Consumer complaint received 2025-01-08 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
FRAUD CLAIM XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX I received a call from Bank of America Caller Id who identified themselves as the fraud department The phone number XXXX called at XXXX and lasted XXXX and XXXX XXXX to my cell number XXXX The caller stated that my credit card had been used in XXXX and wanted to confirm the purchase. He announced the amount of the charge was {$8.00}, the same card that my XXXX XXXX uses daily. He said this charge was in person. I argued that was impossible as my buyer was just with me moments ago and was in possession of the card. 
I verified the charge on my account and I verified the number calling me was in fact Bank of America. Both were accurate He then said that he needed to verify my identity and to expect a code on my phone. I give him the code, he puts me on hold while his system updates. 
Once on the line again he says that he will order me a new card but will need to send me another code to have that permission from me. I give another code. 
He then puts me on hold again. Once back on he says he needs to ensure that I am getting all of my notifications from Bank of America. I tell him that I have several accounts there, I have set my notifications in my app for the things Id like notified on. He says he just sent a notification for my new replacement card, did I get it? I reply no. 
He says ok we need to unlock your phone from blocking Bank of America notifications. To do that you will need to go to your keypad and enter XXXX # and hit dial. You may hang up after that. I do as he asks, he puts me on hold. At this time he was actually taking over my phone so that he could reply to Bank of America on my behalf unbeknownst to me. 
He comes back and asks did I get a notification? Of course I had not. So he says ok we will do this another way- Ill just send you one more code and we will be done. I agree and give him the last code. 
In fact. His XXXX code gave him access to my account, the XXXX code was changing my notifications so I couldnt get any, the XXXX  and XXXX was XXXX wire transfers he had set up for himself. The control of my phone that sent the text to Bank of America was when he asked me to enter the keypad digits and call. I learned ALL of this little too late at the banking center. 
XXXX my buyer calls me asking where is all the money? Im in shock. 
I call the bank repeatedly! NO one is available to help me, I am transferred around several times, several calls drop and these transactions are both XXXX XXXX- I am doing my level best to stop them both! 
XXXX XXXX TIMES at XXXX, I call XXXX at XXXX I call XXXX XXXX times at XXXX I call XXXX XXXX times at XXXX XXXX of those calls last XXXX hour XXXX minutes BECAUSE THE FRAUD DEPARTMENT DID NOT ANSWER THE PHONE THEY WERE CLOSED ON THE WEEKEND I barely sleep all night stressed because OVER $ XXXX was stolen from me and my bank doesnt have a way to help me and I've been loyal to them and deposited XXXX from my company- I'm in shock! 
I call XXXX XXXX at XXXX at this point crying because my whole company has just been wiped out by a thief who had compassion for damages from the recent XXXX storms and my struggles with computers and home XXXX XXXX with over XXXX of water. This man was very professional, he knew things only the bank could know- and I am so stressed - its my XXXX XXXX XXXX and my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and he is doing his best to help and protect my card... so I thought. 

The first wire was complete XX/XX/XXXX from my main company account ending in XXXX for the amount of {$22000.00} sent to XXXX XXXX at XXXXXXXX XXXX it went through completely and I couldn't stop it because no one was available to help me at the bank. 

The second wire was in pending status XXXX morning when I finally lost all professionalism within me and begged a bank agent to stop transferring me and to stay on the line until someone from fraud department answered. 
The second wire was in process on XX/XX/XXXX from my company savings account. This wire was meant for XXXX XXXX in the amount of {$79000.00}. Had I not went to all of the above non stop calls this wire would have went as well. Look into my wire history. You will see this. 

XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX Im at the bank an XXXX before it opens at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX and meet with XXXX XXXX XXXX who spent XXXX XXXX with me opening new accounts and placing holds on the compromised accounts. Feel free to call her to verify. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX my payroll company XXXX who I signed up with via Bank of America refuses my new account information. I call customer service who cant identify me and tells me to go to my local bank. 
I am there again before the bank opens. I meet with XXXX XXXX who is the XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX for well over XXXX XXXX attempting to unlock my wire capabilities so that I can make payroll which was already late. XXXX gives me new signature letters with his signature on it that XXXX will accept. He also tells the fraud department my story and that I've been in their office multiple times trying to stop the transfer. 

XXXX I am attempting to tie my personal account to my business account for the ease of one login. I again call customer service XXXX who notices I have a claim and transfer me to the fraud claim department who reads my decision out loud to me and I am told your claim has been denied due to the fact you approved this transaction via text message The banker tells me that If the department needs further information they will call me As IF I would actually give ANYONE information on the phone coming from that department after all I just lost!!!! 

I ask is it possible to note my account? How will they make a determination with no information? Do I not have a voice in this decision? He says sure, fax your details to XXXX Which I did. I wait XXXX XXXX and make another call- I was denied again with the letter I sent ( all of the above ) but I'm told to open the claim a third time with a police report because they will then escalate this. So I open it a third time. Denied again because they had my verification code to transfer my money. This time Bank of America customer service tells me they aren't even out the money- they will collect it from XXXXXXXX XXXX anyway. So WHY can't I have it back? 

Why would I fight so hard to stop the transactions? 

I am now at the mercy of the Attorney General 's office and the CFPB to help me settle this claim. I would like my {$22000.00} protected as I expect the bank to do. They DO ask you for codes to verify who you are- the only detail difference is did I call them or did they call me? And that one tiny fact determines if your money is protected or not-

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation