Consumer complaint received 2024-05-30 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: VA

Complaint narrative:
I am a student at XXXX, XXXX. I was looking for a place to rent and found this place on a XXXX group for XXXX students to look for housing XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX housing sublets and roommates- XXXX XXXX It was posted by someone named XXXX XXXX. I contacted her on XXXX XXXX and she gave me the address XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX. She said she is a biochemistry incoming masters student at XXXX. She also gave me a video of the place which she said her brother took as she didnt contact the landlord. She gave me the number of the landlord whose name is apparently XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX : XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX ). I asked him if i could see the place in person to which he replied that XXXX might have shared the video and it was taken a week ago. Also he lives in XXXX and isnt planning to come to charlottesville soon. I didnt mind as I assumed the video was recent. He asked me to fill a rental application and charged {$100.00} which i transferred through XXXX on XXXX ( Shows the merchant name as Virginia XXXX on XXXX ) on XX/XX/XXXX. He also gave me a number earlier ( XXXX ) and I wasnt able to transfer it on this as it declined from my side. He gave me the lease and i signed it and asked me for security deposit and one month rent ( XXXX {$1500.00} ) through XXXX. I transferred it to XXXX ( shows XXXX XXXX as the merchant on XXXX ) on XX/XX/XXXX. He also gave me a number earlier which didnt work on XXXX  ( XXXX XXXX ). I deposited the amount and just went to see the place from outside the same day and realized that the video doesnt match the house and there were already people living in it. I asked him and made up some excuse that his friend wanted a place to stay so he gave it to them. Also I was told it was a 2bed/2bath house but when i went i saw it was a 2 floor house. I checked online and I found on zillow that it was last sold in XXXX. The landlord however gave me a certificate of ownership in which it showed he bought the property in XXXX. He also gave me his Indiana ID. All this while I was also touch with XXXX, the student whoI was confirming everything with including the fact that there were people living in the house. The moment i realized the video is different from the house and the property is not owned by this landlord I realized that the person XXXX and the landlord might be the same. I filed a claim at Bank of America though which i did my transactions and gave them the details they asked on XX/XX/XXXX itself ( the day i paid the XXXX deposit and saw the house from outside ). Also the XXXX XXXX i found them on, I saw multiple messages from random people describing sort of similar housing space posting on it. I think Im not the only person or they are targeting other people aggressively. Im 100 % sure this is a scam and i hope ill get some help. I am an international student and it has not been long here for me and that money is hard earned.

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