Consumer complaint received 2024-03-01
Product: Checking or savings account — Other banking product or service
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account — Money was taken from your account on the wrong day or for the wrong amount
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (NV)

On XXXX XXXX  and while sitting and listening to the computer keyboard get repeatedly clicked by XXXX  while she (twice due to my idea to request check images) completed four, I believe, account statement requests for me that I did not get to witness, observe or confirm in the process, I did what was was required, turns out, to simply ask one question which would have taken XXXX minutes, to the Merrill Lynch representative, who was in the branch at the time, and instead, we compliantly but outside of any posted or agreed-upon rules, terms or regulations, and while doing this was against my rights and will, scheduled an appointment for the next day, at XXXX, which would have been, and was to be with the Merrill Lynch Manager of that BOA office XXXX XXXX XXXX I told XXXX, who works for BOA and NOT Merrill Lynch the simple and only reason why I wanted to talk with the ML guy. No, gotta come back the next day at a time they say. Notably, he was not the only ML person, I do not think, and nor was there a line by or outside XXXX  door for anyone waiting to talk or meet with him. I can only imagine why that was the case, but anyway, the next day at appx. XXXX!!!, not XXXX  when the bank ruthlessly, pointlessly and without any explanation, required I be there and when he could meet, I arrived and walked back to his door, though I did not even know that is where the meeting was to be held, or that it was even to be held with him, including sinc there are XXXX other offices right next to him. His murky-glassed door was closed, and no one was inside expect him, who was seated at his desk far back at the opposite side of the rectangular-shaped office. I do not believe he had a sign outside the door either, that said ML or his name or both. WEIRD...so, I tapped on the glass and he strolled across the rectangular office where he sat at the back and that was mostly surfaced with carpet and not anything else, and he opened the door and said: "XXXX?" "Yeah, that's me." And he turned and began walking back to his desk and, with that being the only extent of the verification, began talking over his left shoulder began telling me account information! He also said that he tried to call both numbers on the account, but neither worked. HUH? He did not even ask me the number, or numbers, or give me a chance to correct or clarify, perhaps, any outdated numbers that might have been the issue, if there even was one. But, also, I had an email that they had, which is proven by the statement requests they sent me the day before, so if XXXX was so obsessively condemning and blaming of a failed telephonic communication situation, then why did he not offer to discuss or correct the phone number situation, if there even is one which I question, or if that's not enough, email me? Why did XXXX  not email me, and what in the world was he going to email me about, and why did he try to call? Regarding the phone numbers, I replied to XXXX  that: "The "whole thing is old", years old, and the accounts have been 'asleep'." I also said that "I have new info about which I told the lady, which was XXXX  (see complaint #1)" yesterday about." He did not ask about that or all of that information. Big deal!!...I thought, can we just talk about your company, Merrill Lynch and my reason, from me that is, for being in the office? XXXX  did not know me, I had been told of the requirement which was to meet with XXXX, or ML, so what was he doing calling me, or trying to call me he alleged, let alone if he had email at his access and disposal. But he seemed to not care at my response about the phone. No, he kept on about me and the accounts. THIS GUY WAS WAY OUTSIDE THE RULE BOOK! Oh, I thought, so he verifies by first name? That, folks, is what he did and what happened, but I am not in charge, do not know what they do during their required, schedule meetings and also in this eery and seemingly-undisciplined branch. "Yeah, that's me." again was the identity confirmation...He said that he looked and all I have, not all he could find, but all I have, is what he said, is an XXXX account with Merrill XXXX. I sat down, and watched as he chaotically and in a greatly-scattered fashion, laughably to me sloppily and immaturely tried as he did, attempted to wrangle and direct the appointment, but I also had not even talked about the inquiry, yet!! From me, at least, he had no idea why I was there, or what was the request...unless he had talked to people in XXXX  and also outside of XXXX. Did people in XXXX  with Merill Lynch try and run and end-around play and influence this man's normal way, possibly of thinking, but, or of dealing with customers and doing his own licensed, albeit also in another state, work? I told him I am not here to talk about the Merrill XXXX XXXX account, and I never mentioned or asked about it...Creepy, possibly highly illegal what really was going on. But he crashed the conversation again, and didn't even pay attention to the point I was trying to make, which was so simple and easy, and said, and again this is also while and after never verifying me, and at that point he released a not-nice, very disturbing grin, so he became thrilled or enticed at something, clearly. Well, nothing was funny to me.. Again he said, "But XXXX, what I am saying is all you have is an XXXX. I am trying to help you." HA! He said he is trying to help me, yet he did not verify me, we never met, and not only had I told XXXX  the reason and purpose for the meeting, but Dude, himself, had not asked me why I was there, what he COULD do to assist, or what account(s) I wanted to talk or learn about, possibly even open. How did he know I did not want to open an account, transfer XXXX to an account, or under what or whose authority did he go digging throughout my BOA - not Merrill Lynch - accounts? XXXX  did not work for, or at Bank of America, yet he only blared that all I had, or what he could not find, was the XXXX   Account. Finally, I broke the convolusion and unprecedented trickery and conspiracy of sorts, and through the simply rotten and bad service I had received there till then, as well, and said similar to XXXX  "Sir, you have not let me even ask anything or tell you why I am here." And he did not even take that, no it was like he may have known all along what I sought, and what information I sought but aggressively and poorly, too, kept trying to keep us away from that area or even account. "I just want to know about the company XXXXK, that I had with the XXXX XXXX  of XXXX and then XXXXXXXX XXXX which I know was with Merrill Lynch. I had to tell him to "Please stop" in the midst of all this and before I even was allowed to get to that point. Stunned and feeling royally abused by this maniacal treatment and unhinged, licensed broker who works with retirement accounts so someone, in their old age can pay medical bills and survive aging and golden years, I stated again: "This is the only point, I had a XXXXK with Merrill Lynch. It was expertly managed, I think subject to generous contributions and..."XXXX, I am trying to help you." Me, something just like: "No, sir, you are not; you are not acknowledging, you are cutting off and are not answering the question. He replied, "Yes I am." He actually condemned and accused me of being wrong about why I was there and that we had not even talked about, which we had not, two words: Merrill Lynch. How dare him not acknowledge or comment on a twice-stated purpose for being there, and inquiry that I verbally presented, and tell me that though he flew right past it and aggressively refused to "go there" that "he was trying to help"...Help with what, by the way, he is only doing what is required by law or the bank is paying him to do. It wasn't like I was trying to log into a portal that wasn't working, and then when you sit at one of those desks in such an appointment, I am most curious: What type of "help" could even be, broadly speaking, mustered or provided. Plus, from XXXX  and noone, I had not even asked for "Help", for crying out loud. I had stated, twice at that point to just XXXX, but also XXXX times in the bank, and previously once to Merrill Lynch in XXXX, what information I was seeking, if not demanding. Just after I point out to him that he was not answering the question, he started motioning with his hands toward me and getting, oddly and so unprofessionally, animated. At that point, and truly feeling a form of being tricked, imprisoned and entrapped, if not worse, I decide for my safety I need to quickly retreat and leave. He can't wipe or resist the sinister grin, and again gets animated with his hands...while sitting at his desk. Wow....I vacate the office and, in the process, ask for the XXXX  MANAGER. IMPORTANT, I had an appointment, vacated the office and, in the process of doing so which was also within the mandated and required appointment, asked for a Branch Manager. XXXX"S REPLY: "I CAN"T HELP YOU." Once again, with the word "help." Oh, so now with no account resolution or willingness, which was available to many extents and he must, hopefully, have known that he throws around the word "Help" Hmmmmm. He was saying something I think, but anyway be that, for the moment so to speak, as it may, I said he cannot "help" with a XXXX MANAGER. Why, XXXX? What prevents you from going to the counter and asking, like I could or like any staff could, for a person? Of course he could have done