Consumer complaint received 2019-02-08
Company: BBVA FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: CO
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest
Sub-issue: Problem with fees

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX, I was offered by my bank, BBVA Compass, the opportunity to open a 0 % interest credit card for a 1 year term. It also included this same promotion for balance transfers. I have been with BBVA Compass for 16 years. I have multiple accounts with them that have all been in good standing and held large balance sums. I also have excellent credit. I opened this credit card for the sole purpose of making 1 large transaction, a piece of fine jewelry, that this would allow for me to pay it off over time. 

I attempted to use the card for this purpose at XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. The merchant tried to run the cards several times, and it kept coming bank, chip error or malfunction. I thought maybe this was happening because I had never used it before ( even though I had activated it ). Remembering the promotion also included a 0 % transfer balance, I decided to defuse the situation and use my XXXX Credit card I have had forever to complete the transaction. 

When I called Compass Credit services after to inquire as to why my credit card was declined, they told me it was to protect me from fraudulent use, and that I only had a $ XXXX per day allowable use, even though my credit card had a $ XXXX credit limit. When I continued to question this policy, they said that they would " then '' up my ability to spend $ XXXX in one day. I replied it was clearly too late to do so because I had already made my purchase with my chase acct. that had no issue letting me put the purchase on the card. 

The next day, I went to transfer the amount from XXXX onto my Compass card, I then learned that it would be a 4 % fee to do so. I called the credit card service # again to discuss how this should not apply to me, as the card would not allow me in the first place to make the transaction I needed as they had blocked it, and the customer service representatives again presented a very frustrating depiction of " their '' side of the story and how it was not their fault. I decided at that time I was sick of discussing these matters over the phone with representatives and wanted to deal with my own personal bank. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I went into my local Compass Bank location in the XXXX XXXX location and spoke to XXXX XXXX and descried the headache I had dealt with. He agreed to escalate it to his XXXX at the location XXXX. I called XXXX later that day as I had not heard how the complaint was being handled, and he said he would be escalating it to a division level and to give him 2 days. On XX/XX/XXXX XXXX left me a voicemail saying that they were not able to waive the fee as it was not a bank error. I returned his call and never heard back. 

At this point, I was flabbergasted, that my personal branch had again claimed this was not their fault. I began to leave reviews about my poor experience. Later that day, on XX/XX/XXXX I received a call from an AZ customer service agent, XXXX XXXX, who said my issue had been escalated ( by whom I do not know ). I explained at depth my frustration and said that the issue here isn't even the few XXXX dollar fee I would be getting, it was about how I was being treated as a long standing customer and the continued pointing to that this was not their fault. Zero ownership was taking place. She even commented, asking if I would be willing to meet them half way on the fee, and I told her yes, as she was the first person to suggest a compromise and I appreciated it. 

on XX/XX/XXXX I received a VM from the rep saying again she couldn't do anything about the fee. When I called back she did not answer. 

It has been non stop dodging, poor customer service, all for what would at most be {$300.00} on a transfer fee ( the original purchase was {$8700.00} ). I am now shopping other banks to see who would like my book of business, but am appalled by how this whole transaction has played out.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation