Bank of America Nightmare
Is it me or are banks getting harder and harder to deal with? Even for a person with a simple checking or savings account. Bank of America (NYSE BAC) has really outdone it this time. I am just a regular person with a regular BOA checking account and the issues I had to deal with for two weeks were really a nightmare.
I called into the automated system to check my account balance, as I do every Thursday, only to find that my account was overdrawn $3,993.00. Immediately I got in contact with a regular phone rep that obviously couldn’t do anything and had to transfer me to the Check Fraud Department. Now I am on the phone with the Check Fraud Department and they’re asking me the routine questions about the check which I obviously did not write. The Check Fraud rep gave me a claim number, suggested I open a new account and close off this account. Once I open the new account call back to have the overdraft fees reversed and the funds I have in the old account transferred to the new account.
I felt great the, situation was taken care of. Saturday I went into my local BOA and opened a new checking and savings account. Monday I called the Check Fraud Department and had my funds transferred, and all was good. Later on Monday evening I go online to check on my account and to my surprise I can’t login and a message is telling me to contact BOA. I contact BOA and the regular phone rep is telling me they are receiving a message on my account they can not view it and he suggest I go to the branch I opened the account in and ask them about it. I knew right away that didn’t make any sense and would be a waste of time. I hang up with that rep and call back to speak to another phone rep, she tells me there is a message coming up with my account that says I need to contact the Check Fraud Department. The next day I call the Check Fraud Department and was assured that everything was good on their end and they do not know why my account is closed. This rep suggested transferring me to the Risk Closure Department.
Risk Closure rep tells me that due to fraudulent activity my account was closed, that’s funny because I just opened the account three days ago, he continued to say that I will not be able to open a BOA account until the investigation is over and my funds will be mailed to me within 30 days. This is just great! I have no money, no direct deposit, I am officially broke! I don’t know what it was but something told me to call Risk Closure again, and I did. This time the rep told me he doesn’t know why Check Fraud would tell me to open a new account and that I can not open a BOA account never again, and I will receive my funds in the form of a cashier’s check in 7-10 business days. Now this is ridiculous because the only time Risk Closure gets involved, according to Check Fraud, is when you owe the bank money. They then close the account and you have to pay off what you owe. In this case I did not owe the bank money, fraud was committed on my account and I am the one who reported it. This Risk Closure rep had the nerve to try to question me about the check like I am purposely writing checks for $300.00+ that I don’t even have.
After I put him in his place I asked him what information they need from me, a copy of my signature, police report, claim number, etc. because I have that information. He then told me I would not be reported to Chex Systems, and I have to get to the Fraud Department, it was then I decided that this was pointless. I reported the fraud on my account, and it wasn’t until then that the Fraud Dept decided to step in, I filed the police report, I asked them to look at my banking history and see if I EVER deposited or wrote a check. Each department has no clue what the other department does and if you ever had an issue you will only reach a dead end.
My advice to you is NEVER go to Bank of America.
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Only call this number to handle these issues...Executive Customer Relations general line: 704-386-5687.
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Comment by Selah on 13 January 2009:
Hi, I am experiencing the same thing with Bank of America right now. I had to open a new checking account from one that was closed, after transferring the money into my account it was frozen, and I don’t know when I am going to get my money back either! Did you actually get the money within 7-10 business days or did you have to wait 30? email me back themonstersbride@gmail.com
Comment by Eve LeBlanc on 14 January 2009:
Unfortunately banks are getting a lot tougher now. Anything that might bring up a red flag on your account and they may choose to close the account. Thanks to the downfall in the economy, this is the world we live in. It sucks but all you can really do is take your money elsewhere.
Comment by JWatts on 30 January 2009:
Hello, I am going through the same problem right now. I used my check card yesterday to purchase some items and did not have a problem. A few hours later I go to my online account to find my balance and found that my account were closed. I called customer service to find out what was going on and they gave me the number to the risk department. I called the risk department and they informed me that my account was closed but would not give me any explanation nor my money. They kept repeating the fact that they are allowed to close my account at any time, for any reason without notice. They said that my money would be mailed to me within 7-10 days after they take out any fees. I’m not sure what the problem is. I closed one account back in December because I lost my check book and I reopened another account but they are not telling me if that has something to do with it. At this point I don’t care about the fact that they closed my account because I don’t want to do business with any company that treats its customers in that manner. All I want is my money. I have direct deposit and they are just holding onto my money. It’s disgusting the way they do business. I will never have any dealings with them in the future. Right now I am just hoping to receive my money as quickly as possible and for the right amount.
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Comment by Robin on 15 February 2009:
I’m having the same trouble. Right now they are holding on to $6200 which is all the money I have in the world.
How soon did you get your money. Email me at brooklyn4ever@aol.com
Comment by Stacie on 18 February 2009:
I too am going through the same headache with BOA. Please let me know how long you had to wait before receiving your money. My email addy is alyvnwell@msn.com
Comment by jessica torrez on 2 March 2009:
I too am currently having the same issue but only thing is it was sent to chex system…what was your results..email me at truhotfem@yahoo.com
Comment by amy b on 3 March 2009:
Gotta love BOA…. I have been with them for 8+ years and have experience this over and over again. Currently going through it again. I left BOA and moved over to National City (soooo much better customer service too), but my husband is still at BOA. It’s so bad that when there is a problem with our account (We still have a joint checking account there) that I make him talk to the reps because I refuse to. BOA doesn’t care one little bit about their customers. Join the crowd…. BOA haters unite, - but a lot of good it will do us.
Comment by Dexter on 11 March 2009:
BOA is a nightmare omg!!! I am a victim of fraud and now they are going to close my account!! I just want my money back. I do not like this bank at all.
Comment by itzel on 12 March 2009:
Hi, i’m having the same problem. i just opened my account 4 days ago. when i opened my account the guy who did it said that when we got home to log on to our account and tranfer at least 25 dollars to our savings account. so loged on the next day my balance said that i did have any money available so i check on my transactions and it appear that there was a hold on $-888,888.88 and that it was going to be available until 4/10/09. i have never deposited this amount. so i called the bank and they told me to call the next day. so the next day before calling i log on again and their was a fee charge of $60 dollar and it read that it was :(Account Research fees take place when you visit a banking center and have an associate research an item on your account) i haven’t even gone to the bank sence i open the account, so i called and the stupid lady said that my account was going to be close for their safety and my safety but she never gave me an actual explanation. i ask her if i could open another account and she said not that it was just for their safety. She said that my money was going to be send to me in 5 day. Can anyone help me, should i just go to the bank and tell them to give me my money their and then.?
Comment by anna on 23 March 2009:
I am having a similar problem, BOA closed my account because they said I’ve been reported to the check system but I haven’t had any other account at another bank which I didn’t pay. These people don’t know how to communicate. Seriously call speak to someone and then call right back and someone else will tell you something totally different.
What I’m pissed about is the fact that I live 40min from a BOA and I just want my damn money. (over 2000) One rep tells me to go to the branch to get the process started for delivering my check, I get there they are dumb founded. Then they call and that person tells them I need to have something notarized. FOR WHAT PURPOSE??? I just want my damn money!
Comment by Malia on 22 June 2009:
I am going throught the same thing. I opened a checking and saving account on friday during my lunch. I originally just went there to cash my check but the lady convinced me to open an account so i did. However, after she opened both accounts she tells me to make a deposit into my savings account or the account will be closed. Anyways I go back to work and she didn’t write my savings account number down. I called the branch and left a message no one got back to me. I also called customer service and they said they couldnt give me that information over the phone. So I wait until monday (today) and now my account is being closed. I wrote and called the branch manager to see if there was anything she could and I haven’t heard anything. Then the risk department tells me i cant get MY mone for 7 to 10 business days. It just doesn’t make any sense. I called, I even went down there to avoid this problem and no one could help me. I was out of town and went to a bank of america in the area and they told me since i didn’t open my accounts there, there is nothing they could do. I’m just stressed right now.
Comment by Malia on 22 June 2009:
Bank of America is too much!!!
I am going throught the same thing. I opened a checking and saving account on friday during my lunch. I originally just went there to cash my check but the lady convinced me to open an account so i did. However, after she opened both accounts she tells me to make a deposit into my savings account or the account will be closed. Anyways I go back to work and she didn’t write my savings account number down. I called the branch and left a message no one got back to me. I also called customer service and they said they couldnt give me that information over the phone. So I wait until monday (today) and now my account is being closed. I wrote and called the branch manager to see if there was anything she could and I haven’t heard anything. Then the risk department tells me i cant get MY mone for 7 to 10 business days. It just doesn’t make any sense. I called, I even went down there to avoid this problem and no one could help me. I was out of town and went to a bank of america in the area and they told me since i didn’t open my accounts there, there is nothing they could do. I’m just stressed right now.
Comment by mad on 23 July 2009:
I just opened my account 3 days ago and already deposited money into the account. I haven’t even received my debit cards yet or anything. I try to log in and my password will not work. I call them to see what is up and they told me my account was closed. I waited on hold for an hour to their risk management line and no one picked up! Obviously alot of other people are calling because their accounts are closed too. I want my money back that they took!!!!!
Comment by Frank Daniels on 11 September 2009:
To who it may concern.
I keep getting this email from someone who says they are bank one. I have talked to bank one and they said three is nothing wrong with my account but that I have gotten a letter from someone who is trying to get information and that the email is a fraud if it has a link, which it does. I have not given any information but my question is, who can I send this email to for further investigation. If there is a email I can send this to that investigates email fraud on credit cards would be much appeciated.
Comment by Robin on 8 October 2009:
Only call this number to handle these issues…Executive Customer Relations general line: 704-386-5687.
DO NOT CALL ANYONE ELSE! The above number is the office of the CEO and I was able to get results with them. I have since opened an account with Wachovia and could not be happier.