Consumer complaint received 2021-12-21
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2021, when I did my routine check on my Bank of America credit card account ( ending in XXXX ), I found that there are fraudulent charges being made starting on XX/XX/2021. Someone stole my credit card information and made multiple fraudulent transactions totaled up to {$4800.00}. I immediately called Bank of America fraud department on XX/XX/2021 and disputed the charges. 
A few weeks later, I received a decision letter from Bank of America dated XX/XX/2021 ( see attachment ), saying that BOA was " unable to approve my recent fraud claim ''. On the letter, it said the reason they can't approve is because " The chip was read, your pin was entered and /or signed for merchandise or service '' ; it also said " Based on your account history, this charge is consistent with previous charges with this merchant ''. Neither of these two statement are true. First of all, all the charges have been made through online purchases, how could I even use a pin or a signature to authorize the online transaction? Second, I have never spent over {$4000.00} in a two-week period, most of the charges are made in Nevada and XXXX CA paying rents, utility bills and internet bills, and even XXXX XXXX  XXXX For example, the hacker has ordered 5 to 6 XXXX XXXX orders, whereas I rarely use XXXX XXXX services. I live in XXXX California, how could I have a consistent spending pattern of paying internet and utility bills in Nevada? I personally contacted the XXXXXXXX XXXX  and the merchant were able to refund me the XXXX XXXX charge within the week ; because XXXX XXXX  were able to trace the transactions and accounts and confirmed someone else called XXXX ( which probably is the Hacker ) ordered XXXX XXXX  ( see attachment of my conversation with XXXX XXXX, the account number end up in XXXX on XXXX conversation was the new replacement card after the old one was stolen, but it essentially linked to the same fraudulent credit card account )! 
I called BOA again and asked them to re-open and re-investigate my case. Rep on the phone asked me to file a police report ( see attachment, XXXX XXXX Police department report CI # XXXX ). ). So I filed a police report on the same day ( XX/XX/2021 ). Police officers were very nice, they took my bank transactions sheet and even to their judgment, the transactions are obviously fraudulent charges. So I called Bank of America again, asking to add the police report number to my case profile so it can be used as an evidence. However, this time, the rep over the phone told me that my bank account was currently blocked and I have to drive to a local banking center, so a banker can call the fraud line, give them the banker 's " special access code '' and unlock my account for me. so I drove to the bank center the next day, banker called the fraud line and re-opened the case for me. Banker also helped me to fax the police report card over. Again, when the banker at the financial center looking at my transactions, he agreed that these are fraudulent charges. But still, the fraud department have to re-investigate. 
Fast forward to XX/XX/2021, I received a letter dated on XX/XX/2021 from Bank of America, saying they still can't give my money back, because I authorized those fraudulent transactions, and because I " signed a receipt or contract ''? How ridiculous is that? I have been with Bank of America for over 10 years, and I am classified as a " preferred gold member '' in their system, for all of these years, I have never reported a fraudulent charge. And this is how Bank of America treat their loyal customers??? Here I am filing, a complain through CFPB, because I need a justice. Over {$4000.00} is not a small number to me, it's more than my one-month salary. I am currently XXXX XXXX XXXX, will be on my maternity leave soon, means I will not get paid for the next 6 weeks. And yet Bank of America is pressing me to pay the {$4000.00} that was not even used by me???? And you made me jump so many hoops, with me being very pregnant, calling the police, filing police report, drove to a local bank to unlock my account. I was both XXXX  and XXXX XXXX of dealing with Bank of America. Please help me solve this issue and get my money back!!!!

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation