Bank of America Risk Assessment

My daughter wanted to open a Campus Edge Free Checking and regular savings at BOA because I have accounts there. She just turned 18. She signed up online and when they asked for a $25 minimum deposit, she ran downstairs to get her purse and when she came upstairs, the screen had said it logged her out for security reasons and she would have to re-apply because her information was not completed. Fair enough. I helped her on the second one and she completed it with the deposits. She received some welcome e-mails from them and instructions on how to log on once she received her PIN in the mail. About a week later, she received not one, but two checking debit cards. We were confused so we called. After several voice prompts, it told her she had a balance on two separate checking and two separate savings of negative $888,888.88! Once we got through to a real person, they put her through to the Fraud Department. That person plainly said, "Your accounts are closed and you can never apply for a bank account with BOA again". We were stunned and confused and they gave us to Risk Assessment. I was asking if there was confusion when she applied because the computer logged her off and there should have been only one application. Could this have been the cause of them putting her as a risk? They simply said, "They couldn't verify your identity". We asked who and they simply said they couldn't say. I said just like a credit reporting agency, obviously there is some misinformation because all they asked for was basic information - not even about a job - so what did they need? A copy of her driver license and SS card? Birth certificate? Passport? They said the company they use to verify application information is called FastData. They would send her a cashier's check in the mail within 5 days for her $50. I asked to speak to a supervisor. They had us on hold for 65 minutes. I asked for a phone number or address of this company they use and they said they didn't have that information. I said how do they get in touch with them and they said, "We don't get in touch with them, they get in touch with us". I asked for a copy or something in writing as to why they were closing her account and denying her access to an account based on the information they received, which was her right and they said no. While we were on hold, I did google the situation and found out that BOA does this often for different reasons, but also that they charge some sort of $60 fee for "research fees" when they do this. So I asked the supervisor if she was going to get back her $50 and he said "probably not". I asked what the name of the department was that did the research or could they provide a breakdown of the $60 fee. He said all of this was in the fine print that she signed when she applied for the accounts. I had printed all of that out when she was applying, and there was nothing about any of this in there.

Also, the kicker is that since we spoke with them (this was on Feb. 12, 2009) - she has received two monthly statements for all four accounts. She has received her PIN. She has received an "Advice of Credit" notice that they transferred the $25 from each account "to overdrawn related account" on 2/21/09. On her statement, it says a deposit of $25 on 2/9/09, a deposit of $25 on 2/23/09 from a "related account" and then a $50 withdrawal on 2/23/09 for "force post debit". Her last statements on 3/25/09 stated "because your CampusEdge Checking has closed, you will no longer receive a combined statement. To continue this service, please call or stop by your nearest banking center". I had also called to speak to someone about how they could open those other two accounts without her actually completing that application. They said they had a "problem with the system on that day". It stated right on there that you COULD NOT open an account without a deposit. Apparently it went through without her even signing off on the application and accepting the terms and agreement.

My problem is that they never sent her a notice they were closing her account for the reasons above. And this research fee was just listed as something else on her statements. They verbally told us they were immediately closing her account, but she received two statements after that like her account was open. Is there something that can be done about this? We found out later that they did do a credit check because we got her a free credit report right after this and found out they had misinformation on there - addresses she never lived at and different names that were never hers and 2 credit card accounts that were in someone else's name but on her report - so it looked like she had bad credit. But they based all of this on her credit report and said they didn't, but they are on there as an inquiry on the day she applied.

HELP! I want her $50 back because that is just ridiculous! A research fee.

I appreciate any and all feedback!!