Consumer complaint received 2023-09-27
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CT
Product: Credit 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/XXXX I made a reservation to stay at a hotel in XXXX, NY for a wedding. Upon arrival I began to blowdry my hair for the first wedding event. Within a few minutes, the manager was pounding on my door and then suddenly a fire alarm went off. Please note ; the manager was at my door BEFORE the fire alarm went off. He very rudely questioned, while yelling in my face, 'WHAT is going ON in here!?! ' I explained that I was blow drying my hair and had product in it. And he spat back incredulously, 'WHY is it all hazy in here?! ' I calmly moved aside to show him my blowdryer, which he could have heard through the door, and explained again, there was product in my hair which caused VAPOR, not smoke. There was no smell or anything. This manager said nothing about there being emergency staff coming to check my room and reset the fire alarm, actually he didn't say anything at all beyond a rude 'Ooookay. Sure, ' before storming off. I then moved into the bathroom where there was a fan, shut the door and continued to finish my hair when suddenly there's pounding on the bathroom door INSIDE my room!!! I came out to find a fireman had been let in my room without my consent and was later told this was because of emergency protocol, but the manager who'd just been in my room not five minutes prior was fully aware there was no emergency, which, to me, completely voids that protocol. I could have been in any state of undress!!! And the fact of the matter was that this hotel where I'd paid to stay safely had now let someone in my room without my permission WHILE I WAS IN IT. I ended up missing the rehearsal dinner for the wedding because I was dealing with the hotel staff and the fireman and now didn't even trust leaving my things. I didn't really want to stay there, but I was XXXX hours from home and didn't have any more money to go stay somewhere else. I spent the next 2 days riddled with anxiety that I might set off another alarm or that someone else would be allowed in my room without permission. The following day I made it to the actual wedding itself. Then the next morning when I went to check out, I saw they'd slapped a {$270.00} charge on my bill for the smoking I had not done in the room. No mention was ever made of this by the manager, who was conveniently unavailable, either. While I was supposed to be at the final wedding event, I was instead arguing with hotel staff to get them to remove the charge as I didn't smoke in the room and there were no damages. I'd now missed XXXX of the events in the wedding because of the hotel staff. When I got home, imagine my surprise when I found over {$600.00} of unauthorized and unexplained charges on my card, all from the hotel. They now had over {$1000.00} of my money and all I had to show for it was a ruined trip. When I called the hotel to get information, I was given the run-around on the phone until they eventually HUNG UP ON ME. Twice. They had essentially ruined my stay and now stolen over {$600.00} and refused to talk to me. I called Bank of America to dispute the charge and they said they would need to " verify my story '' ... .with the hotel that had just lied and stolen from me. Seem legit. I eventually was able to get back the money for the unauthorized charges, not through the hotel - because they wouldn't speak to me, but through disputing with Bank of America. But I didn't feel I should have to pay for a stay that was completely ruined AND deal with the drama of trying to get my over {$600.00} back for the following week or so after. 

It's been over a month and Bank of America has now denied my claim as to the dispute for charge for the stay, giving no information as to why in their 'response letter ' and when I called they refused to work with me and said that technically services were rendered since I didn't cancel my stay. I didn't have any more money to stay somewhere else and I was XXXX hours from home. I had NO CHOICE but to stay even though I felt completely unsafe as they'd let emergency personnel into my room unauthorized when they knew there was no emergency, and basically harassed me about smoking which I wasn't doing. This was supposed to be a fun weekend getaway and instead I spent it anxiety-ridden and then had to spend the next week trying to get back the money they'd stolen. I do not feel I should have to pay for this stay at all and Bank of America and the hotel refuse to work with me. I even offered to compromise and said they could remove half of the charge but they said unless I could prove that services were not rendered by showing a cancellation, they wouldn't be doing anything further. I am disgusted with the level of " customer service '' from both XXXX XXXX XXXX & XXXX by XXXX in XXXX, NY and Bank of America, with whom I've been a loyal customer for over a decade. Please note on the image of the adjusted invoice where they ADMIT I was not smoking in the room and there was no need for the original charge or any of the additional unauthorized charges. In another image, you'll see several of these unauthorized charges for {$270.00} where they were charged and refunded. There was also another unexplained charge for an additional {$220.00}, which was scrubbed from the account. I never received an explanation for any of these charges. You'll also find my 'claim denied " letter from Bank of America where they gave an insufficient explanation of denial.

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 monetary relief