Consumer complaint received 2018-10-23
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: DE
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card
Sub-issue: Credit card company won't increase or decrease your credit limit

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX I realized my adult daughter living in another State had my account number and was using it for living expenses. i took no action as I am walking a fine line with her, being XXXX and suffering from XXXX XXXX and XXXX issues. I was willing to let it go until the credit limit of {$16000.00} had been reached, and when further use would be declined, she would reach out and we could work towards a different solution as opposed to me 'shutting her off '. I believe a phone call during this time was made to change the account number to assure my debt would not continue to increase. ( I assume there will be a recording of that call ( a call between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX ). I was given a NEW account number ending XXXX ). On all three of my statements ( ending XX/XX/XXXX, ending XX/XX/XXXX, ending XX/XX/XXXX, i had crossed out the XXXX and notated XXXX. On at least 1 and i believe 2 phone calls made to customer service and/or to pay on the account, I mentioned to the Rep that my new number ending XXXX was not being recognized by the Auto system and i would receive a response " let 's try this a different way ''. The rep said sometimes that happens, and I gave it no further thought. I never gave it a thought that I hadn't received a new card, since I had NO intention of ever using it again. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, the balance was significantly over the limit, and I called Customer Service asking WHY the limit was not enforced, and What could I do to prevent further usage. I admit I was crying, very upset, especially when he said nothing would stop these auto -type charges. Incredulous, I did not understand this. He said he could process a request to freeze further use, and of course I said " do whatever you have to do to stop further use of this card. ( I believed closing an account was bad for credit worthiness, and had had other cards 'frozen ' in the past, so I hoped this would correct the problem. ) I I don't recall mentioning the new account number ; or, maybe this was when that was supposed to have occurred. Again, the recordings should clarify, as i didn't make a note of exact date being in my state of mind at the time. I called again on XX/XX/XXXX to follow up, and the i heard that there was significant activity even since XX/XX/XXXX, and was distraught. The representative told me they knew nothing about a Freeze form and that nothing would stop these auto charges. Again, I said this made no sense to me. WHY have a credit limit, if the sky is the limit. Isn't this some huge loop-hole? i will pay for charges accrued, BUT I NEED THE BLEEDING TO STOP. PLEASE DO SOMETHING TO STOP FURTHER USAGE OF THIS CARD. The rep suggested I speak to FRAUD. I said this isn't fraud, I know is it my daughter. He said they deal with this all the time, and nothing bad sould happen to my daughter. I could not risk implicating her in the state she was going thru, with my support and I was her life line. In tears, I asked for the second time to Block/Freeze, STOP further use of this card. 
XX/XX/XXXX, the balance was now over {$19000.00} i called again and allowed them to put me thru to FRAUD. The representatives were understanding, and patient, b ut at the end they advised that they WOULD need to go after my daughter and I fell apart! This is the LAST Thing that i wanted to happen. This would be detrimental to her safety ( I feared XXXX tendency ) and our relationship. So, I pleaded that the card be PUT ON HOLD, stop further activity, and I also believed I was DUE CREDIT for some amount of monehy as no one has offered me ANY type of support to help me, the CONSUMER. I have set my self on fire, to no avail. Early to mid XX/XX/XXXX, I called FRAUD again to see what action had been taken to block the use of the card, as it had not topped {$20000.00}. I spoke with XXXX. Not only was she not sympathetic, she was bordering on HOSTILE. After hearing my explanation of where things stood after these  many conversations, and my delicate position with my daughters condition, she proceeded to tell me that the Police have reached out to her!!!! Honestly, I dropped to my knees. Angrily, I reminded her this was the ONE THING that was NOT to happen. She quickly then said that no one had reached out to my daughter yet. She proceeded to tell me nothing will stop these auto charges UNLESS I CLOSE THE ACCOUNT. She went on to explain that these charges were coming from APP 'S, where my account number was linked. I was not familiar with these APP processes. I asked why no one had given me the info that only closing the account would the charges stop? Shouldn't someone have helped me on XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, or the first call to the Fraud department? She sharply replied that this was my responsibility. I needed to sit calmly with my daughter, and one by one, delete the account numbers from the APP 's. AT this point I was nearly unable to communicate. I asked not to give me PARENTAL ADVICE on dealing with my daughter, who is XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX. I am walking a tightrope and in terror everyday, and ALL I have asked for is GUIDANCE to HOW TO STOP FURTHER ACTIVITY ON MY ACCOUNT. Couldn't one person advised me to close the account. I said " close it and hung up. 
Apparently that isn't how you go about closing an account. It remained open. ( I hadn't realized this yet ) I received a survey to respond to my call with XXXX and I made my disgust clear and asked for follow up. 
On XX/XX/XXXX. I was hold for over an hour. They said they needed a reason for closing the account, an d i asked they please not make me go thru the experience again, just close it. ultimately, he relented and closed the account. 
Feeling mis treated, I called the Fraud department again on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with XXXX, the XXXX. HE WAS WONDERFUL. The first person to seem to care. Though he would not specify how much over a limit an account should go, he admitted that {$4000.00} sounds too high. He couldn't help me in recovering moneh, but put me in touch with someone that he thought could provide further assistance. XXXX, in Debt Management. She was sympathetic, but could only offer help in Managing the debt. But then quickly, changed that to being UNable to help with that either, since it as a o % interest card, and hadn't been opened long enough. This was not what I expected. I reminded her that even though I am not looking for how to manage the debt at this point, I appreciated the offer, only to then learn they can't even help me with that! i have been a customer since XX/XX/XXXX,  spending tens of thousands. But right now I am looking for relief, and can she transfer me to someone in authority. Her supervisor was too busy to speak to me but I was promised a call back in 48 hours. 
I might have missed a call back, but I called back XX/XX/XXXX. I sapoke with XXXX XXXX. She had no information on my situation, said I did not qualify for debt management, and it was not Fraud, and she could offer no help. 
I called Debt Managment back to attempt to speak with whoever was to call me back in 48 hours, and her name was XXXX. She said ' WE ARE NOT BANK OF AMERICA ', i HAVE NO RECORD OF YOU. She said it sounds like I am looking for a settlement, and that will not happen. 
XX/XX/XXXX I called BOA, XXXX XXXX, aftger receiving a letter that she needed to follow up with me. She was very sympathetic. She researched my situation, and came back with the following explanation : she said I requested a new account number on XX/XX/XXXX. received the card at my home address, and authorized it via phone on XX/XX/XXXX I think she said. Therefore, the activity STOLPPED ON XX/XX/XXXX, accomplishing exactly what I wanted to accomplish if onbly i had requestdd that happen sooner, i would have saved the additional charges from being accepted. No settlement was warranted. This was the first time it hit me that I DID NOT REQUEST A NEW ACCOUNT NUMBER ON XX/XX/XXXX. I had made at least two calls to make payments where my new account number was not recognized. And why hadn't anyone ever suggested I simply change the account number to have the activity stop? Why did XXXX tell me ONLY closing the account would stop further activity? How would I have notated XXXX ( the new number ) on older statements prior to XX/XX/XXXX if the number had only changed ON XX/XX/XXXX. 
I believe every representative of BOA failed to help me from my first phone call, where I literally pleaded for help. I was given parental advise when a life was literrally hanging in the balance. ( things have significantly improved since then i am happy to say ) .For BOA to not accept partial responsibility is unfathomable to 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 explanation