Consumer complaint received 2022-03-20
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card
Sub-issue: Can't use card to make purchases

Complaint:
I opened a Bank of America credit card under the XXXX XXXX XXXX program several years ago, because I travel long distance on XXXX XXXX times annually - I wanted to accrue more points. I routinely purchase these reservations over the phone, because their agents are far less glitchy than XXXX 's website and app. I believe I've established a pattern, for which these transactions should not trigger a fraud alert. 

This past week I experienced a torturous series of fraud alerts for my card, upon trying to pay for an XXXX reservation. It was torturous because every phone call to XXXX involved, on average, 80 minute wait times to speak with an agent. It was torturous because multiple times BOA Fraud representatives assured me that the problem was resolved and I would be able to complete the transaction. They were wrong, and I confirmed later, that they were either incompetent, or not trained properly. The BOA Fraud system was very inconsistent. Despite the fact that I made 6 separate attempts to pay for the trip with my BOA card, which were each declined, I received only one text asking if it was me, and one phone call. 

On Wed XX/XX/XXXX my BOA card was declined when I tried to purchase an XXXX XXXX. I assumed I had made a mistake on the card info. The agent and I tried again, still declined. I said I would call back later. I did not receive any communication from BOA. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX again XXXX XXXX. Card was declined. Immediately after hanging up the phone, I received a verification text from BOA detailing the 3 different declined transactions. I replied yes, it was me. The automated reply then said I could try again, nothing else was needed. 

I called XXXX at XXXX XXXX  - transaction declined. 

I called BOA Fraud at XXXX XXXX. After 2 different disconnects, I got thru to an agent. She checked things out, then said she didn't know why the card was blocked but she removed it and I could wait 15 minutes and then use the card. 

I called XXXX at XXXX ( the on-hold time was 65 minutes so well beyond the 15 minute reset time ). The transaction was declined. 

I called BOA at XXXX XXXX  and spoke with XXXX. She said she could see that the previous agent had done something incorrectly but she could fix it. She made me wait while she refreshed her system and then confirmed that the card could be used. It was confirmed. I told XXXX that I would try in the morning, and she said she made a special note of that. 

I called XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX. The transaction was declined. Immediately after hanging up I answered a phone call from BOA Fraud checking if I had used the card. I jumped down his throat. Told him I couldn't address the issue right then because I was starting my work day, and asked him to call me back at XXXX. He did not. 

I called BOA Fraud at XXXX XXXX and spoke with XXXX. She said that neither agent the night before had removed the block properly. She requested to have a manager enter an override. But I would have to wait as all the managers were at a meeting. As we spoke she noted that a manager was responding. I waited another 15 minutes and still the response was not finished. I asked XXXX if I really needed to be present for that, as I had to return to work. She said no, and said she would call me to confirm that the override was entered. She did not. 

On Sat XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX I called BOA Fraud to check on the override status. I spoke with XXXX who mentioned he was in Maryland. He reviewed everything, discovered some error, said he rectified the problem. Assured me - 3 times - that it was safe to try XXXX again, because the transaction would go through. I asked if I could reach him if I had problems. He said he did not have a direct line but odds were that my call would be routed to the same office, so perhaps I could ask for him. He must have been confident enough because he asked me to be sure and review his service on an email that I would receive. 

I called XXXX at XXXX. Other calls incurred on-hold times of 30-40 min, one was an hour, this one was THREE AND A HALF hours. But I hung on because XXXX was so confident that I would be successful. I was not. The card was declined. I finally relented and decided to forfeit any travel points that I would incur from a {$1500.00} purchase. I paid for the tickets with my XXXX from XXXX - no questions asked!! 

I called BOA Fraud at XXXX and connected with XXXX in Texas XXXX She could not transfer me to the Maryland office to speak with XXXX. I explained what happened and she said she could file a complaint for me. She said nothing could be done for me and I wouldn't get any response to the complaint other than an acknowledgement letter. I said that was unacceptable, that I needed to speak with a manager or supervisor or president. She transferred me to a supervisor named XXXX. She quickly ascertained that the last 4 BOA agents I had spoken with had all neglected to take one final step that would have unblocked my card. She told me that the card was all fixed and I could use it. I explained that I had already used a different card and made the purchase. But in consideration of the hours and hours of phone time, both to XXXX and BOA, that I should at least be compensated for the travel points that I forfeited. In fact, they were worth even more due to a concurrent promotion that I had registered for. XXXX said there probably wasn't compensation, but if I would hold some more, she would contact Customer Relations. It turns out that she transferred me to Customer Relations, and XXXX on the line knew nothing of the situation. She was told that I was inquiring about interest rates or special promotions. I explained my grievance. She said she would file a complaint but that they offered no compensation. 

I logged 10 hours on my phone this week for this issue! In the end, I still was unable to make the purchase with my Bank of America XXXX XXXX XXXX card - a card designed for this purpose. I was unable to earn travel points, which would have been higher during this time because of a special promotion. I was unable because of a flawed fraud detection system, and pure incompetency on the part of BOA 's fraud department.

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