DHAKA: Bank of America is being forced to hand over more than $1 million to a Florida couple after the bank flooded them with hundreds of loan collection calls for years.

In a complaint filed in July, attorneys for Nelson and Joyce Coniglio said that the couple had been on the receiving end of “patterns of outrageous, abusive and harassing conduct” by a subsidiary of Bank of America that included 700 calls in four years, after the bank said the couple fell behind on mortgage loan payments in 2009.

The Coniglios also received "threatening collection letters asserting false and misleading information,” the complaint said.

The couple sent multiple letters from legal representation asking the bank to stop, but the calls -- sometimes up to five a day -- continued. The complaint describes automated calls leaving repeated pre-recorded messages.

“If I did what Bank of America did, I’d probably be behind bars,” Joyce Coniglio told.

In the end, a Florida judge awarded the couple $1,051,000 -- approximately $1,500 for every call -- in addition to court costs and attorney fees.

"This judgment against Bank of America is an epic win for consumers across the country," Billy Howard, an attorney for the Coniglios told. "It's time to fight back against these 'robo-bullies'."

Bank of America initially declined to comment on the case, but late Thursday sent a statement to media regarding the Coniglios case:

“Bank of America has helped 2 million homeowners avoid foreclosure. Our calls to the Coniglios were not to collect a debt, but rather to help them avoid foreclosure after they fell behind on their mortgage payments in 2009," Bank of America Senior Vice President Dan Frahm said. "Because our calls were not answered and our efforts to help the Coniglios avoid foreclosure were urgent, these calls continued. We are committed to help homeowners in need of assistance avoid foreclosure."

Sources:  ABC News

BDST: 1150 HRS, DEC 13, 2014