A friend recently got a 1/2 $20.00 from a BANK OF AMERICA owned ATM and they rufuse to make it right.

There’s no doubt that Bank of America is terrible, but what reason have they given for refusing? If the bank says the bill is still spendable, then she should go to one of their tellers and ask for a replacement (since they think it is just as good as any other bill).

I am assuming your friend does not have a Bank of America account and just used of of their ATMs. If so, she might try getting her own bank involved. They have an interest in helping her and would know all the tricks and industry lingo that might lead to the problem being resolved.

Your friend should be able to get it replaced by the US Department of Treasury.

What did the bank employee say to her when she went into the lobby of the branch and spoke to them about what happened? If she was told, “Sorry, can’t help you,” what happened when she asked to speak to the next person up the chain?

Very likely someone at that branch balances the ATM. All of the ATM’s that I have balanced have a canister/container/holder of some sort for rejected bills. The other part of your friend’s bill will either be there, or will get distributed to another customer who, hopefully, will go in and say something.

If your friend has at least 51% of the bill, she can take it to her bank and they should replace it for her.

I would send a hard-copy letter or deliver it to the bank branch manager, not a lowly teller. I would also demand not only a new $20 bill but to see a copy of the transaction report from the ATM. If this happened to you, the nature of technology is such that it has happened repeatedly to others, too. You might find a lawyer willing to take a class action lawsuit against the bank. I would threaten that in your letter. I have done this with B of A when it shorted me on cash deposits, and it worked. They have all the information and records from the ATM; the trick is to make them give it to you. Good luck!