Consumer complaint received 2024-09-18 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: MD

Complaint narrative:
To Whom it May Concern ; This letter concerns a fraudulent wire transfer from XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX  Account at Bank of America ( BoA ) to a supposed bank manager at XXXX XXXX XXXX. A scammer stated he was with the BoA Fraud Department. Prior to the reported call from BoA there was a BoA text message and an email stating there was suspected fraudulent activity. 

The identified fraud correspondence occurred on the evening of XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX. The text message, and the email arrived prior to a wire transfer request, both stating there was suspected fraud activity of our debit card that was declined. The correspondence also identified a XXXX payment for {$3000.00} approved for XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX. The text message stated If not recognized reply NO, stop to end. XXXX XXXX XXXX answered NO. At XXXX there was a text reply Thanks for confirming transaction you should receive a call soon. 

XXXX XXXX received a phone call at XXXX on XXXX XXXX XXXX  from BoA Customer Service XXXX phone number ( XXXX ). The scammer identified himself as XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX spoke with XXXX XXXX  on the phone for a few minutes, notifying XXXX XXXX her ATM card had been compromised. XXXX XXXX informed XXXX XXXX  people were trying to transfer {$9600.00} from the XXXX bank account instead of the originally identified {$3000.00} XXXX payment. 

XXXX XXXX notified XXXXXXXX XXXX  he would call back momentarily, and he called back promptly at XXXX on XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX walked XXXX XXXX through the process of a wire transfer. XXXX XXXX said he would transfer the money ( {$9600.00} ) to the Bank Manager at XXXX XXXX Bank ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ). The Bank Routing number provided : # XXXX, the account number provided : # XXXX, and the amount to transfer : {$9600.00}. The wire transfer went through to XXXX XXXX XXXX, and the transfer number was XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX informed XXXX XXXX not to open online Banking and to close all accounts and re-open with him within the next day or so. 

OXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  and XXXX XXXX XXXX visited their local branch of Bank of America located in XXXX XXXX, XXXX  at XXXX. They spoke with a BoA bank representative, XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX notified XXXX and XXXX XXXX they had likely been Scammed and the BoA customer phone number Spoofed. BoA would try to get the money returned. XXXX and XXXX XXXX spoke with the BoA Fraud Department with XXXX XXXX present on the phone call. After speaking with the Fraud Department, XXXX and XXXX XXXX left the BoA. 

XXXX XXXX phoned XXXX XXXXXXXX at XXXX on XXXX XXXX XXXX and attempted to have her allow him to close and re-open new bank accounts. The request came via the BoA Customer Service Number. XXXX and XXXX XXXX returned to BoA located in XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for further discussion regarding the spoofed phone calls, to include a phone call at XXXX with XXXX XXXX present XXXX XXXX XXXX introduced XXXX XXXX XXXX, a BoA Manager to the XXXX and they spoke about the wire transfer and countermeasures to avoid repeat fraudulent activity. At XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX the BoA Customer Service Number. Between XXXXXXXX  and XXXXXXXX  XXXX XXXX received nine phone calls from the parties attempting to manipulate BoA accounts, which she blocked. These phone calls originated from XXXX ( BoA Customer Service Number ) and XXXX ( XXXX XXXX personal cell phone ). A phone call at XXXXXXXX  came in from the XXXX number, which XXXX XXXX XXXX as his cell phone number. XXXX XXXX answered XXXX XXXX phone call at XXXXXXXX  on the XXXX whereupon he inquired why his calls were being blocked. XXXX XXXX notified XXXX XXXX she was not feeling well and could not talk. After a 1 minute and 37 second phone conversation with XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX notified him she did not feel well and could they please talk the next day. 

On XXXX XX/XX/2024 phone calls resumed at XXXX from the ( XXXX ) BoA number, which XXXX XXXX blocked. A phone call from XXXX was blocked on the XXXX, and four calls from XXXX were also blocked. XXXX XXXX left a voice mail ( XXXX ) requesting why his phone calls were being blocked. XXXX XXXX texted XXXX XXXX identifying she was busy during the previous call at XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX phoned at XXXX from the XXXX number and XXXX XXXX answered. She spoke with him for XXXX minutes and XXXX seconds, explaining she did not feel well. XXXX XXXX inquired why XXXX XXXX blocked his phone calls and she explained she did not recognize the new phone number. XXXX XXXX once again inquired about closing and re-opening additional bank accounts. He continued to ask questions to get a YES answer. The conversations were on a recorded line and XXXX XXXX insisted on getting XXXX XXXX to provide a YES answer to his questions, which she did not comply with. XXXX XXXX asked XXXX XXXX if she could open her online banking account to check on the {$9600.00} and identify if the monies were restored to her BoA account. XXXX XXXX requested XXXX XXXX wait until Monday, XXXX XX/XX/2024 or XXXX, XXXX XX/XX/2024. XXXX XXXX once again requested XXXX XXXX change her banking accounts, whereupon she responded perhaps later. XXXX XXXX did not notify XXXX XXXX that she and XXXX XXXX had previously visited the local BoA Branch located in XXXX XXXX, XXXX  on XXXX XX/XX/2024. 

XXXX XXXX attempted to contact XXXX XXXX twice on XXXX  XXXX, XXXX XX/XX/2024, at XXXX via the BoA Customer Service Number ( XXXX ) and XXXX XXXX blocked the number both times. XXXX XXXX never heard from XXXX XXXX again. 

Over a four-day period, XXXX XX/XX/2024, XXXX XXXX received 30 phone calls from XXXX XXXX : XXXX XXXX XXXX received ( BoA Customer Service Number ). 

XXXX XXXX calls received ( XXXX XXXX Personal Cell Phone ). 

XXXX XXXX calls received ( Unidentified, used by XXXX XXXX ). 

Respectfully, XXXX and XXXX XXXX To Whom it May Concern ; Although XXXX and XXXX XXXX would like to commend Bank of America ( BoA ) for their excellent support following a recent fraudulent wire transfer involving their BoA account, there are concerns about BoAs security measures and protection against fraudulent financial transactions. Scamming transactions against the XXXX BoA accounts on XXXX XXXX XXXX have made it apparent BoAs electronic security measures are woefully inadequate. Compromises involving various forms of communication, to include text messages, emails, and even the BoA Customer Service Number, identify security issues BoA needs to address. 

BoA has security protocols in-place to mitigate security breaches against customer accounts ; however, when XXXX XXXX used these security measures to address a potential breach ( she phoned the BoA Customer Service Number ), she discovered the BoA Customer Service number had been spoofed. BoA advised XXXX XXXX she should have used appropriate security measures to prevent fraud measures such as creating foolproof passwords, transferring monies with BoA review, and contacting the BoA Fraud Department should there be any suspect activity involving BoA customer accounts. It is disconcerting when BoA basically blames the customer for inadequate security procedures when it is the BoA sites that were spoofed. The security breaches should be attributable to BoA, not XXXX XXXX, since BoA has inadequate security measures. Monies lost resulting from a XXXX XX/XX/2024 scam ( {$9600.00} ) were at the expense of XXXX and XXXX XXXX, not BoA. 

The person XXXX XXXX spoke with on XXXX XX/XX/2024 claimed they were a BoA Fraud Department representative. XXXX XXXX received both an email from a fraudulent BoA XXXX, and a bogus text message to her phone number. XXXX XXXX even replied NO to a spoofed BoA text message requesting a financial transaction. The fraudulent BoA representative phoned XXXX XXXX from the BoA Customer Service phone number, assuring monies in her account ( {$9600.00} ) were to be transferred to the Bank Manager at XXXX XXXX XXXX, thus assuring the safety of her monies. Although XXXX XXXX willfully conducted a wire transfer ( {$9600.00} ) from her BoA account, it was produced under false pretenses and based on fraudulent activity. Monies were stolen and are unlikely to be returned to the XXXX BoA Joint Account. 

While BoA is surely not accountable for all bank scams involving their customers, it is nevertheless disheartening when BoA customers attempt to follow recommended security measures only to discover BoAs sites were compromised. BoA was very professional in their post-scam response ; however, bottom line is BoA notified the XXXX their ( {$9600.00} ) is stolen and will not be recovered. 

The Bank of America is a reputable institution and has been in the financial business for a very long time but the Bank needs to upgrade their cyber security and ensure better protection of their customers monies. It is easy to blame customers for taking inadequate security measures, and this may occur, but BoA is responsible for taking precautions to protect monies held in their institution. When customers rely on BoAs secure web sites only to discover those sites have been compromised it is time for BoA to look inward and invest in additional security measures. A compromise, such as a spoofed site, involving substantial BoA monies would likely not be ignored or passed off as another fraud incident. BoA needs to apply due diligence in addressing financial fraud. BoA should be customer focused and ensure every effort is made to protect monies they are managing, to include customers such as the XXXX that have held accounts with them for nearly 50 years. 

Respectfully, XXXX and XXXX XXXX Phone XXXX XXXX XX/XX/2024 - XXXXXXXX XXXXs and Scammers : Bank of America Fraud Activity . 
Date Time Phone Number Incoming/Outgoing XXXX  Blocked Elapsed Time. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Incoming XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Incoming XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Incoming XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Incoming XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Incoming XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Incoming B XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Text Message XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Text Message XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Incoming XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Incoming XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
" XXXX XXXX XXXX  Incoming XXXX XXXX 1 min " XXXX XXXX XXXX Incoming XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

XXXX Bank of America Phone : XXXX. Total of 17 phone calls from this number. 
XXXX  Phone : XXXX. Total of 9 calls from this number. 
XXXX  Phone : XXXX. Total of 4 calls from this number.

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