Consumer complaint received 2026-01-13 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: AZ

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint because my bank has repeatedly denied a fraud claim despite clear evidence of social-engineering fraud, immediate reporting, and severe financial hardship. 
On XX/XX/year>, I received my student living-expenses disbursement from my college that same morning. These funds ( approximately {$6000.00} ) were my only means of living expenses for the next several months, as I am not currently working while XXXX XXXX. 
That afternoon, I was approached in a XXXX parking lot by XXXXwo men operating a table with a poster and story about a sick child. I watched another person who had finished making a donation with one of the men, which made the situation appear legitimate. Wanting to do something kind, I agreed to make one donation of {$15.00} only.

I handed my card to one of the men for the sole purpose of processing a {$15.00} donation. At the same time, the second man intentionally distracted me by directing me to log into a website on my phone. While my attention was diverted to the website, my card was misused and tapped repeatedly without my knowledge or consent, resulting in six unauthorized {$500.00} transactions occurring within one to two minutes.

When the interaction was concluding, the man told me that the donation had not gone through and suggested trying the {$15.00} transaction one more time. He then showed me only a {$15.00} charge on his phone and stated that this was the amount that successfully processed. I personally tapped and approved that single {$15.00} transaction, which was presented to me as confirmation that the donation had worked. I was not shown, made aware of, or informed about any other charges at that time. This demonstrates that I intended to authorize {$15.00} only and was intentionally misled about the additional transactions that had occurred without my knowledge.

I did not realize that additional charges had occurred until I walked directly into the XXXX store immediately afterward. At that point, I saw the unauthorized transactions and notification from my bank asking if I made these transactions which I said NO, reported them as fraud in my banking app immediately, notified a Target employee what just happened, and then drove straight to my bank branch immediately. When I went to leave target on my way to the bank, the men and their stand were gone.

I did not knowingly approve, intend, or consent to the additional charges. Authorization for a {$15.00} donation does not constitute authorization for {$3000.00} in multiple transactions obtained through deception. These transactions exceeded the scope of my authorization.

Once at the bank, a bank employee advised me to wait until the transactions posted to formally submit the fraud claim, noting that they might not even post because I had reported them so quickly. I also filed a police report and complied with every instruction given by the banks fraud department.

Despite this, my bank has denied my claim three times, relying on authorization, chip-on-chip, and internal notes, while refusing to provide the denial reasoning in writing.

As a result of these unauthorized transactions, my account is now negative ( - {$140.00} ). I am behind on essential bills, and I have been left without my only source of living funds. This situation has caused severe financial and emotional hardship.

I am requesting CFPB assistance to require my bank to properly review this case, consider intent and social-engineering fraud, and provide a fair and documented resolution, including reimbursement of the unauthorized charges.

I am including the following supporting documents with this complaint : a police report, screenshots of the unauthorized charges to my account, the reasons my bank provided for denying the claim, proof of my student living-expenses disbursement, and I am willing to provide ANY additional information needed. Any assistance with this matter would be greatly appreciated.

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 monetary relief