Consumer complaint received 2022-03-30
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low
Sub-issue: Overdrafts and overdraft fees

Complaint:
My household consisits of my husband and I and our ( XXXX ) children. We have ( XXXX ) children that are both full time college students ; ages XXXX and XXXX who attend school from home. We also have ( XXXX ) minor children, ages XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX, all whom attend school from home. My husband is the only person in our ( XXXX ) family member household that works as I am on a fixed income as I have been declared permamnenetly XXXX XXXX since XX/XX/XXXX, by the Social Security Administration ( I was XXXX XXXX XXXX at that time ). I began receiving Social Secuirty XXXX Benefits effective XX/XX/XXXX, due to a 6 month waiting period once you are approved for XXXX benefits. I did not actually receive the funds until XX/XX/XXXX, when my claim for XXXX was approved. I mention this to state that I am a on a fixed income and severely XXXX In XX/XX/XXXX, right at the beginning of COVID, we had to move from a house we were renting to an apartment due to the condition of our home; we sued our landlord to release us from our contract. In XX/XX/XXXX, my mother lost her job due to XXXX. She worked for a company that worked with military contracts which were put to an immediate hault due to the pandemic. She was also widowed by my step-dad inXXXX from XXXX. Since then, she has struggled paying for their " forever home '' that my step-dad purchased for her in XX/XX/XXXX. She did not want to lose the home, since she could not afford it, so we moved a second time in XX/XX/XXXX into her home ( our current address ) to save her home from foreclosure. We luckily were able to come to an agreement with our apartment landlord to terminate our lease as well. Moving twice in a matter of 3 months was a massive cost, but we did to help my widowed mother. We could not let her lose her home! Fast forward to XX/XX/XXXX, on XX/XX/XXXX, my husband XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, although fully XXXX. This test result was received by an XXXX XXXX at home test kit, and was then verified by an urgent care clinic on XX/XX/XXXX. I tXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, which was formerly documented by a freestanding ER on XX/XX/XXXX. My husband is on-call 24/7 as a XXXX of a XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX He was out of work from XX/XX/XXXX and did not return until XX/XX/XXXX. Then, on XX/XX/XXXX, while he was still off work due to XXXX, he had an appointment with his primary care physician and a XXXX was discovered during this visit. My husband was sent to get an XXXX of this XXXX and the results stated that a " STAT APPOINTMENT to a specialist was needed ''. He was seen by the specialist on XX/XX/XXXX ( just under a month after he contracted XXXX ) and was diagnosed with XXXX on that day. This was absolutely devastating to hear for so many reasons! We had XXXX kids and my step-dad died 3 years prior that week due to XXXX as well. It was absolutely terrifying. He was scheduled that day for a XXXX to remove the mass, on XX/XX/XXXX, which was their first available time for this XXXX and he had multiple items he needed to do prior to XXXX ; get xrays done, an MRI w/ contrast, labs for his XXXX markers, and pre-registration with the hospital. We have spent thousands of dollars on health issues, prescriptions, hospital bills, and saving my mom 's home from foreclosure. Meanwhile, our bank is profiting off our losses! 

My husband was out of work from XX/XX/XXXX and returned to work on light duty on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, we were notified that my husband 's XXXX markers returned to normal. He does not require further treatment at this point, but will have to be closely monitored every 3 months, for the next 10 years. The first good news we had heard in a while! Due to all of these horrific events that we experienced, we lost track of everything. Bills, autopays, medication refills, etc. It has been rough. On Friday 's when my husband 's check gets direct deposited, his entire check is gone the same day, not allowing us any money for groceries or anything and due to our income level, which isn't that much for only ( 2 ) forms of income with XXXX kids, we do not qualify for state foodstamp or any benefits whatsoever! 

I then began to do some research with our bank. Since XX/XX/XXXX to date, Bank of America has charged us {$4200.00} in NSF Fees and Overdraft Fees on our main checking account. This is an extreme amount of money during a pandemic, and in general, especially when I receive XXXX benefits and can not work! That {$4200.00} could have helped us in so many ways. I contacted Bank of America on XX/XX/XXXX to discuss this concern. The Customer Service Rep that I spoke to literally cried when I told her all that we have experienced. She was absolutely speechless. She was limited to be able to reverse only ( XXXX ) fees, totaling {$100.00}. I advised her we had never requested reimbursement of fees ever, since we had this account since XX/XX/XXXX ; which she noted as well. She said that I needed to speak to the Hardship Department as they should be able to help us based on our circumstances. I even offered to supply documentation to support everything! She transferred me to this department but they were already closed ( although they should have still been open for 7 more minutes ). I started researchingmore about how Bank of America could help and found that they had a page onn XXXX called " Bank of America Help '' and they advised that you private message them with your information and what help you were needing. I did just that! I requested a phone call from them at XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. They did not call however, until XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, and I was unavailable at the time ( which is why I advised as to the time I was available, just as instructed by their XXXX page ). I returned the call to the representative that called me, XXXX, but reached her voicemail. This was at XXXX pm XXXX ; they advised me that their department is available until XXXX XXXX  XXXX. I followed up on XXXX and advised XXXX that I left her a voicemail and was requesting an urgent call back. I received a response from another rep by the name of XXXX stating " Hello. Please allow us some time and a member of our social media chat team will follow up with you '' at XXXX XXXX. I responded and told them that I don't have time because I don't have money '' and stated " If XXXX can't call me, I need someone to URGENTLY ''. I then received a follow up response from XXXX at XXXX XXXX  stating that they advsied me that they would not be able to reverse any fees and suggested that I call the Overdraft Collection Specialists to help make payment arrangements ''. I don't need help with payment arrangements. I don't have any loans with Bank of America. This was ridiculous! I responded with basically the same thing as I just stated and XXXX said he was sorry and that's all they can do. This is absolutely unacceptable. We have done so many things to stay safe during the pandemic, we are educating our children, we do not have any criminal backgrounds whatsoever, my husband is a military veteran! This is NOT right!!! Where's the justice in causing us a loss of {$4200.00}? They have loans and credit cards they offer... they can make their money of the interest on these loans. Don't charge customers in need, in the middle of a pandemic {$4200.00}!!!! 

Then if all of that wasn't enough I was contacted on XX/XX/XXXX by XXXX  XXXX at Bank of America telling me he was going to submit for a full reimbursement of the last 2 years of fees that we have paid not only on our main checking account but also our secondary checking account. He also informed me that they like to resolve complaints within 30 days vs the given 60. Guess what? That didn't happen! They took just shy of every bit of those 60 days and then told me not 1 dime would be reimbursed!!!! 

Bank of Americas Net Income for XXXX was {$16.00} Billion ( a decrease of 36.64 % from XXXX ). Awww.so sad. 

However, Bank of Americas net income from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX was {$28.00} Billion a 60.95 % INCREASE. They sure found a way to fix that decrease didnt they? 

Bank of Americas 3rd Quarter of XXXX was {$7.00} Billion, a 63.51 % INCREASE. 

Wonder how they are becoming so fruitful and profitable?!?! 

On XX/XX/XXXX the government told Bank of America and ( 14 ) other major banks to stop charging customers fees. Did they listen? NOPE! I went to Bank of America just last week to get a cashier 's check and had to pay {$15.00} for them to print it! Not even a thank you or chocolate afterwards. This must stop!!!!

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