Consumer complaint received 2023-09-15
Company: TD BANK US HOLDING COMPANY
State: FL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
Complaint regarding TD Bank dispute cases XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Total payment amount : {$170.00} USD Total chargeback amount : {$69.00} USD Transaction date : XX/XX/2023 This complaint pertains to booking XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX- merchant ) Date of the first dispute : XXXX XX/XX/2023 Date of the second dispute : XXXX XX/XX/2023 This complaint is regarding a dispute case that was mishandled by the TD Bank representatives on two occasions . The first case was opened on XXXX XXXX, case XXXX XXXXXXXX. This case was a dispute for a merchant XXXX, for an amount of {$69.00} USD of the total charge amount of {$170.00}. The disputed amount was refused to be returned by the merchant despite canceling the XXXX reservation within 1.5 hours after the booking was made which was due to a cancellation of my transportation to XXXX XXXX, XXXX to a place where my XXXX stay was located. I immediately reached out to the XXXX  host to resolve this matter, but I was advised they were unable to assist me and to contact the merchant directly XXXX. 
The first time I opened a dispute case with TD Bank, I explained all the details regarding the case and what happened. I also advised I have the communication evidence with the merchant that includes the direct communication with the XXXX  host as well as multiple calls made to XXXX support over a span of a few days. The call durations are included in the provided evidence. The customer support number for the XXXX merchant is XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX organization is almost a criminal enterprise that preys on people being unable to be present for a reserved booking, this is their business model, and it should be banned. Only in my case, the host had made NO preparations and NONE of their time was involved because the place was a residence/hotel with readily available rooms. 
After filing this initial dispute, I did not receive any update from TD Bank, and I had to call in for an update while traveling. Upon return, in my mailbox, was a letter requesting evidence to be sent to TD Bank by XXXX. XXXX. The letter postdate was XXXX. Instead of providing me with a phone call or an update via email or a secure message within my online banking, I was sent a physical letter with a deadline of less than 5 days from the day it arrived. I found this unacceptable in the current times. This is created to ensure that individuals like me, and I am a XXXX XXXX  who struggles financially, are taken advantage of by banking corporations. The banks have all the current technologies available to them, but they choose to communicate with me regarding very important matters via the post. This is a total lack of consideration for the consumer. If the bank allows online transactions and provides online banking all communication should be conducted in this manner. This is normally required by the merchants wanting to sell their products online the merchants must provide the customer with the ability to communicate via the means they made a purchase. I believe banks are NO exception to this rule. I am attaching proof of communication with TD Bank via secure messages from XXXX informing them of my unavailability in the physical location to where the post was being sent. Despite this, TD Bank took no action to attempt to contact me by any other means, so they closed the case. 
I called in regarding this case upon my return on XXXX. I filed the second chargeback case and provided the chargeback dispute team with the evidence by sending a fax to the disputes team number XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Upon contacting TD Bank on XXXX to inquire on the status of my dispute, I was advised it was closed I was provided with a generic explanation lacking any reasonable justification. 

A full explanation of the situation with XXXX XXXX : The booking cancellation and refund were requested around 1.5h hours after the booking. After I tried to contact the host on XXXX  app, I was completely locked out of my XXXX  account because I have no access to the email or phone on the account, I did not use XXXX  for over 2 years. I had no recourse to access my account again where I made the booking. The only option to contact XXXX XXXX was over the phone. I called number XXXX XXXX. Despite operating in different countries, XXXX does NOT provide local numbers. I had to pay to make the calls Internationally to the XXXX. Despite explaining I could NO longer access my XXXX account ; the phone support was not able to assist me and unlock my account. They also refused to provide a full refund. Also, the phone support would shift the responsibility of the refund onto the host while theyre the platform receiving the funds from the customers and have the banking relationships to accept payments, its not the hosts. XXXX is fully capable of requesting these refunds from the hosts who do not want to comply, but this would hurt their business, so they instead claim the host makes the final decision. 
My calls on XXXX XX/XX/2023 to XXXX support lasted as follows : XXXX minutes ( unable to get through ), wait times : XXXX hour, XXXX minutes, XXXX minutes, XXXX minutes. The total time I spent contacting XXXX support over about five phone calls was close to four hours. After explaining the situation, that I could not arrive in XXXX XXXX, I was told a refund of only 70 % would be approved plus I would be liable for a non-refundable service fee, charged by XXXX. The offered refund from the payment of {$170.00} USD was only {$100.00} USD. XXXX took close to {$70.00} from me for this booking despite all my best efforts to cancel. 
The host did not make any preparations for my bookings as its a service apartment building/hotel. 
My case number with XXXX was : XXXX. I want to mention that I had to request this case number, The support did not volunteer to provide me with any record of my claim/cancellation despite knowing I can no longer access the XXXX  account/app. 
Upon following up on this case on Monday XXXX XX/XX/, I was told the case was already closed. I was on the phone again twice for 30-40 minutes at a time. I explained my situation to multiple agents at this point. Transferred to the escalations department, I heard the same questions and answers, yet again putting all responsibility for deciding on a refund, on the host. ( please see screenshots showing the time spent on the phone to XXXX support. 
I proceeded to contact the XXXX XXXX XXXX, as soon as the merchant refused to assist me, on XX/XX/2023 to mediate on this matter but all of the responses from XXXX support were generic responses ( attached as evidence ). 
I am attaching all evidence provided to TD Bank support to resolve this case. This includes correspondence with the XXXX  Host, XXXX XXXX XXXX communication with TD Bank regarding my absence from XXXX as well as the record of calls made to XXXX support and their duration. This evidence is the evidence faxed to TD Bank 's disputes department on XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation