Consumer complaint received 2025-10-07 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account — Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
To Whom it may concern ; XX/XX/XXXX I, XXXX XXXX XXXX, hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the information I am providing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. 
I come before you today, in hopes that this letter will help provide clarity and understanding to what I, myself and my children have endured since XXXX of XXXX when Bank of America froze my account. I have been instructed to provide any and all evidence and supporting documentation to support my IRP Request for additional compinsation for any loss or hardship that I may have endured during the account freeze. 
Before the Pandemic hit, I was employed, working full time as an HR Generalist for XXXX XXXX XXXX. I worked long hours, anywhere from XXXX hours per week. I was what you would call a " dedicated employee '' and I loved my job. I was earning over {$65.00} an hour, excluding the commission I was bringing in from each recruit that I hired on as well. My paychecks were issued every Friday, like clockwork. Life was manageable back then, for me anyways. I was able to wake up every day and go to bed every night, knowing my children had a roof over their heads, power on, water running and food in our bellies. We knew what stability felt like, and I, a XXXX XXXX of XXXX XXXX was able to provide for my family. That feeling is something I long to feel again, the feeling of stability. 
Sadly the feeling of stability was cut short the moment the bank froze my account, placing a stop on all incoming payments that I had received and was due to receive from the EDD Department. I depended on those funds to survive and to support my children and I. Being that I was late filing for the Pandemic Unemplyment Funds, I had spent those eight months relying on the funds in my savings to survive. With the cost of living, bills, and children, I had spent well over 75 % of my life ' savings. 
In XXXX of XXXX, I contacted Bank of America Claims Department in regards to several unauthorized transactions made on my account. I filed a claim as my account had been hit by fraudsters for over {$15000.00} ; and sadly, this was not the first time that this happened to me, as my account had been hit by fraudsters on a few occasions prior to this incident. XXXX, my account for Pandemic Compensation had been approved and I was to receive the maximum benefit amount of over {$55000.00}. In XXXX of XXXX, EDD had began issuing me back payments for the months that I hadn't been compensated for which was roughly around {$27000.00}. I thought my life was finally going to get through the hardship stage, then boom! Barely 24 hrs later,, after filing the fraud claim, the bank froze my account. At the time my account had been frozen, my account balance had a positive balance of over {$27000.00}, not including the fraud claim that I had filed with the bank which would then bring my account to roughly around {$42000.00}. After a few days, and several attempts trying to reach someone from the bank as well as the EDD department, I was finally able to see the balance on my account which read- negative- {$27000.00}. No one could provide the answers as to why this happened, not the bank, not even EDD. No one knew the reasoning behind this, nor could they provide me with any information as to why my account went from a positive to a negative balance practically vovernight. It wasn't until a few weeks later that I was instructed by vustomer support at EDD to file a petition with the Appeals Judge, so I did that and although it was a very lengthy wait, over 8 months ro be exact, I finally went in front of the judge. Court took place in XXXX of XXXX. During my court appearance, I was able to verify my identity, and request for my funds be released back to me, in which the courts approved my claim and assured me that the funds would be reversed and replaced back into my account within 10 days of the courts final decision. After ten days, I noticed that the hold had been lifted but my account was still showing a negative balance. Only this time, my account was showing- {$12000.00}. I went back and forth with EDD and Bank of America regarding this situation, which the bank blamed it on the Unemployment Department, and EDD blamed it on the bank. This went on for months. Nothing was getting better, no funds were placed back into my account which was a positive balance of {$42000.00}. The claim that I had filed was added to my account bringing my account to - {$12000.00}. That negative balance began to lower heach time EDD was issuing payments. Sadly, I never did see that money, nor until my account reached a {$0.00} balance. In other words, I lost over 90 % of my Unemployment benefits all because Vank of America would not, under any circumstances release the funds back into my account. 
When I am asked, " How this has effected my life '', or if I had experienced any hardship, then Yes! I have. My life and my children 's lives have been torn and ripped away from everything we knew, everything I had worked so hard to build, was taken from away from us. As a hard working, single mother ; I depended on those funds to survive and to pay for our bills, at least until I was able to return back to work. I was forced to use all of my life 's savings and unfortunately it just wasn't enough to live on as well as support XXXX XXXX with. I soon fell deep into dept, behind on rent, over {$25000.00} behind to be exact. I wasnt even able to pay for my XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX my cell phone payments, and my car loan, car insurance, or even pay for food. I had literally zero income coming in, i had the little that was left in my savings, but not even enough to pay my rent so .., we were exempt evicted from our home. J was forced to put all my belongings into a storage while my children and i stayed in a hotel. The cost of the hotel broke me completely, I couldn't even afford XXXX, XXXX, let alone get another place to live. All the whole, bills just kept piling in and I had XXXX funds to cover the costs of them. This hardship cost me everything. My home of 4 years, my car, my savings, even my wellbeing. Even after XXXX years, I still am struggling to get back afloat. So when I am asked to provide receipts, or to provide documentation proving my hardship, my XXXX begins to break even more, as its been almost 6 years since this all began, having to move around from place to place, I no longer have all the proof on hands. What proof I do still have is what I have already provides and submitted with this IRP request. All the other proof is can only be what I s am sharing worth you in this letter. 
I have enclosed as part of my IRP Evidence, every hotel receipt with a breakdown, including out of pocket costs that I had to pay while we were having to stay in these hotels, after being evicted from our home on Bankside Way. I have also included the documentx and the letters from my previous landlord, XXXX XXXX prior to the eviction as well as the eviction documents from the courts. I have also included with this request, the amount owed to stop my car from being repossessed as well as the out of pocket costs that I had to pay when it had been repossessed with was over {$9600.00}. Just for losing my home, the hotels, losing my vehicle, storage fees and having to move, that cost well over {$160000.00}. Thats not even including all the eating out that I had to cover for myself and my children as well. At the time, i wasnt even able to purchase my kids school pictures, their books, school supplies, school clothes, literally nothing. Losing my home was the greatest downfall of all. And as I sit here and type all this up, I cant help but remember what I went through and tears fill my eyes. Even after XXXX years later, I am still so far in debt, just waiting for an absolution, waiting for compensation. Waiting for this to overturn to my favor. Just when I think my prayers had been answered, its pushed off more, asking me for more documentation. Documentation that I just no longer have in my possession. I can assure you that I did fall into hardship, I literally lost everything. Not to mention my dignity, my self worth. 
I appeared on XXXX XXXX XXXX for this incident with Bank of America. If you type up in XXXX or XXXX, " XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX '', there I am. That clip alone should verify and vslidate all that I have stated is true. That should be proof alone. I have waited and waited for so long for doors to open for my children and I, I can only hope that my situation and my case can be addressed accordingly. I have lost everything. I dont know how else to elaberate that. Please take this info in which I am providing you as my evidence and if you have any other questions for me then please reach out to me. Thank you for your time. 

Sincerely XXXX XXXX This has been going on for over 5 years. Ive put in over XXXX complaints, ive called weekly, I even appeared before a judge and I yet have been issues the payment that is owed to me. I keep being asked for more documentation in which ive sent in everything. Then they ask for a hand written statement so I did that as well. And nothing. I have lost everything and need help. Pls help

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