Consumer complaint received 2017-01-25
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CA
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
In XX/XX/2016, I set up a direct deposit account with Bank of America through my work. In XXXX, my work called to say the cheques were not going through anymore and I told them I was out of the country for a month but would look into it when I got back. In XXXX, when I got back to the US, I discovered that two of my paycheques had not been deposited into my account. Upon further investigation, I found out that they had been deposited into an account with a number that was almost the same as my account number ( two numbers had been switched around ). After hours and weeks of dealing with the bank, they told me they were not responsible. They told me that ACH handled all direct deposits and that they did not have to check that the name on the account matched the name on the cheques being deposited. They said they could n't do anything. I was out {$720.00} and was so upset I went to the manager at my local branch and asked her to help me. From her I found out that the money went into the account of a woman in XXXX area and that she had closed the account after realizing the money was n't hers. With her help, we contacted the woman 's manager and asked her to pay me back the money or I would file a complaint with the police. After six weeks, she finally gave me {$200.00} towards the {$720.00} she owed me. That was on XX/XX/2016. In XXXX, I followed up with my bank manager and then learned that the woman, whose name is XXXX, did n't know where the money was coming from, did n't want the money and was told by her bank to close the account. The claims person with whom XXXX spoke, said they could n't find out where the money was coming from ( claims I find spurious, since my name and address is on each paycheque and I have been a customer at Bank of America for 10 years ). In any event, instead of trying to contact me at all, her bank closed the account and let her keep all of my money without ever trying to find me ( despite what I was told earlier, this is the bank 's fault, as they could very easily have sorted this matter out by looking at the direct deposits as all my information was there ). I have repeatedly asked Bank of America to compensate me, but they are unwilling. Originally they deposited the money into my account in two installments while they were looking into my claim, but then took out not two, but three installments from my account. When I approached my bank manager about this and asked them to give my money back ( they took an extra {$340.00} out, so now I was out {$1000.00} instead of the original {$720.00} ), I was told by my manager that there was no guarantee, but they should realize their mistake and I should get my money back. It took three weeks of me complaining, but I finally got the {$340.00} back from them despite the fact that there were only 12 transactions on the account and they could very easily see their mistake. I find this whole thing to be ridiculous and BofA to be at fault. They should never have given that woman my money in the first place, they should have checked that the name on the cheque matched the account and they should have looked for me ( and should have easily found me ) when the woman told them the money was not hers. She should never have been allowed to close this bank account and run with my money. I am still owed {$520.00} and I want BofA to pay me immediately. I work part-time, and those two paycheques were a month 's worth of my wages. Thank you.

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