Description

On August 17, 2025, my Bank of America debit card was charged $***** by scammers posing as members of a fake charity called the “James Hoover Foundation.” The individuals approached me in person claiming they had lost a family member to gun violence and were collecting funeral donations. Their story has since been identified as part of a known scam operating across Texas and Illinois, as documented in this news article: ?? https://abc13.com/post/southside-place-police-say-scammers-chicago-have-come-texas-stealing-money-fake-story-childs-death/16500479/ I did not enter a PIN or sign anything during the transaction. I was misled under false pretenses. I believed I was authorizing a $10 donation, and was shocked to find that $***** was taken from my account. This massive discrepancy was not explained or agreed to, and no PIN or signature was entered to confirm such a charge. After realizing the scam, I filed a police report the same day (Report #: JJ378527) and notified Bank of America immediately. Bank of America has not yet refunded the fraudulent charge. I have also filed formal complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Illinois Attorney General, and am awaiting responses. This transaction was not authorized in the true legal sense, and it falls under protections for deceptive or fraudulent electronic fund transfers. I respectfully request a full refund of $*****, as this transaction was the result of criminal fraud and no legitimate product, service, or charitable donation occurred.