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: BMO BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
XX/XX/XXXX To Whom It May Concern, BMO Bank XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Department, I am writing to file a formal complaint and to urgently request an investigation into the account activity of XXXX of your clients, XXXX XXXX. This complaint concerns the facilitation of social engineering attacks, fraudulent conversion of client funds, and the deliberate abuse of the XXXX payment network using this email address XXXX in violation of its terms of service and standard banking safeguards. 

Summary of Events : I hired XXXX XXXX for legal representation. Instead of performing services, she used repeated promises and pressure ( social engineering ) to induce me to send a total of {$20000.00} via XXXX to her BMO business account. After I terminated her on XX/XX/XXXX and demanded the return of unearned funds, she refunded only {$13000.00}. She has since refused to return the remaining {$6600.00}, effectively converting these client funds for her own use with no supporting invoices, receipts, or justification. A police report has been filed regarding this matter with the XXXX XXXX Police Department with report # XXXX. 

Complaints and Violations : XXXX. Abuse of XXXX & Violation of Network Rules : XXXX is explicitly marketed and intended for transfers between trusted personal contacts only. Its terms prohibit use for business transactions, which require a proper merchant/payment processing system. By using XXXX to solicit and receive payments for professional legal services, your client is knowingly exploiting a peer-to-peer network to bypass the safeguards, disclosures, and dispute mechanisms inherent in legitimate business payment channels. This improper use directly facilitated the fraud. 
XXXX. Facilitation of Social Engineering & Fraudulent Conversion : Your client 's account was the endpoint for funds obtained under false pretenses. She secured payment via XXXX by promising future legal services that were never performed. This is not a simple fee dispute ; it is the fraudulent conversion of client funds obtained through deception. Her subsequent partial refund and gaslighting regarding the balance are consistent with a pattern of bad faith. 

XXXX. Commingling and Lack of Transparency : The funds were not deposited into a dedicated client trust account ( XXXX ), as ethical legal practice requires. They were sent directly to her personal/business operating account at BMO, where they were immediately commingled and converted. She has provided XXXX accounting for what the withheld {$6600.00} was for, demonstrating a clear lack of legitimate commercial purpose for the transaction. 

Request for Immediate Action : This activity presents a significant financial, reputational, and regulatory risk to BMO. By allowing its platform to be used in this manner, the bank is inadvertently enabling fraud against consumers. I urge you to : XXXX. Immediately investigate the XXXX transaction history and overall account activity for XXXX XXXX. 

XXXX. Scrutinize this activity for patterns consistent with receiving business payments via XXXX in violation of its terms. 

XXXX. Take appropriate action which should include immediately closing her access to XXXX and potentially closing accounts found to be routinely used for improper or fraudulent transactions. 

XXXX. Place a hold on the disputed funds ( {$6600.00} ) pending your investigation and the outcome of the related police matter. I am not simply asking you to mediate a contract dispute. I am alerting you to what I believe is fraudulent activity being conducted through your banking channels, using a tool ( XXXX ) in a manner expressly contrary to its designed purpose and your own user agreements. Attached is the summary of the police report filed in this matter. 

The integrity of your payment systems depends on your vigilance against such exploitation. I expect a prompt investigation and a written response detailing your findings and actions. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX.

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 explanation