Consumer complaint received 2018-07-12
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: FL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I returned a message call from a man named XXXX who said he was from the fraud department of Bank of America, on XX/XX/2018. XXXX was not available to speak to me so I talked to a man named XXXX. I didn`t have a clue what this was all about. As soon as XXXX found out who I was, he started yelling at me that I was trying to steal money from the bank. He said that a check for {$9700.00} that had been deposited into my checking account was no good and all my accounts were going to be restricted and probably closed.Bill also said I had been used as a " MULE, '' by these people that had connections to XXXX XXXX. He gave me a reference number # XXXX. I was overwhelmed and shocked that this man was yelling at me and acting like I was a criminal! The bank closed my checking and savings account. They also closed my husband`s checking and savings accounts also. All of them were joint accounts, but the {$9700.00} check had been deposited into my checking account. I had several companies automatically withdrawing amounts for my insurance premiums, utilities, car payment, and other bills. Bank of America canceled all my automatic pays and returned all the requests for payment back marked " insufficient funds! '' I was so stressed, I didn`t know what I was supposed to do! All of the money we had was in our frozen accounts! The bank first told me my account was overdrawn {$880000.00}! Then the accounts were closed. I found out that the check that had been deposited into my checking account was drawn on XXXX XXXX XXXX, in XXXX, California, by XXXX XXXX. This man`s account had been closed and there were no funds to cover the {$9700.00} check. Now having banked with Bank of America for several years, I know that the bank policy is to hold any check that is deposited for 3-5 days, for the check to be cleared by the bank, before any of those funds can be withdrawn. In this case, the check was deposited on XX/XX/2018. I was advised of XXXX deposits on that day. This check, and a cash deposit that I had made at the bank for {$1900.00}. According to the bank, my checking account balance was, {$13000.00} on that day. The next morning, I wire transferred out, {$11000.00}, from my checking account. The bank allowed the transfer to go through and charged me {$30.00} for the transaction. Sometime after that, on XX/XX/2018, the bank must have found out that the check was not good and that`s when I got the call from the fraud department and my accounts were closed, or frozen. The bank took the money I had in my savings and put it in checking, trying to cover what they say I am overdrawn. I did have overdraft protection that gave the bank authority to cover an overdraft from my savings. I am upset that the bank took my automatic social security deposit for the month and XXXX of my XXXX deposits. I was part of a huge scam, and this was the final financial blow.

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