Consumer complaint received 2020-10-21
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: MD
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Government benefit card
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer
Sub-issue: Card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase or transfer

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2020 I reported to Bank of America-Dispute Resolution Division, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, AZ XXXX that my Maryland Unemployment benefits were stolen from my Bank of America XXXX Debit Card. From XX/XX/2020 I worked with XXXX XXXX from Bank of America who, with CFPB support helped me resolve the problem with my Maryland Unemployment XXXX Debit card that had money {$720.00} stolen from the card. The case was # XXXX. Bank of America issued me a new XXXX  Card immediately but I requested from Bank of America to have my funds transferred to my XXXX XXXX XXXX Checking account. I no longer trust these ATM cards. The theft was traced back to foreign transactions from XXXX, XXXX XXXX. On XX/XX/2020 the {$720.00} was " permanently '' put on my Maryland Unemployment XXXX Card and transferred to my XXXX XXXX XXXX Checking account but they did not reimburse the foreign transfer fees of {$15.00}. 
On XXXX XXXX, 2020 CFPB closed the case as resolved but on XX/XX/2020 Bank of America removed the {$720.00} from transfer and have NOW stopped all my Maryland Unemployment checks thus far in XX/XX/2020 from being transferred to me. Maryland Unemployment has processed these payments but Bank of America has not issued the payments to account ending # XXXX to mXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX   Checking Account, account number ending # XXXX. The amounts I have NOT received thus far is {$140.00} x 2 missing payments= {$290.00} and continuing to NOT receive my Maryland XXXX XXXX APPROVED/CLEARED '' payments for month of XXXX. My Maryland Unemployment benefits are good until XX/XX/2020 and all have cleared according to Maryland Unemployment who said I must resolve the issue of payment with Bank of America. Further, I looked up the balance on my Bank of America XXXX Debit Card and it now has a NEGATIVE BALANCE of - {$400.00} meaning Bank of America thinks I owe them an additional {$400.00}. I now am out {$720.00} from theft, 2 payments of MD Unemployment {$290.00}, {$15.00} foreign transactions fees that thieves used ATM in foreign country, {$400.00} negative balance? = $ {$1300.00}.

I am at my ends with Bank of America. The Maryland Unemployment money is MY money and they seem not to be able to resolve the problem. I can not help that thieves stole the money directly from the Bank of America XXXX Debit Card which started this problem -- I am a responsible person and have NEVER used this card other than ONE ATM Bank of America machine which has a security guard. I really believe this was an inside theft as the thieves would have had to have my pin # to use the card and Bank of America is the only ones that had that pin. Now I can't even get my Maryland Unemployment benefits which the state of Maryland has issued to me but Bank of America refuses to put into my account and I need this money to live. I have repeatedly attempted to contact them but you just get put on hold for HOURS stating " They are experiencing a high volume of calls. Be patient and they will get to you ''. I literally sat on the phone on Friday-1 hour, Monday-1 and half hours, Tuesday-2 HOURS -- I'm so frustrated, I wish I never had to be on Maryland Unemployment. Sad that Maryland does not see that this bank is so disorganized. Frustrating! to say the least! I will forward all documents by mail as I don't know how to upload from a computer. I'm also going to submit a copy of complaint to the Attorney General 's office. 
Please help. I can be reached at XXXX. Thank you. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, MD 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 monetary relief