Consumer complaint received 2021-08-12
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX I went into my business account and the balance was down over {$3000.00}! I freaked out and called B of A immediately to put a stop on the business debit card. I spoke to a BofA agent ( a woman ) who went through the account activity and we identified 20+ charges that were not mine. She put a stop on my debit card and expedited a new card so I could have it quickly. I live in XXXX XXXX, CA and spent the XXXX of XXXX with my family and friends and have not been on an airplane since XXXX. The fraud was OBVIOUS! Every one of the fraudulent charges were done in Georgia and South Carolina. On XX/XX/XXXX there were pending charges for two nights in an XXXX hotel for close to {$1000.00}, XXXX XXXX, and those charges were DENIED so they disappeared on my statements. But ALL of the other charges that were reported were fraudulent. The total was {$2400.00} taken out of my business account! I need to have my money reimbursed! 

Because I felt victimized by all of this, I kept a close eye on my business account and saw more fraudulent charges from the weekend processed up until XX/XX/XXXX. I was concerned that the debit card was not closed so I called BofA again to make sure it was closed. As I prepared for the call I realized the woman I spoke to initially on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX did NOT give me a Claim Number! So I made sure the second BofA agent, XXXX, issued me a claim number and again, we verified all of the fraudulent charges that occurred in Georgia and South Carolina. She assured me the debit card was closed and the charges had been pending before they were posted by the XXXX. The XXXX charges were the hotel charges that were DENIED and she explained that is why they were not on my account statement on XX/XX/XXXX. Just that charges were DENIED alone demonstrates that this was a FRAUD. 

Then BofA Agent XXXX was very thorough and looked back in my XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX statements to see if there were any other fraudulent charges. She found these three additional charges from the SAME RESTAURANT in Georgia on XX/XX/XXXX. She found them because I do not go through my bank statements line by line and did not see them. It looks like whoever hacked my business debit card HAD CHARGED my account back in XXXX! I felt stupid but relieved knowing that Bank of America would protect my funds. 

Weeks have gone by and I keep checking my account to see my funds being returned. I spoke to another BofA woman last week and she assured me it would be expedited to return the funds to my business account. It is now XX/XX/XXXX and on my call yesterday I was told my CLAIM WAS DENIED! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The guy said that because of the fraud charges that XXXX discovered in XXXX there were questions about the account! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? My business, XXXX XXXX, has been with Bank of America for over 35 years and they WONT PROTECT MY FUNDS? 

I have attached all of the bank documents, letters, phone usage and records to validate my whereabouts and proof of identity theft.

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