Consumer complaint received 2016-12-14
Product: Bank account or service — Other bank product/service
Issue: Deposits and withdrawals — 
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (VA)

On XXXX XXXX, 2016, I checked the status of my income tax return on the IRS website. To my surprise, I received a result that said my refund was sent to the bank information since XXXX XXXX, 2016. 
I called IRS and was told that the IRS received my income tax documents on XXXX XXXX, 2016 and immediately sent my refund, in the amount of more than {$5000.00}, to a checking account ( which resembles mine except the very and only last number ) on XXXX XXXX, 2016. 
The IRS explained to me to me that BofA should have sent the refund back to IRS given the name, account number ( if it existed ), and other account information do not match. Given that there was no record of BofA sending the refund back to the IRS, the IRS representative initiated a trace of the refund, which would take about 4-6 weeks. 
After talking to the IRS representative, I immediately called BofA, and notified them of what happened on the same day. At first, I was assured of the BofA 's cooperation and the presentative even completed a request for an investigation to attempt to solve the case internally. I was told that within 3-5 business days, I will receive the result of the investigation via mail. 
On XXXX XXXX, 2016, a letter from the BofA was received instructing me to call the IRS. 
I called the IRS again and was told that they were still waiting for the result of the trace, which was initiated on XXXX XXXX, 2016. 
On XXXX XXXX, 2016, I finally received the result of the trace initiated by the IRS. It was shocking to see the evidence that BofA accepted the refund and deposited it to the account that did n't match my name and have not returned the funds back to the IRS. 
I called BofA again. The representative said the funds was indeed received on XXXX XXXX, but was immediately returned on XXXX XXXX back to the IRS because " there was a discrepancy between the name and the account number associated with the refund. '' I communicated this response to the IRS and I was told that the trace would contradict what the BofA representative said and that the trace would verify that BofA still has the refund. 
I decided to visit a BofA bank center in person. I was immediately turned away and was told to follow up the case with the IRS. 
BofA tossed me around with the different information provided to me by their representatives. One telephone call with a representative ( from a different call center ) would give me a different information from the other representatives everytime I call BofA. It was clear that BofA representatives did not have consistency with the information they provide their customers, as well as not having any accountability with their actions. 
When it seemed that there was no other solution I could think of or any place that could assist me in retrieving my money, I consulted IRS again. I was told that IRS has also tried to ask BofA repeatedly to return the funds, but BofA ceased on communicating with them as well. 
Up to this date, I have spent a considerable amount of time and energy trying to communicate with the BofA. Countless phone calls and letters have been sent to BofA in an effort to retrieve the money that clearly belongs to me. 
The events above show that BofA ( 1 ) deliberately showed no regard for the substantial distress and financial devastation its actions would inflict on its customer 's life and financial standing. In addition, ( 2 ) the trace initiated by IRS showed that a BofA account number that resembles mine ( the last number is the only difference ) existed and is clearly a violation of safe and security practices uphold to bank standards. Lastly, ( 3 ) BofA does not have safe and security practices in place to protect its members by accepted a transaction despite discrepancies with the bank accounts. BofA is clearly letting a stranger ( if it 's not an inside job ) to keep my money.