Consumer complaint received 2024-10-23 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Closing an account — Funds not received from closed account
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: MI

Complaint narrative:
I have been a customer at Bank of America for 4 years now, and my family has been a customer for decades longer. We have had nothing but appreciation for them as respected clients who hold significant assets in their bank and investment arm, XXXX XXXX. Unfortunately this appreciation we have had has shifted recently into anger and extreme frustration. 

The reason for this frustration is because Bank of America abruptly closed my account ( thankfully not my family members as well, just mine ) including all of the checking and savings accounts I had around the start of XXXX of this year ( 2024 ). When I called them at that time to ask why they had closed my account, they said it was a business decision and gave no further information other than they dont wish to bank with me again in the future. They had then said that my funds left in the account will be given to me by cashiers check over usps mail within XXXX business days from that point. Sure, thats fine - its a major inconvenience because I had been with this bank for years and my family has been with it longer, but its not like it would ruin my life just because XXXX cant bank with them anymore. 

What has ruined my life and caused major financial distress and emotional distress for me was the fact that it is now XX/XX/XXXX, and the funds in my accounts have yet to be given to me. My life savings are in that account, a five-figure amount in total. It has been a total of XXXX XXXX days from when my account was closed to now, and when I call all they tell me is to wait another week for an update but they just keep pushing it back. The reason they cite they cant release my funds is because there is a dispute open on my account for a charge I made, which is valid, and they say they cant release a portion of the funds it has to be all released at once however the bank should not be holding onto the funds in my accounts that are not a part of that dispute for this long as those funds wont be taken away regardless if the dispute comes out in my favor or not. 

I have had to cancel my apartment because I was unable to pay, and have moved in with my parents because I have no possible way of getting access to my funds. Bank of America has effectively left me with nothing and keeps saying to call them back at a later date for an update, but they never give any actual update. I even had XXXX customer support agent laugh at my question when I asked if I could get the portion of the funds unaffected by the dispute as he claimed its not a multi step process we have to wait for the resolution of the dispute before giving the other funds to you. 

They have said that there is a guaranteed resolution for the dispute that is holding up my account closure and funds release by XX/XX/XXXX, but they have said this multiple times before with earlier dates and none of those have ever come true. I find it hard to believe that Bank of America will ever release my funds, giving empty excuses like the dispute on my account as to why they need to hold my funds. 

This is absolutely unacceptable, they are profiting off of interest from holding my funds against my will at this time and committing all sorts of bad faith and unfair business practices in doing so. They absolutely do not care at all about how they are inconveniencing me or ruining my life during these past XXXX months of hardship. 

I have looked up the legal regulations for this sort of thing and it looks like Bank of America should have given me my funds in the closed account that I have been unable to access by now, as it has been far more than 60 days from when the account was closed. 

After I receive the funds from my accounts that are rightfully mine, I will never bank with Bank of America again and all of my immediate family members and even some extended family members will close their accounts as well and switch to XXXX XXXX, who has been far more helpful than they have been. 

Bank of America is a nightmare waiting to happen, they only care about the customer when it profits them to do so. Not a single customer support agent has been helpful, I have been lied to, deceived, and even made fun of simply because my account was closed forcefully against my will and so XXXX not a full customer to them and they cant help me out the same way they would to an enrolled customer.

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