Consumer complaint received 2022-11-29
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: GA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
This complain is against Bank of America ( BOA ) who encourages their customer to use XXXX without providing any protection if the receiving party is a fraud entity. As a BOA customer we don't know if the bank account details of the receiving party, hence trust BOA for providing safety of the transaction. I was defrauded by a bank customer using XXXX account. I have filed fraud claims to BOA but they are not helping me in getting my money back. 
Amount scammed : {$4000.00} total over XXXX XXXX transactions of {$2000.00} each XXXX XXXX Account 1 : XXXX Scammer XXXX Account 2 : XXXX XX/XX/XXXX The scam was for an apartment sublease in XXXX XXXX that was operated through XXXX. 
After emailing the apartment tenant, I am told to apply for the sublease directly through the property owning company named " XXXX XXXX ''. 

I asked to view the unit before signing the lease but was told that they do not show the unit while there is a tenant currently living in the apartment. 

XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX once again to voice concerns over paying before viewing the apartment, but he assured me that it would be fine because ( 1 ) we would be doing the transactions through verified XXXX accounts integrated with our banks and ( 2 ) that there is a clause in the lease that states that if I were to sign the lease prior to viewing the apartment, I was entitled to a full refund if I didn't like the apartment upon inspection. 

I signed the lease and was told to send the sum of {$4000.00} to secure the apartment. This would be the first month 's rent ( {$2000.00} ) as well as a security deposit ( {$2000.00} ). The first half was to be sent to the XXXX account at XXXX and the second half was to be sent to the XXXX account at XXXX. 

I sent the first half on XX/XX/XXXX through XXXX integrated on Bank of America 's app. 
XXXX confirmation number for first payment ( to XXXX ) : XXXX XX/XX/XXXX I sent the remaining {$2000.00} of the {$4000.00} sum to XXXX through XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX due to XXXXXXXX XXXX daily limits of transfers. I was instructed to send it to a different XXXX account. 

XXXX confirmation number for first payment ( to XXXX ) : XXXX XX/XX/XXXX I call, email, and text XXXX throughout the day to ask for move-in details but he does not respond on any method. I begin to get suspicious and go to XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) to ask if they have keys for me. I speak with a man named XXXX at the front desk who also serves as security. He asks for the unit number, and as soon as I tell him " XXXX XXXX '' he immediately recognizes it and informs me it's a scam. He calls for his supervisor, named XXXX, who confirms that it is a scam and tells me 4-5 other people have also come in that month having gotten scammed. He gives me his phone number in case it is needed to confirm to any authorities that it was a scam. 

XX/XX/XXXX I call Bank of America 's XXXX XXXX department and submit a claim. They confirm that they have submitted two separate claims ( one for each XXXX payment ). 

BofA XXXX XXXX Case Number 1 to XXXX : XXXX BofA XXXX Fraud Case Number 2 to XXXX : 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