Consumer complaint received 2022-09-25
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: GA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I ( XXXX XXXX ) was scammed by a cryptocurrency scammer who sent me two counterfeit checks on XX/XX/2022 and XX/XX/2022 and she asked me to deposit them in my bank account ( Bank of America ) first. Later she asked me to XXXX and XXXX money to another person XXXX XXXX and XXXX was asked by the same person to send him that money in XXXX to a different ID. She mentioned that the payment was for furniture and decor payment. The scammer reached out to both me and XXXX looking for XXXX/ XXXX  XXXX  on XXXX and said that she is moving from XXXX XXXX XXXX in 10 days to both of us in XX/XX/2022 and XX/XX/2022 respectively. I and XXXX never talked until my check was bounced on XX/XX/2022 and I traced her down using XXXX for her home address, parent 's information and family contact details. Only after I told XXXX that I have already filed a police complaint against her, she agreed to share all the details about the scammer which were XXXX QR codes and XXXX IDs where she sent the money to send the scammer last 3-4 days after receiving it from me. XXXX also shared some email chains with me that were sent to her by the scammer and I figured that the scammer was using two identities XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX for me and XXXX respectively. XXXX was working with her since XX/XX/2022 and didn't lose any money so far. I just started working with the scammer and I lost a total of {$12000.00} simply due to the bank teller 's mistake who deposited fake check in my account and handed me some cash too. They cleared the check despite the checks didn't follow the standard pattern of placement of different numbers ( routing number, account number, cheque ) and handed over the money to me on the counter when I walked into the bank on XX/XX/2022 and XX/XX/2022 each of {$5800.00}. This indicates that they cleared the check for me but in reality, a bank teller would always know how the different numbers are placed and they should always check the routing number of banks and see whether they are accurate or not. Post the money was sent to XXXX on XXXX and XXXX and to the scammer on XXXX, the checks bounced on XX/XX/2022 and Bank of America charged me for the bounced check amount which was a total of {$11000.00}. The scammer ( XXXX XXXX ) again sent me two checks on XX/XX/2022 for {$8800.00} each and when I deposited it through ATM, the bank simply placed a hold on the checks for 7-day of investigation which indicates that the checks were counterfeit and were not detected well by the machine. The scammer is still waiting for that check to get cleared in my account by next week to do some more cash to XXXX  payments. Before even the second set of checks clears, she is pleading/ forcing me to do some more XXXX  transactions for her. And I simply disagreed. The scammer is still in communication with me and her number can be used to trace her/him. I have a total of 6-7 different phone numbers to check on her activity and her most recent number that she used to communicate with both me and XXXX simultaneously XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX. Due to the human error of the bank tellers, I was held up in this situation otherwise I would have simply not sent any money if they said that the checks are counterfeit using their machines and ability to read genuine checks. 

For proof, I have pictures of all the checks, email and text message conversations with XXXX XXXX and XXXX can help with that too. Both me and XXXX also tracked down her XXXX IDs that she operates with and the place where my money has gone. The XXXX IDs are : " XXXX '' " XXXX '' " XXXX '' " XXXX '' This is the place where all the money is gone and I am sure that using XXXX experts ' help, the person who actually owns that XXXX can be traced. 

I need Bank of America to recover/ return my funds under the ( Electronic Funds Transfer Act ) EFTA law under Regulation E which their customer is scammed out partially out of their bank employees ' negligence as well. 

An official police complaint would be filed against the scammer with the XXXX XXXX Department of Fraud and Forgery by providing all the details and evidence on XX/XX/2022 once the working week starts.

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