Consumer complaint received 2020-02-02
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: GA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
My issue with Bank of America started XX/XX/XXXX. I have had a surplus of fraudulent activity occur with all of my accounts at Bank of America including personal checking accounts, personal saving accounts, custodial accounts, investment account. The perpetrators have done electronic transfers, electronic checks and bill pay. They have set up accounts in names, both individual and companies. They have made payments to companies directly from my accounts. I have taken precautionary measures that have been recommended by Bank of America. These measures have included closing and opening accounts, changing online login and passcodes, adding security questions, adding safepass, getting a new cell phone and number, banking off of XXXX   mobile device and getting a new mobile device, filing a police report and filing a report with the sheriff 's department. I have done all of the above more than 6 of 7 times. I have gone into Banking centers. I have been on calls for anywhere from 2 to 4 hours getting transferred from one department to the next with the explanation of that is not within the scope of their department ( although I had waited 30 minutes to even get someone on the phone for each department ). I have had most of my fraudulent withdrawals returned but what I am writing about is a transaction that occurred from my daughter 's custodial account in XXXX XXXX this transaction was one of many that occurred at the same time from different accounts. the amount of the withdrawal was {$2500.00}. Initially the amount was returned. I was notified that no additional action was needed on my part. The past few months I had to freeze ALL of my accounts. That account was already frozen after the above fraudulent activity occurred mid-XXXX. In having recurrent fraud I went back to scan all of my accounts, even the ones that were frozen and noticed by daughter 's balance was the {$2500.00} less than before. once I started investing I found and was then told that the funds had been taken back because I did not submit the required paperwork that has to be filled out within 60 days of the complaint. as mentioned above I had already been told no additional action was required at that time because they investigated and found the refund was appropriate. After finding out this new bit of information I asked next steps and I was told that it was resubmitted and I would have to wait until they heard back from the merchant, who is XXXX. I tried vehemently to explain that this was an error and to look at all the red flags on my account. They continued to regurgitate the policy so I waited. well I just received their response stating that after their research they state that the merchants received proof of my enrollment or documentation. This is completely false which is why I am admitting a formal complaint. Before receiving this letter I even wrote to corporate and did not receive one phone call, email or letter from corporate. I required a signature whenever the letter was received and someone did sign for it..again I have proof. I believe this may be internal. I have changed my online access so many times and have had instances where I would actually be talking to an agent and someone would be trying to log into my account real time. A few agents were baffled and was able to see that these logins were done from the same XXXX snf computer but could not see an IP address. I just want my daughter 's money back that we are saving for her college tuition and I plan on moving all of my accounts. This has been the only bank I have banked with and am so disappointed. I was hoping we could get these things resolved. I am a platinum member and was used to the bank so continued to try things their way to try to stop this activity. I have so many notes, documentation, names, dates that it is too much to scan and attach. but I can definitely provide all that when needed. I gave the XXXX County Sheriff 's department a sequence of events and they are investigating. A case number can be provided. I have a very descriptive email to the sherriff outlining the sequence of events including account numbers, names they used to open accounts, emails used, phone numbers attached and merchants/corporations they transferred money to. Dates with details listed included XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and it continued into XX/XX/XXXX. I just received an email 2 days ago about another attempt from an account that is frozen. although these accounts have been changed to new accounts. old accounts have been left open and frozen with negative balances so that activities my be tracked. all this being said to explain that it does not take a wise person to figure out that if all this has happened, the money taken from my daughter 's account is also fraudulent. it is not my fault that an agent told me that no further action was needed and bank of America 's excuse is that now they have to make a decision based off of the merchant. I have that letter attached. I can provide a plethora of documentation to support my complaint. I am a physician and the last thing I have time for is tracking my funds and being in constant communication with bank of America about my hard earned money that they just gave away to a criminal. they obviously do not have a secure system. it is definitely a inefficient system and too compartmentalized. I am disappointed.

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