Consumer complaint received 2018-05-17
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Application denied

Complaint:
This is a formal complaint and plea for review regarding a recent credit card application that I submitted with Bank of America and the unfair credit practices practiced on me as a result. I have exhausted all avenues of contact, I have spoken with everyone with authority at Bank of America credit team, and have been met with the same level of ineptitude, incompetence, and lack of basic cognitive skills. About the issue in short : In XX/XX/XXXX, I applied for a Travel Rewards Credit Card with Bank of America online. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter requesting verification, to which I responded with a tracked mail, which included copies of my United States Passport, California issued drivers license, utility bill with my current address ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ), as well as verification of income and a copy of my Social Security card. Subsequently I had contact with several representatives and their supervisors at the credit team ( XXXX ). I was advised that my address cant be verified and that I need to go to the branch. I went to the branch 4 times, from where we completed verification, as well as spoke with other representatives in the credit team for review of my file. Towards the end of XX/XX/XXXX, the leading issue that was quoted to me robotically by all the employees, was that my current address does not match that on my drivers license. I respectfully explained that my license was issued 4 years and 10 months ago, and in California it is valid for 5 years, and that I have changed my address with the DMV per applicable laws, however the address on the plastic card will not change until a new card is issued, which is at most 60 days before expiration, or if you lose the card. I have not lost my card and as of today I am still 11 days from that 60-day renewal period. However, my address has changed about 3 years ago, at which point I updated the DMV, as well as my accounts with Bank of America that Ive had for about 15 years. I tried to seek a humanoid with at least basic deductive reasoning skillset to explain how it works in California and that Ive jumped through all the hoops that you dont make the terrorists jump through and are forcing a tax-paying U.S. Citizen to jump through, after which the application still gets denied for the same reasoning. Moreover, a new application gets submitted on XX/XX/XXXX on my behalf, without my consent or authorization, which the credit team refuses to acknowledge or correct, threatening that there is an IP address associated with the application and implying that theres no point in lying. As calmly as I could, I advised the representative to check that IP address and discover that it will come back to their office. At that time the narrative changed to you said please reconsider, and we reconsidered by adding a new inquiry on your credit, while you are fighting with us to remove the first inquiry due to not getting a fair credit consideration. Here its important to note, that the only person whose name I would like to exclude from the incompetence list is XXXX XXXX. Whether that is a real name or assigned name, I am not privy to that. 
For over a month and a half I am fighting with Bank of America to understand that fair credit consideration is when an application for credit is considered with view of applicable laws, to which I get an answer of Patriot Act. I campaigned for the Patriot Act and Im familiar with its content almost verbatim. There is not a single mention of a drivers license plastic card having to have a current address. The Act requires verification, including  address, to which I complied by sending my Bank of America statements as well as a utility bill. I have also not shied away from going to the branch to identify myself, even though every single employee at my branch knows me for the past 15 years. I have asked over 20 times for literature explaining that my address on the license has to be the current one for me to be able to apply for credit, whether in print or online. I have not been provided with such literature. Additionally, every personal banker at the branch confirmed that they regularly take applications where the address on the license is not up to date, and that the matter gets remedied by utility bills, statements, personal verification, etc. What that means is, that the request being made of me is not consistent with applicable California laws, the Patriot Act, nor with Bank of America policies. Constitutionally, any law, rule, guideline, that is to be enforced, must be available to the consumer, or the average citizen, to review, understand, and comply with. My application was denied for a reason that is not written anywhere, is not an applicable law, and has no logical explanation. Therefore, the credit consideration for my XX/XX/XXXX application has NOT been done fairly BY LAW. 
I have made it clear multiple times since the beginning of this month, that I am, at this point, no longer interested in obtaining credit with Bank of America, as it would mean ongoing relationship with a bank that treats its lawful, tax-paying clients as I have been treated- with disrespect, with illegality, and with complete disregard. Instead, I asked for the inquiry to be removed from my credit due to the fact that I have not been given lawful, fair credit consideration. However, Im firmly convinced that the issue quoted to me ( address not up to date on license ) is just a dummy reason to cover up a different mess that was created on my file, and since I have 90 days for credit consideration on a single application, I intend to get my license renewed at the end of XX/XX/XXXX, and provide Bank of America with my new license and my current address, just to find out the extent of chaos that the representatives created on my file and to see what reason I will get this time. I hope you understand how concerning this is to me as a small business owner, as a tax-paying American, and lastly as a consumer and a long-time customer of your bank. 
I hereby respectfully request that proper instructions be given to the credit team of Bank of America regarding the legality of their practices, and as to my application, to either remove the credit inquiry, or to process my application ( WITHOUT A NEW INQUIRY, I HAVE 90 DAYS ON MY FIRST APPLICATION ). I will have no other avenue than to start legal proceedings, which is not a desired prospect for 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