Consumer complaint received 2023-06-23
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: NJ
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed

Complaint:
To whom to may concern, Please refer to complaint # XXXX. This complaint was issued earlier, as it will explain the need for this additional complaint which was caused by the same issue Bank of America ( BOA ) refused to correct. 
I will include the above referencedcomplaintin the filing at the bottom of this synopsis. I am requesting BankofAmericacredit/refund thereturncheckfee {$20.00} and additionalinterest charge of {$15.00}, totaling {$35.00}. These fee/charges are due to BOA 's negligence and futile archaic notification policy after wrongfully freezing our joint checking account. Never receivenotice or information about the freezeon our account, even after speakingdirectly with a BOA representative21 days after the freeze had occurred. Yes, I can not overstate this enough. Not one notification, I receivedthe attached letteron XX/XX/XXXX. Dated XX/XX/XXXX. My Tax Collector informed me that the check I submittedto pay my property taxes was returnedunpaid. This check was issued on XX/XX/XXXX! I was extremely embarrassed by this notice. So much so, that I immediatelydrove to the XXXX of XXXX XXXX. I spoke with the Deputy ClerkXXXX XXXX. She is a very understanding and professional individual. I explainedthe situation and asked to have her waive all the additionalinterest fees includingthereturncheck. Explaining it was BOA 's error that causedthese actions. I also provided a letter from a BOA Professionalfrom my local branch explainingthe fault was not mine ( Letterincluded ). After XXXXcontacted the Tax Collector, XXXX was advised unfortunately because the taxes were not receivedon time, the additional interestand fees could not be waived. This is the same issue with the previouscomplaint involvingXXXX interestcharges. That is why I will includeit for reference. In closing I am requestingthese fees ( {$35.00} ) are refunded/credited, not for the minor monetaryissue, but the principlethat it was causedby BOA 's error, and an archaic policy. I thank you for yourattentionto my complaint, and look forward to your decision. If you require any furtherinformation please contact me. 
Respectfully, XXXX XXXX *********************************************************************************************************** Complaint # XXXX To whom it may concern, I am writing to complain about Bank of America ( BOA ) refusing to properly notify me that my account had been wrongly and unjustly frozen, and never received any notification of this. They then refused to reimburse me for an interest fee ( {$45.00} + {$36.00} = {$82.00} ) that was charged due to their lack of a common sense policy and procedures regarding the freezing of my wife and my joint account. Let 's start with the facts. Me and my wife have had the same joint checking account with BOA since XXXX. In past years we have received many communications from BOA, including text to my phone, letters to our home, and emails. We have resided in our home which BOA has issued checks with that address since XXXX on multiple occasions. I have tried to have this issue corrected at my local BOA banking branch, but I was informed to contact the XXXX customer service number. I did. Then I was told by XXXX who again understood my issue but stated he did not have the authority to credit my account for the fee caused by BOA. XXXX instructed me to contact the AML number XXXX -- XXXX. I did, speaking to XXXX, and then XXXX a supervisor, who in the end agreed that the policy was heavily flawed but he did not have the authority to credit me the fees caused by BOA antiquated and archaic policy. Here is the issue. BOA policy stated that they needed to verify information on my account? After speaking with XXXX, BOA froze my account on XX/XX/XXXX. It starts with freezing my ATM/Debit card. FYI, I never use this card due to its direct link to my bank accounts. I choose to use credit cards for purchases. So I had no idea this had occurred. Then I signed into my BOA account online to transfer funds to make a BOA Credit Card payment. Online would not allow me? I called BOA on XXXX XXXX and verbally spoke to a BOA representative, who I can not stress enough, never informed me my account was frozen and proceeded to make the BOA credit card payment with her over the phone. XXXX informed me the account was frozen since XX/XX/XXXX, and the representative I spoke with on the XXXX of XXXX should have notified me of such, but did not. Then I received a letter that that payment I made to my BOA CC had never been made. BOA of course credited that late fee. Again, knowing they were wrong and having the authority to do so.Here is the ridiculousness of it all. Remember my wife and I have had the same BOA joint checking account since XXXX. XXXX informed the policy states, one letter is sent to the address, yes only one letter? Which was never received. Then they contacted my wifes contact number on file from yes, XXXX. A home phone number we did keep but not used and was disconnected in XXXX. Tom acknowledged the number was not in service/no contact made. Then attempts were made to contact my wife via a comcast email, again yes comcast showing you how old the email is. I asked why no one tried to contact me as before at my phone number, or email since it is a joint account? XXXX stated it's not BOA 's current policy, and agreed it was again ridiculas. I informed XXXX that my mother-in -law had just passed away and her and her husband 's account was only frozen up to half the amount in the account. Why is this not done in this circumstance. XXXX stated it would make things easier if it would be done that way, and easier if they could notify the Joint account holder, but again it is not current BOA policy.The amazing thing is the required information, which BOA already had, consisted of the following : My wife needed to contact them and verify her name, SS #, and citizenship. All of this info was again on file. So after not receiving any notification, never receiving one letter, not one phone call, and no emails, then admitting the policy is out-dated, archaic, and ridiculous. BOA staff could not reimburse me the interest fees, which I never had to pay in my entire life until my Automatic payment to XXXX was returned/denied. I did contact all other companies and explain why the direct deposits or auto-pay were denied. Every company including XXXX returned the late fees and returned payment fees. The exception was the interest charge fee. XXXX stated due to it being a property related tax fee. It could not be credited since the payment was not received on the proper date and past due. So in closing, I am requesting that BOA reimburse me the interest charged by XXXX in the amount of {$82.00}. Again, which I had never been charged since owning this property since XXXX. I have attached the documents to show the interest charged. I have exhausted all other avenues to resolve this issue with BOA. Hopefully this complaint will help to stop this ridiculously archaic, and antiquated policy from hurting someone. Not knowing my account was frozen for 23 days! What if I had minor children in a vehicle, needing fuel or food to get them home, with no cash, and no access to my account due to this policy. Oh, and the AML department is only open until XXXX XXXX. As you will see from the same documents, other fees were charged but as I explained earlier. These fees were returned or credited. I thank you for your attention to my complaint/issue. I look forward to your determination. If you require any further information please contact me. Respectfully, XXXX XXXX

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