Consumer complaint received 2026-04-15 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: MA

Complaint narrative:
Complaint Against : Bank of America Product : Checking Account ( XXXX ) and Credit Card Dispute Handling Summary of Complaint I am submitting this complaint regarding Bank of Americas handling of disputes involving ( 1 ) XXXX transfers connected to a fraudulent scheme and ( 2 ) unauthorized use of my credit card. I believe Bank of America failed to conduct a reasonable and thorough investigation as required, and instead relied on limited transaction data while disregarding the surrounding circumstances and supporting evidence I provided. Background and Timeline On XX/XX/year>, I matched with an individual identifying himself as XXXX on a dating application called XXXX XXXX. At that time, I did not know this person and only knew that he claimed to reside in XXXX. From XXXX through early XX/XX/year>, our communication progressed from the application to text messaging. XXXX Transfers Fraudulent Inducement On XX/XX/year>, this individual represented that he had an available spot on a pre-arranged group trip to Hawaii scheduled for XXXX. He stated that I needed to act immediately to secure a place and that full travel details ( flights and hotel ) would be provided the same day. On that basis, a XXXX transfer of {$990.00} was made from my Bank of America account. On XX/XX/year>, an additional XXXX transfer of {$300.00} was made after he claimed that flight prices had increased. The total amount transferred via XXXX was {$1200.00}. Despite repeated requests, I never received any travel confirmations, tickets, or booking information. It is now clear that these transfers were obtained through intentional misrepresentation and deception. In-Person Incident and Unauthorized Credit Card Use At this individuals request, I traveled from XXXX to XXXX on XX/XX/year>, to meet in person and obtain clarity regarding the situation. On XX/XX/year>, we met at my hotel. During this meeting : He requested to use my credit card for a single XXXX XXXX purchase, representing that he would immediately reimburse me via XXXX. I agreed only to that specific transaction under that understanding. He then stated that he needed to ship the laptop and suggested traveling to a XXXX location outside the city. At that location : I remained in the car while he went inside. I believed all of my cards had been returned to me. I had no reason to suspect that my card was still in his possession. While waiting, I received a bank authorization call, which I approved under the belief that it related only to the previously agreed XXXX transaction. I later discovered that : He had retained my Bank of America credit card without my knowledge He used it to make additional transactions, including : o XXXX XXXX : approximately {$1000.00} o XXXX : approximately {$240.00} At the time of these transactions : I was not present at either merchant location I was unaware that these transactions were occurring I did not knowingly authorize these purchases Any authorization given was based on false pretenses and can not reasonably be considered informed consent. Bank of Americas Investigation and Response Bank of America denied my claim, stating that the transactions were authorized because : The chip was read, your PIN was entered, and/or you signed for the transaction, indicating you or an authorized user were present. However, this conclusion fails to account for the full circumstances of the fraud. Specifically : I was not physically present at XXXX XXXX or XXXX I did not knowingly provide my card for these transactions My card was used while in the possession of an individual who had obtained access through deception My phone authorization was limited and based on misleading information I believe Bank of America failed to conduct a reasonable investigation, as they relied primarily on transaction method ( chip/PIN/signature ) without adequately considering the surrounding fraudulent circumstances or the evidence I provided. Bank of America response to XXXX transfer Weve completed our evaluation and are unable to approve your claim You can insert this directly under the BOA response section : Bank of America stated : Weve completed our evaluation and are unable to approve your claim. However, this conclusion fails to account for the full circumstances surrounding the fraudulent activity and does not reflect a reasonable investigation. Specifically : The funds were transferred based on materially false representations made by the recipient, including misstatements regarding the purpose of the payment ( e.g., described as Around the world in the XXXX request, which did not reflect the actual circumstances ) Specifically : The transaction was induced through deception and misrepresentation, and I was misled as to the nature and purpose of the payment Any authorization provided was based on misleading information and therefore can not be considered informed or meaningful consent I believe Bank of Americas determination relied on a narrow assessment of the transaction itself, without adequately considering the surrounding facts, evidence of deception, and the context in which the transfer was made. Pattern of Fraud and Supporting Context This situation reflects a clear and continuous pattern of deception, including : Fraudulent inducement of XXXX transfers totaling {$1200.00} False promises of travel arrangements that were never provided Misrepresentation to gain access to my credit card Unauthorized use of my credit card while I was not present Additionally : My account history does not reflect transactions of this nature I do not typically use XXXX in this manner or for these amounts My banking behavior over several years supports that this activity is unusual Supporting Evidence I am able to provide : Text message records demonstrating misrepresentation and false promises Bank statements showing the disputed transactions Evidence confirming no travel arrangements were ever provided Timeline evidence confirming I was not present during the disputed transactions Records of my dispute submissions to Bank of America and their responses Request for Resolution I respectfully request that : The credit card transactions at XXXX XXXX and XXXX be recognized as unauthorized transactions and fully refunded The XXXX transfers be recognized as fraudulent transactions induced by deception, and that Bank of America conduct a full and reasonable investigation into these payments Bank of America provide a detailed explanation of how their investigation concluded that I authorized transactions for which I was not present A more thorough investigation be conducted, including review of available evidence such as transaction records and, where possible, merchant surveillance Conclusion This situation involved intentional deception and misuse of my financial information. The disputed transactions were not knowingly or meaningfully authorized by me. I am requesting regulatory review of Bank of Americas handling of this matter and a requirement that they conduct a proper and reasonable investigation consistent with applicable consumer protection standards. Sincerely, 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