Consumer complaint received 2019-05-15
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: CA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Written notification about debt
Sub-issue: Notification didn't disclose it was an attempt to collect a debt

Complaint:
For about a year now, Bank of America has been using an incorrect address and telephone number for me, even after I had provided them with an updated address. They also stated that they do not send letters to consumers in efforts to collect a debt, but only makes telephone calls. A Bank of America representative and supervisor also claimed that Bank of America do not send letters to consumers and therefore, my credit card account, that I had maintained for years and was making small payments of {$25.00} - $ XXXX monthly -after I had communicated to them, by telephone, in XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and in XX/XX/XXXX, that I was not working due medical reasons. Each call that I had made in those months mentioned above, not one representative inform me of the possibility of my account closing, nor did they offer me a program or suggestion to avoid closure of my account. Bank of America never sent/mailed me one letter warning me of the possibility of closing my account, did not provide me an opportunity to make higher payments to avoid closure, nor did they offer or inform me of any opportunity to dispute. When I received an alert on my account in mid XX/XX/XXXX about Bank of America closing my account, after 6 years of maintaining that credit card, I called them to ask why. The male representative I spoke to, was irate in tone and told me that I had not made a payment in almost 6 months, which I then tried to explain that it was not true. When I asked the representative why I was not informed of this in writing, he explained that Bank of America do not send letters and that they call. I then stated that I have never heard of any bank not sending letters, particularly with so much fraud happening. He then stated that I had to make {$400.00} at that moment and when I requested if I could set up a payment plan, he stated no. I then requested to speak to a supervisor, who ended up being a female out of the Bank of America California office. I stated to the supervisor that the representative was rude and that he said that Bank of America do not send letters to consumers and she then stated, " that is correct, we do not send letters and only make phone calls. I informed the supervisor that I had not received any phone calls, as well. She said that there is nothing else that they can do. I asked her if this telephone call was being recorded ( and she stated yes ) because I had never heard of a bank not contacting a consumer in writing ( as she had stated ) especially in efforts of collecting a debt and with so much fraud. In XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted Bank of America again in hopes of possibly being able to set up a payment plan, instead of my account staying closed. Another male representative told me that I had to make {$400.00} payment. I also asked him about me not receiving any form of communication - written or verbal regarding my account closing. He stated that they did send me a letter. I told him that a representative and a supervisor told me that they do not send letters. I then asked him to confirm my mailing address. It was an incorrect address and telephone number for me. I told the representative that that's an old address in which I had updated with them in early XXXX and that he should see that on file. He then said, oh, I do see it on file. We were using an incorrect address. Again, in XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted Bank of America again and the representative explained to me that it was too late and that I had to pay the {$600.00} dollars. This time, I was quoted a higher balance, over {$200.00} more than what I was quoted a month before. I asked if I could speak to collections and she stated that collections will not speak to me until I make payment of {$600.00}. I had asked the representative to note in the computer that the address that Bank of America has on file for me is incorrect and that I had informed them of my new address about a year ago and still continue to use an incorrect address. She stated that she would note the account.

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