Consumer complaint received 2022-07-20
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
On Thursday XX/XX/XXXX - I received a text message mentioning fraud in my account. I called the number, the scammers verified recent BofA transactions, and told me to go to a BofA branch to resolve this issue by withdrawing cash. 
I go to the XXXX branch as per the instruction of the scammer ( who I thought was BofA ) and requested to withdraw $ XXXX. Teller said the most I could withdrawal was $ XXXX. They gave me $ XXXX without any additional questions to avoid fraud/scams. 
I went to another branch in XXXX XXXX, pulled out ~ $ XXXX, again no checks and balances even when there was a withdrawal less than 30 minutes prior at a different branch for $ XXXX. No manager, no questions. 
I was told to deposit funds at a XXXX ATMs. Once I realized I made a huge mistake, went to the local policy ( XXXX ) who said that I've been the victim of a scam. 
My complaint is that none of the BofA employees, at multiple branches, took preventative measures nor any duty of care to confirm the intention for large withdrawals that are uncommon for me as I thought I was on the phone with BofA fraud department. 
My son who works in wealth management said that the BofA staff literally coached me, a vulnerable senior on how to get out of mandatory federal reporting requirements that would have prevented being a victim of fraud. Bank staff arent permitted to structure withdrawals in a way to avoid complying with this reporting. Not to mention I was displaying 'red flag ' signs I'd assume BofA employees are trained to look out for. This is especially concerning being a senior, and bank staff should have a duty of care to notice inconsistency in withdrawal pattern while being on the phone, and not one but two different branches failed to ask questions to prevent these situations. 
Given all XXXX and XXXXXXXX XXXX unfortunately present with the increase of scams and fraud nowadays, I would assume your tellers and managers complete training for? Is it common for a teller provide a customer $ XXXX at one branch and $ XXXX at another branch down the street without some manager override? My other bank said they would have noticed inconsistent patterns in my withdrawals, and they would have asked additional questions as all staff are trained to look out for my targeted demographic ( XXXX ). 
On Friday XX/XX/XXXX I tell my son who has me call BofA to flag my account, they did and said to go into a branch to talk to the manager to further resolve. We go into the branch on Saturday XX/XX/XXXX and wait 2 hours to talk to a banker who cant do more. 
To top all this off - after waiting 2 hours to talk to a banker who couldn't do anything, she ( XXXX XXXX ) was disrespectful and rude. We told her what happened and she laughed and said, " you didn't know that this is a scam?! '' After being scammed for $ XXXX, feeling embarrassment and shame, and waiting for nothing this is the level of professionalism and response we get? 
The manager has told my son 2x that he cant do anything and I need to call the fraud department which I thought I called, and they filed a claim with as well. Any help is greatly appreciated!

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