Consumer complaint received 2025-05-23 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account — Problem accessing account
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Complaint narrative:
Subject : Repeatedly Obstructed from Requesting Power of Attorney Form by Bank of America Inconsistent Responses, Denied Verification, and Lack of Transparency To Whom It May Concern, I am a Bank of America ( BOA ) personal account holder currently residing outside the United States. My online banking access has been locked due to a security issue, and I have made multiple attempts to resolve the matter by authorizing a legal representative to act on my behalf.

Over the past several days, I have contacted BOAs security and fraud departments multiple times to request a Power of Attorney ( POA ) form so that I may complete a notarized document and authorize my representative accordingly. However, I have been repeatedly blocked from accessing this process due to conflicting and contradictory information from BOA staff, as well as a lack of proper identity verification channels. 

On XX/XX/year>, at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX ), I called BOAs XXXX department at XXXX. The representative who answered, identifying herself with employee ID XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  told me that : - She could not see any of my account information and was therefore unable to verify my identity ; - The POA template could only be picked up in person at a BOA branch by the account holder, preferably accompanied by the agent ; - This was Bank of America policy and she would read the policy to me, but no written proof or document was provided. 

In that same call, I informed employee XXXX that I had already obtained a notarized Power of Attorney document through the United States XXXX, signed and sealed. I explained that I had prepared the draft with legal counsel and that I could provide this notarized document for identity confirmation and as a basis for the authorization process. 

Despite this, she continued to insist that the only way to receive the official XXXX form was to appear in person at a BOA branch. She did not offer any method to submit the document, nor any alternative identity verification method. Instead, she repeatedly redirected the conversation or referenced internal policy without providing any written guidance. 

At my request, she transferred me to another BOA number I had received via eComm email, XXXX. The representative who answered, XXXX ( phonetic spelling ), refused to give me her employee ID, saying IDs were confidential and that anyone who gives you an employee ID is a scammer. She explicitly denied the legitimacy of the previous employee. 

This second representative : - Repeatedly tried to transfer me to the general customer service line instead of addressing my POA request ; - Claimed she had asked her manager, but refused to transfer me, provide any manager name, or confirm their response ; - Stated she could only read one system note to me : Customer must go to branch to resolve wire transfer issues ; - Refused to disclose any additional remarks in my account file, citing internal privacy policies ; - Told me she could see my account balance, contradicting the first representative, who claimed she could not view anything at all. 

I recorded the last portion of the call to document these contradictions and refusals. It is deeply concerning that BOA staff not only provide completely inconsistent statements, but also undermine each others legitimacy while denying customers access to internal policies, identity verification, and written guidance. 
When I raised the XXXX issue with XXXX, she explicitly stated that she knew nothing about Power of Attorney procedures, and told me that I needed to ask the general customer service team instead. She never acknowledged the fact that I already had a notarized POA in hand, and made no effort to assist with my request, dismissing it as outside of her department. This again demonstrates a lack of interdepartmental communication and responsibility within BOA. 
To clarify : I am not requesting account access or fund transfers. I am simply asking for BOAs official XXXX of Attorney form so I can legally authorize a representative and comply with BOAs own requirements. 

Initially, I did not expect the process to be this chaotic, so I was not recording my calls. However, during my conversation with XXXX, I found her responses increasingly evasive, contradictory, and inconsistent with what I had been told previously. She strongly denied any Power of Attorney process knowledge, refused to acknowledge the prior representatives legitimacy, and repeatedly refused to provide her employee IDinsisting that BOA employee IDs are completely confidential and never to be shared with customers. 

At that point, finding the conversation extremely unusual and inconsistent with BOAs standards, I decided to start recording. 

The audio recording is XXXX seconds long and is attached to this complaint. It contains : Her repeated assertions that employee ID numbers are private and disclosing them is against BOA policy ; Her refusal to transfer me to a supervisor, though she later claimed she asked one ; Her recommendation that I call the general customer service line for any questions related to Power of Attorney ; Her verbal summary of my system note ( Customer must go to the branch for wire transfer issues ) and refusal to disclose other internal remarks ; The final exchange where I thank her and hang up.

This recording is critical in demonstrating the inconsistencies, policy opacity, and service breakdown I have experienced. I include it to support my case and respectfully ask that CFPB and Bank of America review it as part of this complaint.

I have exhausted my efforts through regular customer service channels. I am filing this complaint to request that Bank of America : To clarify : I am not requesting account access or fund transfers. I am simply requesting BOAs official Power of Attorney form so I may legally authorize a representative and fulfill BOAs requirements in a compliant manner. 
Having exhausted all regular customer service channels, I am submitting this complaint to request that Bank of America : 1.Provide me with the official Power of Attorney form or a written explanation of how it can be obtained remotely ; 2.Clarify why multiple employees gave conflicting answers regarding identity verification, account access, and policy ; 3.Disclose the internal policy that states a customer must appear in person to receive a POA form ; 4.Assign a dedicated case handler or department to ensure consistent, transparent communication and proper resolution ; 5.Offer a clear and secure remote process by which I may verify my identity and submit the required documents to unlock my online banking access. 

This experience has caused me significant distress, wasted hours of my time, and left me without a reliable process to fulfill a basic legal requirement due to BOAs disorganized and contradictory service infrastructure. 

Please note : The audio recording I have submitted includes sections spoken in XXXX XXXX. This is because I requested a XXXX translator during my call with the BOA representative, and an interpreter was present on the line. These translated segments were essential to help me understand the representative 's statements and to ensure mutual understanding. The presence of XXXX in the recording is an authentic part of the call and not an external edit or insertion. 

Sincerely, XXXX Date : XX/XX/year>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