Consumer complaint received 2022-09-14
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem making or receiving payments
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (CA)

I was looking for a new home and had browsed several websites, I think XXXX XXXX and inquired about viewing the property in XXXX XXXX, CA on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ), who claimed to be the owner of the property, contacted me by email on XX/XX/XXXX. I had been in contact with that person since then through several emails. I was told that the person who was living in the property at the time was scheduled to move out on XX/XX/XXXX and that XXXX was in XXXX, IN on business and would not be able to view the property until XX/XX/XXXX. However, I was advised by XXXX to sign the lease and pay the deposit of {$2000.00} as soon as possible to prevent someone else from signing a lease on the property. Since I fully trusted XXXX as the owner, I signed the Lease Agreement on XX/XX/XXXX, and on the same day, I sent the deposit of {$2000.00} through my bank, Bank of America, XXXX, to XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). Then, on XX/XX/XXXX, I paid the first month 's rent of {$2500.00} to XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ), also designated by XXXX, and XXXX said he would send the keys and documents the following week, but they were never sent to my current address. I never received them at my current address. I then confirmed the above rental with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and was told after that confirmation that I would need to pay {$2500.00} for the final month 's rent before I could move in. I was suspicious of the above circumstances and of being asked for the final month 's rent in advance and did not pay it, but on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a phone call and text message from a man claiming to be XXXX with the phone number XXXX. I was in a hurry to move in, so I did as he said and sent {$2500.00} for the final month 's rent to XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) via XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX as described above. XXXX told me that he would send the keys and documents for the above property on XX/XX/XXXX and that he would contact me after the delivery. However, I was very suspicious about these circumstances and visited the above property in person on XX/XX/XXXX. The property was occupied by a resident who was supposed to have moved out and we spoke with him. The resident was the actual owner. Immediately after that, I filed an online police report with the XXXX XXXX Police Department along with her and requested that my bank, Bank of America, report the fraud and refund the entire {$7000.00} that I had sent. I was very angry and shocked by this incident and called and text messaged XXXX at XXXX on the evening of XX/XX/XXXX. To keep in touch with XXXX after that, I sent some messages to XXXX ( XXXX, XXXX ). Perhaps at this point, XXXX XXXX think that I have not really detected XXXX as a scammer. I believe that if I contact XXXX at XXXX, he may be able to contact me. Finally, XXXX contacted me by text message on XX/XX/XXXX and by email on XX/XX/XXXX. The owner contacted me on XX/XX/XXXX to inform me that the attorney she had consulted with had recommended that she report this case to the Federal Trade Commission since the fraud was committed from outside California and federal jurisdiction would apply. Also, if my bank does not respond, I was told to file a complaint with the CFPB. On XX/XX/XXXX, I was told that my bank didn't respond to my claim for refunding for the fraud. For these reasons, I am reporting this incident to you. We also hope that the perpetrators of this case will be apprehended as soon as possible.