Consumer complaint received 2019-08-02
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
At approximately XXXX XXXX on Wednesday, XX/XX/2019 I picked up a telephone message left for me by XXXX XXXX of Bank of America XXXX Regulatory Services ''  giving me a deadline of XX/XX/2019 to respond to Bank of America 's directive that I return his call to " discuss the complaint made to the CFPB ''. 

The above referenced telephone message was followed up by an email on XX/XX/2019 ( shown below ) in which I was re-directed to call him by XX/XX/2019 to confirm that I had, indeed, filed that specific CFPB complaint. In neither his telephone message nor his email, however, did Mr. XXXX specify as to which of the numerous CFPB complaint 's that I have filed about Bank of America that he was referring to. 

Even assuming that it was one of the most recent complaints, Mr. XXXX did not specify as to whether his outreach was in reference to CFPB complaint XXXX ( in which I was similarly directed by Bank of America Regulatory Complaints representative XXXX `` XXXX '' XXXX to call her by XX/XX/2019 to confirm that I had, indeed, filed that specific CFPB complaint ) or subsequent complaint XXXX ( shown below ) which was specifically in reference to Bank of America attempts to place " the duty to respond on the consumer and insisting on a non-documentation method of communication [ giving ] Bank of America the opportunity to claim that they responded but the consumer did not [ and giving ] Bank of America the opportunity to attempt to coerce the consumer into dropping their complaint. '' In other words, for doing the exact same thing all over again to avoid documentation of wrongdoing. 

Regardless, the body context of the emails of Mr. XXXX and Ms. XXXX was identical in wording indicating that they are generic. 

It is noted that the response from Ms. XXXX was emailed to me on XX/XX/2019 ; 5 days after I filed complaint XXXX ; and gave me 10 days to respond. It was preceded by a telephone message that was almost totally unintelligible. 

This call from Mr. XXXX came on XX/XX/2019, 5 days after I filed complaint XXXX ; and gave me 10 days to respond and was followed by the email of XX/XX/2019 ( shown below ). 

In addition, a second unintelligible telephone message ; presumably from the same person who left the first unintelligible telephone message ; was left subsequent to the telephone message of Mr. XXXX. 

This similarity in time frames ( 5 days after being notified of the complaint by CFPB and directing me to respond verbally within 10 days ) indicate that the call from Mr. XXXX is in response to complaint XXXX. 

Based on that assumption, it appears that not only is Bank of America doing the exact same thing all over again to continue to avoid documentation of wrongdoing but, under the circumstances, has not even bothered to read the complaint in the first place. 

Bank of America insists upon written documents in customer transactions ; there is no valid reason for its refusal to do likewise in disputes. 

+++++ From : Enterprise Resolution XXXX Date : Thu, XX/XX/2019 at XXXX XXXX Subject : Acknowledgement of inquiry To : XXXX XXXX Mr. XXXX , Our Regulatory Complaints team has received correspondence on your behalf from the CFPB. 

I am your dedicated point of contact until this matter is resolved. Please note that the Bank of America email address this is being sent from is not monitored for incoming messages ; therefore, please contact me directly at the number listed below at your earliest convenience. 

Before I complete a review of your concerns, I need to confirm that you are the party who engaged the CFPB by speaking with you directly by telephone. Please contact me by XX/XX/2019, to confirm that information. My days and hours of operation are Monday through Friday, XXXXXXXX XXXX. through XXXX XXXX. Eastern. 

I look forward to assisting you. 

Thank you, XXXX XXXX Officer ; Resolution Specialist Regulatory Complaints Bank of America XXXX ext. XXXX C- XXXX XXXX This message, and any attachments, is for the intended recipient ( s ) only, may contain information that is privileged, confidential and/or proprietary and subject to important terms and conditions available at http : //www.bankofamerica.comXXXX. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete this message. 

+++++ ID FOR COMPLAINT SENT TO BANK OF AMERICA - XXXX The following email was received on Friday, XX/XX/2019 from Bank of America respecting CFPB complaint XXXX ; it provides an excellent example as to one of the many reasons the CFPB needs to be given more regulatory authority. In addition to this email, Bank of America has made several telephones calls to me, sometimes ( but not always ) leaving a message : +++++ " From : Enterprise Resolution XXXX Date : Fri, XX/XX/2019 at XXXX XXXX Subject : Acknowledgement of Inquiry To : [ Redacted ] Mr. XXXX XXXX, Our Regulatory Complaints team has received correspondence on your behalf from the CFPB. I am your dedicated point of contact until this matter is resolved. Please note that the Bank of America email address this is being sent from is not monitored for incoming messages ; therefore, please contact me directly at the number listed below at your earliest convenience. 

Before I complete a review of your concerns, I need to confirm that you are the party who engaged the CFPB by speaking with you directly by telephone. Please contact me by XX/XX/2019, to confirm that information. My days and hours of operation are Monday through Friday XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX. Central. 

I look forward to assisting you. 

Thank you, XXXX XXXX '' XXXX '' XXXX Regulatory Complaints Regulatory Complaints Office : ( XXXX ) XXXX extension XXXX Fax : ( XXXX ) XXXX '' +++++ In addition to complaint XXXX I have submitted three previous CFPB complaints ( not " concerns '' as Bank of America attempts to trivialize ) against Bank of America ( XXXX XXXX XXXX, and XXXX ). 

At no time previous did Bank of America respond by directing ( not suggesting ) me to call them to confirm that I made a complaint before they would " complete a review of [ my ] concerns ''. 

Placing the duty to respond on the consumer and insisting on a non-documentation method of communication gives Bank of America the opportunity to claim that they responded but the consumer did not. It also gives Bank of America the opportunity to attempt to coerce the consumer into dropping their complaint. 

Bank of America has received more than adequate information to confirm that I am, in fact, the person who has filed the complaint ( not, as Bank of America attempts to trivialize, a " concern '' including, but not limited to, the fact that I am personally known by the two Bank of America officials ( the branch manager and branch operations manager ) that are the primary subjects of the subject complaint.

This is another duplicitous and reprehensible tactic by the Bank of America designed to prevent documentation of willful negligence and to trivialize blatant discrepancies. 

It appears that that the company calling me is a Bank of America sub-contractor or company that tries to mediate disputes and that Bank of America is attempting to circumvent the CFPB.

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