Consumer complaint received 2020-05-19
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: NY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest
Sub-issue: Problem with fees

Complaint:
I am filing a complaint about the XXXX  XXXX credit card, which is owned and operated by Bank of America. I made one purchase in XX/XX/2019 and have paid it off, but the company has come after me for the 440 % in fees and interest. 

I opened this credit card in XX/XX/2019 when I saw an advertisement for it while checkimg out a flight online. It allowed me to " start earning rewards now ''. I signed up and used the account number on the screen to purchase the flight, but expected a card to show up in the mail. 

Months went by but I never received the credit card I had signed up for. I didn't receive any communication from BoA. The first piece of mail I opened from them, my account had already gone delinquent and I owed {$100.00} for the flight that I purchased ~ {$80.00} Annual sign-up fee ( that I was not aware of upon signing up ) and an additional + {$100.00} in late fees. 

I called up BoA and spoke to a representative. I agreed to pay my single, original charge and an additional 80 % in fees, which represented the charge for the annual fee - by the way, I only had the account three months before it closed. In return, they agreed to submit the remaining charges for dispute. They told me however that they couldn't notify me whether the dispute could be resolved, I would have to call back and wait in the queue again at a later time. Their communication during this entire experience seemed designed to keep me operating with as little information as possible. I had unknowingly incurred fees on a credit card I did not have and had to spend hours resolving it. 

I called back a week later and they told me that my dispute had been rejected. At this point I had asked to speak to a manager, because how could I really be expected to pay 180 % in interest and fees incurred in a three month period? The call dropped but given my conversation with the CSA, I was under the impression ( 1 ) my account was closed, I wouldn't incur any more charges and ( 2 ) that the remaining balance would be somehow invalidated, because it was compromised of strictly fees and interest on a card I never had. 

After XXXX I moved to XXXX XXXX from XXXX. I had paid off the original {$100.00} charge on my card and the {$80.00} annual fees, and the account was closed. I naturally left this alone and thought it was over. Then this XXXX they somehow got my address and sent me a notice that I owed {$360.00}. Apparently, closed doesn't mean closed! Again, without my knowledge, the account incurred fees and interest, this time amounting to {$360.00}, or 360 % of my original principle. And then they have the gall to charge off my account, meaning they put a permanent ( 7yr ) stain on my credit score! 

I spent countless hours dealing with this company, yet they stonewall me. I made one, single transaction, paid it and 80 % in fees, and yet they continue to demand an additional 360 % in fees and interest and viciously attack my credit score. Before I signed up for an XXXX  XXXX card I had a >800 credit score and a long credit history, but as a result of this single {$100.00} charge and a year of dealing with this company, my credit score has dropped to XXXX. This is usury. This is extortion. Please help me wipe this stain off my credit history and invalidate the 360 % in interest & fees they want to collect!

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