Consumer complaint received 2015-11-23
Product: Bank account or service — Checking account
Issue: Making/receiving payments, sending money — 
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (FL)

XXXX Consumer Financial Protection BureauDear Sir/MadamSubject : formal letter of complaintI am submitting this complaint because I was the victim of a scam, facilitated by the lack of proper process at the bank. My prospective employer sent me XXXX checks to procure supplies, needed to start a new job. I deposited the checks and used the money to purchase equipment ( which never came ), and the checks bounced. 

Since XXXX XXXX 2015 I have been having the following problems : On XXXX XXXX, I deposited a check into my account for the amount of {$1900.00} as indicated on attachment XXXX. On XXXX XXXX all of the funds were available for me to use. I withdrew the money in order to conduct my business. Then on XXXX XXXX I deposited another check for the amount of {$4100.00}, which again all funds were available that same day as evidenced by attachment XXXX. The next day on XXXX XXXX, I withdrew the money needed to complete the business of that day. 6 days later on XXXX XXXX, I reviewed my account and it showed that I was now in a negative balance for total the amounts of the first check and on XXXX XXXX shows the negative balance for the second check. Bank of America made the funds available to me the day after I was victim of a scam and if Bank of America had properly verified the funds, I would not be in this difficult situation. Now that Bank of America was not able to process the check properly and no fault of mine I am being made responsible for the funds. This is unacceptable. Bank of America processed the checks and made the funds available and then determined that they could not get the funds from the institutions that the checks were from they have decided to make me responsible. The funds should have never been made available ir the checks had not cleared. The total amount of the checks has been levied against my accounts for me to pay. I request that Bank of America has a responsibility to have a proper process, and investigate the problem. Bank of America cover the amount of the checks and credit my account accordingly. I at no time during these transactions pushed to have the funds any earlier than what Bank of America made available. I informed to Bank of America by phone and at a local branch, and tried to request and investigation after I reported the problem to the police. ( Case numberXXXX, XXXX, FL Sheriff Office ) With every attempt that I made to pass this information to Bank of America, no one wanted to listen or open a report, and I was transferred to the collections department so that arrangements could be made to pay the money ) The checks were a scam on the prospect of my being able to start a new job. It was an elaborate setup and I carefully researched and the opportunity looked real. It was not. I have all of the paperwork and information on what was done and how they were able to make it look like a valid job offer. Please address this immediately. I anticipate your response. You can reach me at ( XXXX ) XXXX or XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX. XXXX