Consumer complaint received 2020-05-07
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: RI
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX HERE IS THE STORY : As a customer of Bank of America for over 11 years I am writing this letter as a last resort and because I have no where else to turn. My family is from a long line of civil servants ; police officers, firemen, and XXXX XXXX military. my husband is a retired Military veteran and our kids are actively serving the country now as we have passed down our virtues to them. Integrity is number one in our family and service before self is out motto. we moved to RI after my husband 's retirement because this is our home. I needed a local bank that I could trust with our money and have the convenience of being here in town. I like going to the bank seeing the tellers, then everything moved to on line banking which was ok I get it the tech age, I still used the local bank when necessary but I did not feel like the mobile banking was for me. I will log on and check my account but I still write checks to pay my local bills. This has worked well for me, up until now .... I never shared my info with anyone! Recently I filled out an application for unemployment for the first time in my life, this pandemic has hit everyone. I had to provide my account and routing number to directly receive my check. After about a week I received my first direct deposit, within 2 hours of that deposit, my account was hacked! Using my information, a mobile banking app. Was set up and changed my passcode and transferred money out of my account using XXXX. Bank of america notified me of the suspicious activity and I called right away to report it and freeze everything. I went physically to the bank and moved the rest of my money to a new account and I was assured that it would be investigated and after about 10 days my money would be returned. I was patient as I awaited and called only once to check on the progress, in the meantime I had to fill out a police report, call the FTC, check all the credit bureaus, and notify all my utilities that my checks would not clear. Ugggg! Exactly 10 days after the fraudulent transaction I received an email that said the case is considered closed and the transaction was deemed valid. WHAT??? I called the fraud department and asked how this could happen? After being on hold for a long time and being transferred twice and disconnected once, I was told it will be reopened and escalated.. This is ridiculous, in ten years I have never used XXXX, in Ten years I have never used mobile banking app., in ten years I have never filed a claim ... but after you notified me of suspicious activity you are now deciding to not get my money back. How can anyone feel like their money is safe in your bank.. I am not going to let this go, you let someone steal {$2000.00} from me and I want it back. I am writing to you so you can see how a customer is treated. I was never contacted by an investigator, I was never informed that this was your process, and I ask the obvious as I know from speaking to the police dept that I am not the only one this has happened to ... 
In Over ten years have I ever used mobile banking? 
In over ten years have I ever used XXXX to transfer money? 
In over ten years have I ever filed a fraud claim? 
The answer is NO now how often has XXXX been hacked or been involved in a fraudulent transaction? 
Hmmmm I am sure more than 0 so why is it that you deem this transaction to be valid? I expect a deeper investigation and I expect my money to be returned. This is the least you can do. I am like I said writing this to you as a last resort I am c/cing the top management and the people that worked with me in the XXXX XXXX XXXX. I have spoken with XXXX and XXXX in XXXX, XXXX in Indiana, XXXX in South Carolina, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX in Tennessee, and XXXX in XXXX and probably a few more ... It is a problem that I can not talk to someone local ... and that the call wait times are crazy..which prooves my point, I am not the only one. I wait patiently for help and after hours on the phone I get no results ... 

I would expect that someone would want to reach out and ( no fooling ) want to investigate this and figure out how to stop it, so it doesn't happen to anyone else. 
I have attached emails I received from BOA stating that they suspected suspicious activity all are time stamped, I also called within minutes to let them know I did not authorize any of these! I do not know who this person is or the numbers or email associated with this transaction. I saw my bank account say processing I was on the phone begging them to stop it and they wouldn't. I told them it was fraudulent activity and they assured me they would look into it. 

I was NEVER contacted by BOA from an investigator, NEVER signed an affidavit, NEVER able to get a copy of my complaint, so I am not sure all info was included. and now they said it will be another week before it gets escalated to a new investigator. I really find this unacceptable and I am at a loss.. I put my money in the bank to safeguard it and they helped someone steal {$2000.00} from me and now they blame me and said it was valid ... not true, not sure where to go from here ... I hope someone can help!

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