Consumer complaint received 2021-12-02
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: WA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
Due to Bank of Americas failure to provide us with reasonable customer service and the failure to provide the correct information in order to access online banking and do wire transfers for larger amounts internationally when traveling outside the United States, we were forced to interrupt our travel and I was forced to return to the United States for the sole purpose of regain access to our accounts and funds as well as to initiate the closure of our accounts. Due to this we incurred costs of nearly {$5000.00}, resulting from extended hotel stays, rental car costs, airfare and other transport related costs, none of these costs would have become necessary if the Bank would have provided proper assistance. 

After retiring and selling our home in XXXX of XXXX we decided to spend some time traveling outside the United States and at our second residence in XXXX. 

During the second and third week of XX/XX/XXXX we had visited the Bank of America locations in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) and XXXX XXXX XXXX At both branches we discussed in detail that we are going to be outside the United States for at least XXXX  month requiring access to our accounts at all times and being able to make wire transfers for larger amounts if needed. At both locations we had also stated that our current local XXXX phone numbers will only be in service for the first month after leaving the XXXX and therefore I had changed the choice of preferred method of contact to email within my online account profile. 
At the time at both Branch locations we were assured that would be fine we would have no problem with using online banking just the same as in the XXXX and could initiate wire transfers at any time we chose to. 
At no point were we ever informed by Bank of America about the implementation of the so-called security measure of using a XXXX XXXX XXXX with XXXX XXXX certification and that device is needed in order to make wire transfers. Only at the time when a for us a disastrous situation developed while being in XXXX to pick up our new car and celebrate my wifes birthday as well as our anniversary it became obvious that none of the advisements and promises made by Bank of America employees were true and we had to learn about the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX certification and that the device is needed in order to make wire transfers. 
When attempting on XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX, to access my online account I received a popup that it would be required to send a text notification to my phone with a code I would have to enter in order to proceed, obviously this was not possible since the number was no longer active at that time and this occurred even I had set the preferred choice of contact to email. The online account access issue was temporarily resolved by adding a local XXXX number of a close friend who received the text and provided the code send to me later that day, but not before attempting to get help from Bank of America on multiple occasions, through phone support and members of your XXXX XXXX XXXX support team and all them failed to provide a solution. Just on XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX, I made phone calls to XXXX / XXXX a total of XXXX calls to the fraud department at XXXX ( Length of calls XXXX ) on XXXX of these calls I was assured there should be nothing to prevent me accessing the account, which ultimately was the case but I was still unable to send the wire. After further correspondence with the Bank of America XXXX XXXX XXXX support team I finally received XXXX call on Wednesday XX/XX/XXXX from a XXXX in Delaware at XXXX, I discussed our situation in detail with her after going a verification process providing her last XXXX digits of my social, debit card number, as well as my XXXX drivers license number, the call lasted XXXX min XXXX seconds. Still no solution was found to initiate the wire, by that time I had gone through XXXX extensive verifications with XXXX department as well as with XXXX from Delaware who had called me, without doubt there should have been proper documentation on the account in which someone with critical thinking skills should have recognized that they are dealing with a customer is desperate need of assistance, but instead all I received were for the most part ongoing canned responses from the social media team and requests to be patient someone would contact us. 



Even after finally receiving the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX certification device through an online order from XXXX, since after an extensive search it became obvious it was impossible to buy the device anywhere in the cities of XXXX, XXXX, XXXX or XXXX at a retailer. I even spoke with some banks in XXXX and they actually had no idea what I was talking about, neither did friends of ours who are dealing on an almost daily basis with XXXX business transactions in XXXX. The device could also not be ordered with overnight delivery we had to wait for a XXXX  day delivery from XXXX. Finally after receiving the device I followed the steps for registration and was able to initiate a wire transfer as I should have been able to do so XXXX  days earlier. 
Throughout XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX I had extensive phone correspondence from the hotel office phone with several people present who could not believe what they were witnessing. In review since this whole scenario started I had spoken with at least XXXX individuals who went through the effort of going through a verification process however I assume no-one made the effort to actually note the account. This situation could have been easily prevented from escalating to the level it did. On XX/XX/XXXX I also received notification that Bank of America chose to cancel the wire transfer, when inquiring why this occurred no-one I spoke with could come up with any justification. 
During these XXXX days I was transferred around, sometimes without advising me, I was hung up on when requesting to speak with a supervisor or requesting a contact information for XXXX XXXX XXXX not one person demonstrated in any form and way the intention to help us resolving the issue. A second callback/voicemail from Bank of America XXXX XXXX the morning of XX/XX/XXXX when I had already boarded a flight from XXXX - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX for XXXX sole purpose of resolving this issue in person and initiate the first steps to close our accounts. 
When talking to Bank of America XXXX at the branch in XXXX Washington on Monday XX/XX/XXXX, I was not surprised to hear an employee ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) say he did not know about the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX certification device, a witness was present at the time. On this date I also started proceedings to close our accounts by transferring funds from savings into checking and requested to close the savings account. 
On XXXX XX/XX/XXXX I send an email to Bank of America addressed to the contacts I had been given ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX / XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Banking XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ), the email included a detailed report of what had occurred, several files regards correspondence with the Bank of America XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX well as list of the costs incurred due to Bank of Americas failure to prevent a situation like this. We had given the opportunity for the Bank to review the situation asked to provide us with a response, Bank of America has chosen to ignore this request and has not responded to us in any form and way. A very clear demonstration that the Bank has no intention of resolving this issue and does not care about their customers, it also leaves the impression the Bank seems to think there are no responsibilities what come with it when customers trust the bank with their money. Without doubt Bank of America has failed to deserve the trust we have shown the organization in the past XXXX  years as customers. 

If needed I am in the possession of more files showing screenshots and other information related to this issue. 

Attached you find the following files in pdf format : BOA Press Pack - Correspondence Social Media Team XXXX screenshots submitted in BOA Press Pack - Correspondence Social Media Team BOA Calls ( Listing of some of the calls ) BOA Letter ( Letter send in email XXXX XX/XX/XXXX ) BOA Loss Chart ( Listing of incurred costs )

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