Consumer complaint received 2022-05-13
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: WA
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:
I am disputing the denial of a claim ( # XXXX ) that I initiated with Bank of America on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX for a {$450.00} charge billed to my credit card on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. I understand that it doesnt fall under the normal time constraints, however, when I spoke with the credit card fraud department over the phone on XXXX XXXX & explained the situation in detail, they assured me that it was an extenuating circumstance & Bank of America would take the matter seriously. 

Clearly my dispute was rejected arbitrarily by someone who has no knowledge of how the XXXX XXXX operates or how far in advance XXXX XXXX  on the convention circuit have to plan our financial investments. Its not uncommon for us to pay months or years in advance for events that will occur in the future, and its not unreasonable to expect the terms of our contracts to be honoured. 

To sum up, Im a full time XXXX who travels for conventions. I pay a booth fee for each event ( often multiple months or years prior to the event ), event sales comprise 75-80 % of my income, and due to pandemic restrictions, many conventions were cancelled from XXXX. 

Every other event manager ( I normally exhibit at 20-30 conventions each year ) has offered either a full refund of booth fees or a transfer to the next in-person event. XXXX, however, is refusing to provide a full refund, and is attempting to selectively enforce separate sections of the contract I signed in XXXX for the event that would have been held in XX/XX/XXXX. 

XXXX recently rescheduled their next in-person event for XX/XX/XXXX, which unfortunately conflicts with my current event schedule. I was not notified of the new event dates, and had no idea the event had been rescheduled until friends started asking me if Id be in attendance. I had to contact XXXX to confirm the new dates, at which point XXXX confirmed that they chose not to contact exhibitors regarding the new dates. I have requested either a transfer to the XXXX event or a full refund, both of which XXXX has refused. 

XXXX contends that rescheduling the event from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX does not constitute a 'change ' of event dates, but my inability to attend the new event dates does constitute a cancellation. ' They are offering a refund by cheque of {$350.00}, but claim they are entitled to keep {$100.00} of my booth fee in accordance with Section 4 of their contract which stipulates the {$100.00} assessment only if the exhibitor cancels at least 60 days prior to the opening day of the event as stated in the contract. I contend that I did not cancel prior to the XXXX event dates in the contract ( XXXX has held my investment for over 2 years ), and that XXXX violated XXXX XXXX of their contract by willfully neglecting to notify exhibitors of the new event dates, thereby not providing exhibitors the option to withdraw within 10 days of the date change in order to request a full refund. 

I sent ( by fax & post ) my email exchanges with XXXX XXXX, XXXX exhibitor sales manager, as well as a copy of the original XXXX contract, signed by both parties to the Bank of America fraud department. I feel that I have exhausted all avenues of reasonable possibility, and that the XXXX convention has chosen to XXXX XXXX  & small businesses for their own financial gain, in direct breach of the contract I signed in XXXX. 

I initiated the dispute with Bank of America on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX for the full {$450.00} booth fee that I paid on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. They sent me a claim denial letter on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. By choosing to dismiss my concerns & refusing to refund my investment, Bank of America becomes complicit in this exploitation, and enables unscrupulous events like XXXX to victimise future artists & small businesses with their predatory financial practices. 

I appreciate your assistance, and Im happy to remit any & all additional information to the CFPB as well. Thank you in advance. 

~ XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX

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