Consumer complaint received 2023-08-13
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: MN
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account
Sub-issue: Can't close your account

Complaint:
I received an ad in the mail for a Bank of America credit card in XX/XX/XXXX. I decided to apply for the card online to use it for the promotional balance transfer APR. At the time of application I entered in two balance transfer requests. One to my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and one to my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I was approved for the BOA credit card and received it in the mail on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX I tried to activate the credit card with the telephone electronic system but was transferred to a BOA representative. The BOA representative then told me that for some reason ( I was not provided with an explanation other than " to prevent fraud '' ) I would need to go into a BOA branch and provide XXXX forms of ID in order to activate my new credit card. I informed the BOA representative that the closest BOA branch was XXXX hours away and that I would not be able to activate my card. I then asked the BOA representative to close the BOA credit card because there is no point in having a credit card that I can not use. The BOA representative told me that I would have to go into a branch with two forms of ID in order to close the BOA card. This is a very important part here... I asked the BOA rep if my balance transfers would still go through and she said " No '', I reiterate that I was verbally informed by the BOA representative that without activating the card, the balance transfer requests would not go through. With this information, I decided to not pursue the BOA card activation any further, and planned to go into a BOA branch to close my BOA credit card the next time I am in a city with a BOA branch ( that could be 6 months to a year from now ). With the information that my balance transfers would not go through, I went into a XXXX XXXX  branch the next day and applied for a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with a 0 % promotional balance transfer option. I was approved for the credit card in XX/XX/XXXX and soon thereafter I saw the balance transfers pay off my XXXX XXXX credit card and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Now, today on XX/XX/XXXX I went to review my XXXX and XXXX cards to make a monthly payment and I see that both cards have a large overpayment balance. In a review of the balance history ( and a review of my XXXX XXXX XXXX and history ) I see that Bank of America DID extend a credit balance and balance transfer to my XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX  EVEN THOUGH I was verbally told ( probably on a recorded line ) that those balance transfers would not go through and that I couldn't even activate my card. Because the card is not activated, I can not even get on the app to review histories. I am sure that I was also charged a balance transfer fee. I want Bank of America to close the card and recall any funds they advanced ( I feel without my permission at this time since I was told the balance transfers were not going to happen ). I want them to reverse any balance transfer fees as well

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