Consumer complaint received 2024-01-05
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: OR
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 discovered a fraudulent charge on my Bank of America XXXX credit card. I immediately contacted BofA to dispute the charge via their main phone number ( XXXX ) as listed on my card. A customer service rep took my report and a " fraud dispute '' was placed on the charge, and the sum ( {$1900.00} ) was refunded to my account. The dispute went into investigation by BofA. 

About a week later ( on XX/XX/XXXX ), I received a voicemail, ostensibly from the merchant responsible for the charge, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX. The person on the voicemail claimed to be the company owner ( XXXX XXXX ) and stated that a fake account had been made in his company 's name, and that that was the account that had charged me. I did not call him back ; I had no way of knowing whether or not this person was who he said he was. ( A web search indicated that the phone number indicated by caller ID checked out as legitimate for the business. ) The caller indicated the location of the business as XXXX, XXXX ; as I live in XXXX XXXX, XXXX -- XXXX miles away -- there is no way I would do business with a home services contractor from so far away from the only property I own. I believe this fact backs up my claim that the charge is false. 

On the morning of XX/XX/XXXX, I received notice from BofA stating that my claim was denied. BofA 's letter cited " The merchant provided documentation confirming you received the merchandise or service '' as reason to deny the fraud claim. The bank reinstated the charge to my account. Attached to their letter was a copy of an alleged invoice, as part of a " DISPUTE RESPONSE PACKET FROM XXXX '' ( XXXX, the payment processor ) that allegedly confirmed the transaction as valid. However, there is no indication on the invoice of what product or service was supposedly rendered by this contractor, nor is there any signature or any other recognizable authorization from me on the document. The XXXX paperwork merely affirms that the transaction took place -- something everyone already knows because the transaction showed up on the account! 

I contacted BofA that morning, and I was given by another phone rep a " direct line '' number for their " Existing XXXX Claims '' department, XXXX ( which was not open on that Saturday ). On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the direct line and spoke to a representative from XXXX, explaining that the information in the letter was inaccurate, that it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to have contracted with this XXXX the Builder in XXXX for any service, and insisted that the fraud case be reopened. I played the recording of the voicemail for the representative, who confirmed that she could hear it, and that my call to her was being recorded, so BofA would have the recorded voicemail for reference in the reopened case. The phone representative assured me that the case would be reopened. 

However, as of today ( XX/XX/XXXX ) the reinstated charge for {$1900.00} remains on my account, I have received no notice of any action by BofA, and BofA 's online site still indicates the fraud claim is " resolved. '' In the interim, my billing cycle has closed, with the fraudulent charge included on my latest bill, leaving me open to being charged interest and penalties if I do not pay the amount due, including a sum THAT I NEVER AUTHORIZED FOR MY ACCOUNT. 

When I made a follow-up call to Existing XXXX  Claims, I was informed that, in response to my previous call, the case had been reopened and that the reopened case had once again been rejected and deemed closed " by the XXXX. '' I asked for a human responsible for the investigation to contact me so I can review the materials of the case with him or her. I was informed someone would call me, but that the call might not come for " XXXX XXXX XXXX weeks. '' As of this moment, my fraud claim remains in limbo, at best, and is doomed to be repeatedly denied despite the facts of the case clearly indicating that I never authorized the transaction. 

BofA has treated this case cavalierly, without serious intent, has dragged its feet and allowed an XXXX program to make a judgment on the case despite the fact that those programs are notoriously unreliable. The bank has purposely not done a thorough investigation of this fraud, and is looking to stick me with the charge, unjustly and without merit, just to protect their bottom line. Only outside, regulatory pressure will push the bank to bring this case to an accurate resolution before I am charged fees and interest on a transaction that is not legitimate and is unauthorized. Please help prevent the bank from taking advantage of me.

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