Consumer complaint received 2025-02-03 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Opening an account — Unable to open an account
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: SC

Complaint narrative:
The beginning of XX/XX/year>, the XXXX User - XXXX sent me a message if I am interested to be her muse on the art project that she would work on it and discussed about her client that was interested to pay the painting of the random muse. Then she sent her client with the information to contact me directly for my compensation. 

During the event of XX/XX/XXXX to XXXX, 2025- it was taken by the account that I was taken based on the payment system through the text scammer. The text scammer kept me transferring the money from my checking account/saving account to pay through XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX. Also, the text scammer sent me emails with his checks which was fraudulent through the week. 

From the day of XX/XX/year>, the text scammer was sent as a client of the XXXX user - XXXX to contact me directly in text messages. The text scammer contacted me and asked if I am a right person to deposit the checks from him. And, it went through the process with text and emails. I got the emails from him and tried to deposit it through my savings account via using his email with my BOA app. It went through with {$1000.00} of deposited checks of {$500.00} to process. 

After depositing {$1500.00} to my saving account by his texts, he told me to transfer out {$300.00} to the XXXX Bitcoin by using his wallet address. Again, he told me to transfer out another {$300.00} to my checking account then XXXX Bitcoin process. But it didnt work on XXXX and it transferred to the XXXX XXXX XXXX with the first number. Last, He told me to transfer out another {$200.00} to XXXX XXXX XXXX with the first number. It declined on the XXXX XXXX XXXX. I asked him that it was the final payment which I thought I could get the payment for compensation afterwards. 

On XX/XX/year>, the text scammer said Yes. It will be a final payment for everything. Then, it led me to pay {$200.00} through XXXX XXXX XXXX which he told me to do that process instead of using XXXX Bitcoin. Again, it declined for XXXX XXXX XXXX then transferred to XXXX for Bitcoin process. It was totaled- {$800.00} out of {$1000.00}. 

After that process of transferring out, he sent me another checks of {$1500.00} to deposit through my BOA App. It was my final compensation but unfortunately, it was not. He told me to transfer out {$250.00} to the XXXX Bitcoin twice in {$500.00}. The {$250.00} was sent in XXXX Bitcoin and the text scammer said that {$1000.00} would be in my BOA savings account by Wednesday to check it out. 

On XX/XX/year>, the another {$250.00} was transferred out to XXXX Bitcoin to the total of {$500.00} which the text scammer told me to process that with his wallet address. Then, the text scammer told me that I need to transfer another {$500.00} out to XXXX Bitcoin because he told me that I have {$700.00} as my work compensation and he told me that another check would be my extra compensation. Then it didnt work for XXXX Bitcoin XXXX It led to that {$100.00} was sent in XXXX Bitcoin and {$400.00} was sent via XXXX XXXX XXXX to the second different number. 

The text scammer sent me the deposit checks via email and it went through the BOA App three times. Again, on the same night of XX/XX/XXXX, the text scammer told me to transfer {$500.00} out to the XXXX XXXX XXXX for lending money to the artist on the art supplies and he promised to send me two checks of {$500.00} for it. The XXXX XXXX XXXX was the second different number as it was before. Then, he asked me if I am ready for those two checks to deposit through my BOA App. Two checks failed. 

On Thursday of XX/XX/XXXX, the text scammer texted me about my savings balance. He sent me 4 checks of {$400.00} each - the total of {$1600.00}. Then, the XXXX bitcoin was requested for {$600.00} to transfer out with his lightening invoice address. It reduced to {$1000.00} that was deposited after transferring out {$600.00} with his lightening invoice address. Then, he sent me another email of {$400.00} check and it failed to deposit into my savings account. 

He told me to use my checking account to deposit it again with {$400.00}. It deposited in there. And, he wanted me to transfer {$200.00} out to the XXXX bitcoin with his lightening invoice address. I thought it was done for that night. And, it was not and the text scammer told me to transfer out {$300.00} to XXXX XXXX XXXX with the second different number and sent me an email with another {$400.00} to deposit it. It went with three checks of {$400.00} each in a total of {$1200.00}. Then, he told me to transfer out {$200.00} again with XXXX XXXX XXXX on the second different number. And, it was left to {$2100.00} which it was processed in the BOA account with his deposited checks via emails. 

On Friday, XX/XX/year>, another text scammer sent me the information regarding the XXXX XXXX XXXX with {$400.00} and {$500.00} with the same second different number which the previous text scammer provided the information. He was persistent about transferring out another {$500.00} and asked about wire transfer through the credit card which that I refused. Then, he told me that I do need my money back after asking me to transfer {$500.00} out of my bank account. Then, it led to {$50.00} in the XXXX Balance and sent with his lightening invoice address. Another text scammer tried to track the XXXX XXXX Bitcoin Lightening Invoice Address with {$50.00}. 

The total of {$5700.00} was fraudulent through the deposited checks from the text scammers email and taken out of my account with {$3200.00}. I did report it to IC3 and FTC for investigating the scammers. Also, I filed the police report in person as well. 

After that happened with the scam process, I went in the person to talk with the Bank of America to discuss about filing the scam claims on the checking account and savings account. It ended up being that they are investigating right now and to assume that I am a suspect of those fraudulent activities with my bank account regarding those fraudulent checks that the text scammer sent me via emails. They denied me to open new accounts with the BOA accounts and suggested me to transfer to the different bank institutions to open a new account. 

I am being honest that I know that I am a victim of the fraud/scam and can not do anything but I just want to know that I am not a suspect of the scam.

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