Consumer complaint received 2017-11-19
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: NY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Sub-issue: Didn't receive advertised or promotional terms

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX, Bank of America began offering a credit card named XXXX, which I applied for in XX/XX/XXXX. The principal reason I submitted the application and was interested in the product was its signup bonus, which promised to deliver to the cardholder a certain amount of points ( redeemable against the cardholder 's credit card balance ) if over {$3000.00} is spent on the card within 3 months of approval. The card, however, never arrived at my address. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the number on the promotional materials I initially received on the card to check on the status of the card - and if the promotional points offer was still available to me - to ask for a replacement card. As it had already been nearly 3 months since the card was authorized by Bank of America, it would not be possible to meet the promotion 's prerequisites because the card was never actually available for me. Speaking with a representative, I was told that the bank would place a request to allow me to be eligible for the signup offer for spending the {$3000.00} within 3 months of card activation ( once I receive and activate the card ) rather than within 3 months of approval. With this understanding, I requested the replacement card, received and activated it, and subsequently spent the amount required for the promotion ( I would not have used or even activated the card had I not been supposedly eligible ). The bonus points were never credited to me. 

Between that time and now, I have called Bank of America and XXXX XXXX multiple times. I was first told that they would check on the status of the request and look into it ( this  by a XXXX XXXX representative ). After several weeks without a response, I called again and was told that the original request regarding the points ( from when I first received and activated the XXXX card ) had been denied, months after I had spent thousands of dollars on the XXXX  card. I spoke with multiple supervisors at both Bank of America and at XXXX XXXX ( the XXXX XXXX supervisors I spoke to directed me to Bank of America, who I was told " handles all decisions '' regarding credit card promotions and requests ). The Bank of America supervisor I spoke to told me that it was in fact XXXX XXXX that is responsible for the decision on this particular card, and directed me back to yet another supervisor at XXXX XXXX. The XXXX XXXX supervisor finally acknowledged that the decision was in fact made by a XXXX XXXX team ( contrary to what I was told earlier that same day ), but that I am unable to contact them and that the decision will not be changed. Their decision was based on the transcripts/recordings of my previous calls with XXXX XXXX, where the associate I spoke with did not " explicitly promise '' anything ( they will not share the transcripts/recordings with me ). These last several conversations occurred on XX/XX/XXXX. 

I would appreciate any feedback the CFPB can provide on this situation. My primary issue is that I activated and used the XXXX card solely because I was told clearly back in XX/XX/XXXX I would be eligible for the promotional offer given that it was XXXX XXXX 's fault that I never received the card when I first applied and only received it approximately 3 months after the original application was approved. I apologize for making multiple references to both XXXX XXXX and Bank of America ( they are the same company to the best of my understanding ) - I have been referred back and forth between the two institutions throughout this process. 

Unfortunately the XXXX card has been discontinued and Bank of America / XXXX XXXX has removed the materials regarding the card from their websites, so I am unable to attach the original promotional materials. Understanding that it is not a direct or official source, I was able to find this link on the internet regarding the promotional information : XXXX XXXX XXXX  Thank you for your attention.

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 non-monetary relief