened several times during the last 6 months ), I was constantly being transferred from one department to another and it seems that I can no longer solve this situation and problem on my own. The amount is about XXXX thousands ( XXXX ) dollars ( I know the exact amount ). I've tried everything and all the ways I could get my savings back, but it seems the more I try, the worse the situation gets. And I honestly don't know what to do anymore or how to get my money back which got stuck somewhere in the system at the Bank of America. 

Below is the detailed information about the situation, how I got myself into it and what actions I took in time : In XX/XX/XXXX, I came to the United States under the XXXX visa for an 11 months program - professional internship in private company XXXX XXXX. 
Upon arrival in XXXX, North Carolina, I opened the bank account at the Bank of America ( The NAME on the account happened to be not even my name and FULL surname just because the Branch in XXXX technically couldn't include my full surname on it so the name on the account has my actual Name and the second part of my Surname ). After the end of the professional internship program in the USA in XX/XX/XXXX, right before leaving the USA and going back to my country XXXX, I tried to transfer my money between the countries from the bank account at the Bank of America to the bank account in XXXX. After the transfer I closed the XXXX XXXX account and left the country. Unfortunately, for some unclear reason the transfer was rejected and it failed. Since the Bank of America could not return the money to the closed bank account, they wrote me the check and sent it to my home address in XXXX. Sadly, none of the banks in XXXX is working with checks, so I tried opening the bank account at the Bank of America over the phone again so I could transfer funds from the check to the account - sadly, that was unsuccessful. The Bank did not agree to open the bank account for a citizen of a foreign country over the phone. 

The second way I chose to try was to organize the Lithuanian Notary 's signed Power of Attorney document - the official statement allowing close people I have in the USA to cash out and transfer my money from the check to their own personal bank account in the USA so that they could transfer it to me in XXXX ( I have Power of Attorney screenshot and number if it may be needed ). Sadly, that was also unsuccessful. The Bank refused to pay the money to my assigned Power of Attorney person, as they stated the reason " due to the excessive amount ''. 

Little bit more than a month ago, on the XXXX of XXXX, after long conversations with the Bank via the phone ( one of the calls took me more than 5 hours during the night Lithuanian time... ), after constantly being transferred from one department to another, I finally managed to contact the department, which promised and gave me information that a new check will be issued ( because the old one has already expired ) and that I should receive it in XXXX in a couple of weeks. It seems this information once again was misleading as the newly issued check never reached me and it's already the XXXX of XXXX. 

At this point I have already bought tickets back to the USA, Washington for a several days in XXXX just so I could get my money back. While having faced all these situations, I am no longer sure whether several days will be enough time to deal with the Bank and I might need help to make everything go smoothly while I'll be there. And I sincerely don't know how I should act, what steps, actions I should take and maybe even if I need to hire a lawyer... But since I am from another country outside XXXX  financially I can hardly allow myself that. 

I understand this situation may sound like a fraud but I have all the needed identification information which could identify me as a person, Social Security Number, my account at the Bank, its opening, closing documents, an unsuccessful transfer and the amount, my VISA number and that I actually lived in the USA for 1 year. I also have tried writing emails explaining the situation to all possible email address of the Bank of America which I found on the internet, but I never received any response. If needed I can provide and send you whatever might be needed as a proof. Just sincerely asking, help me to get my money back. 

I've already paid a lot of money for the tickets to USA, for international calls also I will have to pay for the accommodation and living costs there. Also the purchasing power of my money held at the Bank of America which I am constantly trying to get back for almost a year now has already been severely eroded by inflation. I believe this situation is very close to violating International Human Rigths Law. 

I am sincerely asking you please help to get my money back from this corporation. 
I hope everything is clear and you will be able to help me. 
Thank you so much. 

Best Regards, XXXX.

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