Consumer complaint received 2015-11-01
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: NJ
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Account opening, closing, or management

Complaint:
Check " clearing '' is the process of moving a check from the bank in which it was deposited to the bank on which it was drawn, and the movement of the money in the opposite direction. Due to Bank of America 's ( BoA ) banking malpractice - stating that a check is " cleared ( C ) '' prior to completing check verification, and BoA bank teller not informing that the check has " not cleared '' after check verification as well as transaction receipt not reflecting this - BoA was responsible for a fraudulent act to be committed on me, which will become evident by the supporting information provided. On XXXX XXXX, I had deposited a check for {$7100.00}. On XXXX XXXX, the BoA bank teller stated check " cleared '' and I withdrew {$3100.00}. On XXXX XXXX, I withdrew a Cashier 's check for {$4000.00}. Subsequently, i found that the online account showed return item chargeback for " cleared '' check of {$7100.00} with a return item chargeback fee of {$12.00}. I called BoA customer service claims and explained above sequence of events. BoA rep mentioned that on XXXX XXXX midnight the check was processed and verified to be altered/fictitious, and that this information was updated to the system by XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX, and that the bank teller at the BoA XXXX XXXX NJ branch was able to see this information in the system. However, when I had been to the branch on XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX, the bank teller said that the check was " cleared ''. She did not mention the check was processed and " not cleared '', but instead that the check was " cleared ''. Also, the withdrawal transaction receipt ( XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX ) shows that my remaining available balance after withdrawing {$3100.00} was {$210000.00} i.e. {$4000.00} more than the previous balance of {$200000.00}. 

Questions:1. If, as mentioned by the BoA claims rep, the check was processed on XXXX XXXX XXXX and verified to be fictitious/altered, and the information was updated to the system by XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX : a. Why did the online account show the check as " cleared '' ( C ) on XXXX XXXX? 
b. Why did the teller not inform me that the check was verified to be fictitious/altered as of XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX, and thus " not cleared ''? 
c. Why did the cash withdrawal transaction receipt of XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX show the remaining available balance after withdrawing {$3100.00} to be {$210000.00} and not {$200000.00} ( available balance before depositing check was {$200000.00} )? 

XXXX. If, for the purposes of argument, the check verification was completed after XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX : a. Why did the online account show the check as " cleared '' ( C ) on XXXX XXXX? 
b. Why did the BoA claims rep tell me that the verification was completed on XXXX XXXX XXXX, and that the information was updated to the system by XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX? 

XXXX. The cash withdrawal transaction receipt of XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX shows available balance of {$210000.00} after withdrawing {$3100.00}, whereas the online account as of XXXX XXXX shows available balance of {$200000.00} after withdrawing {$3100.00}. What is the reason for the discrepancy? 

If, by XXXX XXXX XXXX, the check was verified to be fictitious/altered, and by XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX, the information was updated in the system, why does the cash withdrawal transaction receipt of XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX show the available balance of {$210000.00}? 

Responses to the above questions will make it evident that BoA was responsible for a fraud committed on me due to their banking malpractice.

Company public response: Company chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation