Consumer complaint received 2019-04-03
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: OR
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with rewards from credit card

Complaint:
To Whom It May Concern, This complaint is about a problem with US Bank 's Flex Perks credit card travel rewards program. Here is a quick overview of the problem : I had a confirmed reservation using my Flex Perks travel rewards points at a hotel in XXXX, XXXX. When I arrived at the hotel, front desk staff told me my reservation had been cancelled. Because the hotel would not honor the reservation using my Flex Perks travel reward points, I used my US Bank Flex Perks travel rewards credit card to pay for the room. US Bank deducted my Flex Perks travel rewards points from my account, and charged my Flex Perks travel rewards credit card for the stay. In essence, US Bank charged me twice for the hotel room - once by deducting my Flex Perks travel rewards points, and twice by charging my Flex Perks travel rewards credit card for the stay. 

Here is a brief overview of what happened. I attempted to check into the XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX using my confirmed reservation. My confirmation number is XXXX. My XXXX XXXX XXXX  trip ID is XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from XXXX that states Your itinerary is confirmed. XXXX Flex Points had been applied. The email was sent by : XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX  XXXX. Upon being informed by XXXX XXXX front desk staff that my reservation had been cancelled, I asked for a reason. I was told XXXX XXXX XXXX was no longer participating in the program. The hotel would not honor my confirmed reservation paid for with XXXX Flex Perks travel rewards points. This response came as a surprise because XXXX XXXX never informed me my reservation had been cancelled. US Bank never informed me my reservation had been cancelled. 

Upon learning XXXX XXXX had cancelled my confirmed reservation without notifying me, I called the Outside the XXXX number on the back of my US Bank XXXX XXXX travel rewards card, which is XXXX. After speaking with US Bank representatives for about 90 minutes, I was cut off. US Bank was unable to resolve the problem. I then checked into the hotel, paying with my US Bank Flex Perks Travel Rewards credit card. 

I checked out of the XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. The hotel charged my US Bank Flex Perks Travel Rewards credit card XXXX XXXX. This amount includes six nights for my room, one night for another room for a friend, and one breakfast. I am not disputing the room for one night for my friend or the breakfast, which totals XXXX XXXX. The total amount I am disputing is XXXX XXXX, which is the charge for the six-night stay. 

I completed my XXXX trip and returned to my home in the XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. Upon my return, I called US Bank to explain the problem and receive a solution. It is now XX/XX/XXXX. I have called US Bank approximately 20 times between the end of XX/XX/XXXX and today in an effort to resolve the problem. At first, the bank appeared to take my problem seriously. I was told to file a dispute. Once I filed the dispute, US bank issued a provisional credit of XXXX  {$1200.00} ( plus {$20.00} for applicable interest ) on XX/XX/XXXX pending investigation. 

During the investigation, US Bank sent me a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX stating, You have informed us that this purchase was also paid by other means. In order to further research your dispute, additional information is required. I did not know what the bank meant by the term other means. I did not complete and return this form because I did not understand the term other means. I called US Bank on XX/XX/XXXX to ask for clarification of this term. The representative told me it was all right, and that I should fax the confirmation of my itinerary to the bank. This information was faxed from a US Bank branch. A few days later, I followed up with US Bank. A representative confirmed receipt of my fax and informed me the investigation would continue. I told the representative that I would not make a payment towards the credit card account while the investigation was in progress. When I saw US Bank had charged interest to the credit card account, I called US Bank to complain about this charge. 

I should note that every time I called US Bank, there was no single contact person. Instead, I had to explain the situation anew to a different person each time I called US Bank. It appeared the investigation had not been concluded and was ongoing. Because I had not heard anything from US Bank, I called them again last week to find out if the investigation had concluded. I recorded these conversations in their entirety. During one call last week that approached two hours, I was transferred several times among various US Bank representatives. I was told the investigation had concluded. When I pressed for details, no one could tell me the findings of the investigation or explain why it was denied. I then asked a representative - a manager - how US Bank could end the investigation and find the dispute was resolved when the XXXX Flex Points had been applied to the hotel stay in addition to the XXXX XXXX  I charged to my US Bank Flex Points travel rewards card. The manager could not explain how US Bank could claim to have resolved the dispute without either returning my XXXX Flex Perks rewards points or refunding the {$6800.00} I used to pay for the hotel room. 

Instead of providing me a rationale, the manager told me the position of US Bank is that It is not their responsibility. I was told I must contact a company called XXXX to resolve the dispute. At this point, I wondered why US Bank did not tell me at the onset that XXXX bore sole responsibility. I had called XXXX before, and was told that they must call the vendor XXXX XXXX XXXX. If the vendor does not cooperate, there is nothing XXXX can do. I was told by US Bank before that XXXX XXXX would not cooperate. Therefore, because the hotel would not cooperate, it was clear there was nothing XXXX could do for me to solve the problem. I had told US Bank this response earlier during one of the many phone calls. It is a US Bank credit card and a US Bank rewards program. It is my position that US Bank should have solved this problem rather than referring me to a third-party. 

The problem I have, and the reason I am filing this dispute with CFPB, is US Bank will not resolve the problem, and XXXX will not solve the problem. Despite the fact that these corporations refuse to take responsibility, US Bank will not refund my Flex Perks travel rewards points or reverse the amount charged to my credit card. 

The relief I am requesting is a full refund of the XXXX  dollar equivalent of the XXXX XXXX I charged to my US Bank Flex PerXXXX travel rewards cards to pay for the six-night stay at XXXX XXXX after the hotel would not honor my confirmed reservation that had already been paid for using XXXX Flex Points. I am not requesting refund of the XXXX rewards points. I planned this stay in XXXX only because I could use my travel rewards points. I relied, to my detriment it turns out, on all parties honoring the contract that was made. I simply want to be made whole by all parties honoring the contract that was agreed upon. For this to occur, US Bank must reverse the XXXX charge to Flex Perks travel rewards credit card. 

Thank you!

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