that, and he even could have called a superior with Merrill Lynch in the process. Nope, neither happened. I had not slowly left his office, no I split with a quick dart and escape to safety, and then went and sat in the chairs, probably XXXX  from his door, that are in the main lobby. Astoundingly and for the ensuing ten minutes, as I recall, I just sat in the lobby. XXXX  can't stop...he says things loudly from his office even at that point, and then a tall lady, who had dealt with a strange-acting fellow, it wasn't XXXX, the day before with a safety box and that I had complimented her about with what she told him, which was: "You need to talk to your attorney.", walked up and asked me in response to my seeking Management, what was going on. This is unreal, XXXX  shouted at her - XXXX  - from, at that point, not 30' but 40' while seated at his desk (remember the square, mostly carpet office): "DONT WORRY ABOUT IT." There were customers around, he did not work for BOA, either, and he is shouting at a person, a female nonetheless and he is a male, and then from XXXX  away, too? Interesting, no sooner as I fled his office, he followed me out and, basically after I had told him, which I think I did, that I don't feel comfortable or safe with this and/or to leave me alone which I would have said, and think I did, just before exiting the door threshold after he wouldn't stop yapping and diligently trying to flip the script, and refuse and manipulate service, too. But, while I was in what I considered a safe, or no, safer, or no more open space, which proved equally unsafe, he walked right up to my face and, confrontationally, almost attacked me is what I thought, physically and with possible force of some kind; what was he was considering, wanting, or was he going to do? Was he trying to provoke me, trying to provoke an uncomposed or undisciplined, anything but inappropriate, let alone possibly physical, or "usable" reaction by me? He had the wrong person, wrong guy and I did all this, still, while he had mowed past a XXXXtime, simply-stated inquiry. Was that what XXXX  wanted was trouble? I put my arm out, and stepped away in defense, physically and protectively, for myself. And this is in a bank.... After that, and I exclaimed to both him and the Associate who was onlooking from her desk in a dazed stare, but with a tad bit more volume so she could hear, but certainly with restraint and poise, yet also in a manner of asking for help, too, what a loud scene of madness he was causing and exhibiting right in front of the customers, despite my request to be left alone, also his BOA co-workers, which are not ML so technically are not co-workers, and the cameras and, of course, too. What a fool!, he was not leaving me alone or honoring or respecting my prior, fervent request for no more of him, verbally or physically. In fact, I also told both of them why I left the office, yet he still wants to so-called run me down...So, I sat there in silence in the lobby and with no one coming up to for about ten minutes. Finally, I said I request a Branch Manager - THE Branch Directing, top-boss Manager. They go back, and I think it was both XXXX and the Associate from the day before, but within a few more minutes, one returned and said that "She's gonna give you a call." I replied that, "No, that is not going to work." For one, I am here by ML and BOA requirements, which is for an appointment for ML, and overall for an appointment, so now while at the appointment and in order to conduct business for the appointment, is still underway (I said that) I have to leave to get a call, but not by ML but BOA, and BOA is not ML? Secondly, who is "she" one might wonder, because the Agent did not say and just said that "She is going to give you a call." What a sick and horrific, totally against the idea of customer service, promoting and earning business and profits, mess of deranged conduct and behavior I was being forced to deal with, that it all was, after all I had been required to schedule and appointment and was there for the appointment, but they did not get that most-fundamental element of the equation. Yet I had an appointment, huh? Please oblige what is allowed, constitutes or can or cannot occur in an appointment? Later, I told XXXX  or XXXX, and I recall both: how for example did XXXX  not know I was asking XXXX  for a XXXX  because I had a XXXX, or that I was not feeling well or that I wanted to make a deposit with BOA? Truth be told, how did XXXX  know, or not know that I was saying, or wasn't saying, that I was having chest pain or cold sweats, or feeling light-headed and to please call an ambulance? "DONT WORRY ABOUT IT."...is what XXXX  had shouted, despite my still being there for a schedule meeting, for a meeting and for unprovided information, from afar. Eventually, after I had been sitting there for many minutes, the taller lady, XXXX  from the day before, walks up and says that she is going to get an Associate to help. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX First, I did not ask for an associate, next I did not ask for BOA service, and also I was there and had been there for ML, obviously, so what in the world was the BOA up to, or trying to do. What was the Associate, actually a non-ML but also a young female, for the record which I think should be noted, going to do, answer ML account questions or provide ML account information through or with a computer or record system that the Associate could not access and for a banking entity, ML, that the Associate did not even work for? Just the day before, as the Branch Manager knew, I had expressed the reason for seeking ML information, and the BM knew the subject and content. What exactly was the "associate's", again a young female which should be noted in this report for other concerning reasons, role either for BOA, ML, or for my ML appointment, then? Plus, I repeated to XXXX, as I had done to XXXX, that I sought the Branch Manager...At XXXX XXXX  - truly whoever this lady is who never stated her reason or purpose for talking with me, or her title, or whether she was with ML or BOA, asked - without stated purpose or reason - for my name and phone number, which I did not provide to her. What does she care? She's not the XXXX Manager, is with Bank of America and not ML, and did not tell me why she sought or requested (but obviously did not need) such information. I tell XXXX that the Dude, no not in the XXXX XXXX, had unsafely and errantly begun, verbally and aggressively, full account and customer-identifying discussions despite no verification, did not ask how he could "help" - important point: No, He never asked how he could "help" or what the reason for my being there or the appointment was, but he also refused physically to stay away from me in the lobby, and encroached in my face, too. Also, he criticized without verification, confirmation or effort to correct the alleged phone number obsession he apparently also had, and the fact that he "tried to call both numbers but neither worked." Well, in my meeting with XXXX  the day before we had corrected the contact information, so there should not have been a second phone number. But, again, I had email too since apparently there are carrier-problems with the phone? At approximately XXXX  and to XXXX, the taller lady and also the safety-box lady from the day before, was told by me, again, that: "I had a XXXXK with Merrill Lynch and want to know all about it, its contributions and if or however, it exists." I did tell XXXX  how commended she should be for dealing with the guy from yesterday, who had an armful of objects and items in both arms that he'd retrieved from his safety boxes, but I also told her how bad I felt for the verbal abuse that the ML unleased on the BOA staff, in the BOA building, in public. I said, despite bad or good service, you all do not deserve to have to deal with that madness. Twice during my wait for the XXXX  Director, I was told that she, XXXX  I guess, was in the back on the phone with a Client. XXXX  talked to, two of her staff told me, the Client for a long time while I sat in the chair, and also while the staff really waned me to leave and to get a phone call, instead, from XXXX, again who is not ML. Finally, and at appx. XXXX I told XXXX  that is, as I recall - but I told at least one person and it was either XXXX  and or XXXX: (with all the dilydallying and confused and overlapping staff and companies, too) I was going to have to start charging for my time. At first I asked her about minimum wage, but she did not accept or decline that, but since I was allowed to keep sitting there and with nothing happening and nothing from ML and no Manager showing up, apparently that was okay and I was operating with accepted and reasonable terms and expectations. So, maybe she didn't think there was much value or worth in that figure, and thought it should be more or less for my time and the complained abuse, and duress and emotional stress, and overall publicized staff insanity, but I was thinking I should be paid for the whole experience with a higher dollar figure, and still do. I do not know, but that is also not my purview, or decision to officially make. Nonetheless, I have documented that, as of confirmed XXXX  and while telling XXXX who was standing to my left, I placed the bank on a type of verbal notice that, at that point and assuming all that was said, happened, occurred, been refused, and even physically happened, I was charging money for my time. Oddly, while XXXX  who probably was not too fond of herself being rudely interrupted when talking to a customer, she was blurtingly and coldly, in my view, interrupted from...the Associate, XXXX. "Sorry to interrupt, but..." and she just begins talking without even asking her own co-worker, XXXX, if she can interrupt. Just before the interruption by the unhinged XXXX, XXXX  said that, regarding Merrill Lynch, "the Market Manager is going to call you. The Branch Manager is still on the phone in the back." She does not even say who the Market Manager is, or what there name is, or whether they are with BOA or Merrill Lynch, or with the Arizona region or the Texas region, or even about what the Market Manager is going to call. I replied by saying that "I am going only to talk to the Branch Manager, and since it'll be a couple hours before the Market Manager is going to call...." I just chuckled, for one basic reason being that I had not strolled in but, still at at time, was only there physically for an appointment. Also what disturbed me, and I told XXXX  this, is that a XXXX XXXX worker is caught in the middle of ML shouting, Associate interruptions and repeated call-back games. Appropriately, both leave but since XXXX  did so, courtesy of the invasive Associate's interruption, I yield to BOA and ML, or BOA or ML, and my advisors what that means for the requested compensation. Moving on...Still sitting there, I walked at some point over to the Associates desk, and I walked behind her desk too, which is totally fine and not illegal particularly because that, what a joke, is where the business cards were that are for aspiring and interested customers, and picked up both of the two cards: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, who is the Officer or Financial Center Assistant Manager, 2XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  I am not presently sure, but I do not think the Associate's card was behind that desk, which clearly is not for any one person but is a multi-staff station. The Associate was standing behind the counter and as I stood behind the desk, which was in the lobby and 25' away, and in plain sight of all customers included, I lifted up to show her only what I had done which was to get, drumroll, two business cards...which are not for any staff but only for customers. The staff know their contact information(s). XXXX minutes later, the Associate, XXXX, walks by me, despite my having told everyone for my reason for being there, and at that point what I requested and required, and stands over me to my left arm and says: "Are you ready to meet?" Wow. I asked if she was the Associate, and she replied: "yes." My response while remaining seated was the instruction: "Please leave me alone, I already asked for and only for a Branch Manager; so please and you knew that from before and know that, leave me alone." Finally and at XXXX XXXX walks out from the back bowels of the building, perhaps where the drive-through station actually is and/or where she had spent the last appx. XXXX minutes, and sits down. At one point I asked her if she was recording the conversations and she replied that "no, that is not legal." When XXXX  walked up, which was finally after the unleashed staff had probably become exhausted amidst and amongst their inhumane, sporting and taunting and provocative activities and gigs, XXXX  said something so interesting: "Hi XXXX, its me XXXX, the same person that met with you yesterday." I thought: Oh my....got it, XXXX, what does that matter, meaning an attempt at a refresher course of that, over a separate issue which involved the ordering of statements, we met yesterday. But, still, I was concerned at who, exactly, was truly the Location's manager, and I ask this because the emails said that, actually, XXXX  was not ultimately the Manager. Either way, despite all that had occurred, XXXX  first and best was to remind me, as she saw fit, that we had met yesterday. She wound up sitting down in the chair to my right, or remaining standing but still without any inquiry as to what had happened, so I repeated it. I summarized and broke down the timeline. She just gazed. Truly all signs did indicated to me, and I mean no ill-will, that even she was apathetic to, in that case, regulations, banking and customer rights, the fact that a required appointment, itself, was the only reason I was there, and any/all other factors  that had or might have legally been going with all that. Then I told her, candidly and sincerely, that I truly believe a case could be made that a bank had robbed me, I said exactly that the bank had robbed me, to name a few, of time, transparency, information, safely-guarded energy, and all of the above that was not just financial in nature. I told her that, no, "the Market Manager cannot call me until further notice due to all that transpired today." I do believe I also told her about my billing for the time, but I also told her that, for all those reasons. Thank you XXXXF for being available and providing the intermediating service that you do.