Consumer complaint received 2019-09-13
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: MI
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX I WIRED {$7700.00} TO BANK OF AMERICA. 
XX/XX/XXXX I WAS NOTIFIED BY BANK OF AMERICA THAT THE ACCOUNT I WIRED TO WAS FROZEN DUE TO FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY. 
XX/XX/XXXX BANK OF AMERICA SENDS XXXX XXXX A " HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT. '' XX/XX/XXXX BOTH XXXX AND XXXX REFUSE TO SIGN THE HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT. 
XX/XX/XXXX XXXX TRIES TO RECALL THE FUNDS BUT TO NO AVAIL. 
XX/XX/XXXX " HOLD HARMLESS IS NOT OPTIONAL, '' PER BANK OF AMERICA. 
XX/XX/XXXX SPOKE WITH BANK OF AMERICA @ XXXX " INBOUND WIRE FRAUD, '' XXXX XXXX TOLD ME THE FUNDS WERE STILL IN THE ACCOUNT # XXXX, BUT ALSO SAID THERE WILL BE A 90 DAY INVESTIGATION. 
XX/XX/XXXX ALSO SPOKE TO : XXXX XXXX, AT : XXXX BANK OF AMERICA FRAUD DEPARTMENT WHO TOLD ME THE 'HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT '' IS STANDARD IN THE INDUSTRY BUT THAT THE FUNDS CAN BE RECALLED WITHOUT THE " HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT. '' XXXX XXXX ALSO ADVISED TO WAIT UNTIL THE 90 DAY INVESTIGATION WAS OVER. THE 90 DAY INVESTIGATION WAS COMPLETED ON : XX/XX/XXXX. 
TO DATE BANK OF AMERICA HAS FAILED TO CALL ME OR CONTACT ME IN AN ANY WAY. 
XX/XX/XXXX I CONTACTED XXXX XXXX IN EXECUTIVE RELATIONS AT BANK OF AMERICA TO GET THE STATUS OF THE INVESTIGATION. 
WE HAVE BEEN ARGUING EVER SINCE XX/XX/XXXX. BANK OF AMERICA WANTS TO KEEP OUR FUNDS. 
FOR A FRAUDULENT WIRE TRANSFER THAT BANK OF AMERICA REFUSES TO RETURN TO ME, THE CONSUMER, WITHOUT A HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT SIGNED BY MY CREDIT UNION : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). 
XX/XX/XXXX : I WALKED INTO XXXX, I AM A CUSTOMER THERE. XXXX IS LOCATED AT : XXXX XXXX XXXX., XXXX, MI XXXX. PHONE # XXXX. CONTACT : XXXX XXXX, OPERATIONS MANAGER @ XXXX. ( EMAIL : XXXX ) or XXXX XXXX, CEO @ XXXX ( EMAIL : XXXX ). 
I AUTHORIZED XXXX THE WIRE TRANSFER OF : {$7700.00} FOR THE PURCHASE OF A XXXX XXXX XXXX. PURCHASE AGREEMENT SIGNED, ON : XX/XX/XXXX ( SEE INSTRUCTIONS SENT TO ME BY EMAIL ). XXXX UTILIZES AN INTERMEDIARY : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX LOCATED AT : XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX, XXXX, MI XXXX. 
XXXX FURTHER WIRE TRANSFERRED THE {$7700.00} TO BANK OF AMERICA RTE # XXXX TO ACCT # XXXX, TO : XXXX XXXX XXXX, AN ESCROW ACCOUNT, PER INSTRUCTIONS. BANK OF AMERICA IS LOCATED AT : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, FLORIDA XXXX. 
ON XX/XX/XXXX BANK OF AMERICA FRAUD DEPARTMENT CALLED ME : FROM : # XXXX AND INFORMS ME THAT : " XXXX IS A FAKE WEBSITE, THAT THE ACCOUNT I WIRED TO : RTE # XXXX ACCT # XXXX WERE FROZEN DUE TO FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY. " We will hold your funds for you ... have your credit union RECALL THE FUNDS! '' XXXX TRIED TO RECALL THE FUNDS, BUT TO NO AVAIL. 
ON : XX/XX/XXXX BANK OF AMERICA WIRES A FORM TO XXXX, WHICH INCLUDES A " HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT. '' XXXX WILL NOT SIGN THE HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT. XXXX WILL NOT SIGN THE HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT EITHER, WHICH WAS ADVICE FROM THEIR ATTORNEY. 
I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH BANK OF AMERICA, AND BOA WILL NOT BUDGE ON THE " HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT. '' CONTACT PERSON AT BANK OF AMERICA : XXXX XXXX AVP, EXECUTIVE ADVOCATE | OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT XXXX, ARIZONA PHONE : XXXX HOURS : M-F XXXX TO XXXX MST ( MST IS TWO HOURS BEHIND EST ) XXXX ALSO : IF THE FUNDS ARE FDIC INSURED , THEN WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FILING THE CLAIM???

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