Consumer complaint received 2023-03-11
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: OR
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Trouble using the card
Sub-issue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online

Complaint:
When purchasing an XXXX XXXXXXXX ticket I was presented with an offer for an XXXX XXXXXXXX credit card. The offer that if you applied and were immediately approved, you could use the credit card to purchase the tickets, get free priority boarding, a free checked bag, and possibly other immediate benefits for the flights being booked. It also stated that if you spent more than {$3000.00} within 90 days you would get XXXX bonus miles, a statement credit, and a companion fair. 

XXXX Based on this promise, and the fact that I would be spending more than {$3000.00} on the airfare, hotel, and rental car, I applied for the card. Within seconds ( Sun, XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX ) I received an email stating that my application had been approved. I was not provided any means of purchasing the tickets at that time. I spent two hours trying to resolve the issue with the bank, even getting access to my Bank of America website, but no one was able to help me. I was told it was an issue with XXXX  XXXX website and to call them. XXXX  XXXX said that I would need to resolve this with the bank, but they had been having issues and I was not the only one to call in. 
<br><br> I attempted again to resolve the issue on XX/XX/XXXX, calling again both Bank of America and XXXX XXXX. Bank of America was no help at that point. XXXX XXXX told me to simply go through the checkout process and apply a second time as the first one probably did not go through. I did this and it worked. The total amount for the airfare was {$2400.00}. 

<br><br> After that purchase, I have been unable to use the credit card. It is declined every time I try to use it. I have been unable to place orders for my trip to qualify for the rewards. I have probably spent 3+ hours on the phone having my card unlocked, yet as soon as it's run again it's locked for fraud. I even had the hotel and the fraud department on the line at the same time and they were unable to allow the charge to go through. 

<br><br> I attempted multiple times to charge a XXXX XXXX car over two days Saturday XX/XX/XXXX and Sunday XX/XX/XXXX, with it always being declined. The car went up in price due to the delay, but the final amount I tried to charge was {$420.00}. 

<br><br> On several occasions I tried with the hotel, the last being Friday XX/XX/XXXX, when the hold on the room would expire if I did not pay. The total amount attempted to charge was {$1000.00} ) <br><br> On XX/XX/XXXX the hotel ran the card on 4-5 separate occasions, including on the phone with Bank of America XXXX After that the hotel refused to accept the card anymore and I had to pay with another card. 

<br><br> After the issue with the hotel, I attempted to have the issue escalated with Bank of America to try and resolve the issue. The agent I spoke with tried to have me speak with a supervisor, ended up chatting with one who said my card was locked for fraud... Which we knew... Asking to speak to someone, she spent a while trying to get a supervisor, but said when she reached one they just hung up on her. She ended up giving me a phone number to call later, which I did. I was told that maybe I needed to use the card in person and someone would call me back. After that call I tried to use the card in person for a small amount and it was approved. I did not recive a call back. 

<br><br> On XX/XX/XXXX I called the general number again and asked to speak to a supervisor. The agent I spoke with did not want to escalate and said she would submit a form requesting an extension to the spend requirements. I reiterated that I did not want an extension, I do not have any future expenses planned that I would qualify and I wanted the requirements waived. 

<br><br> Also during this time, it appears that Bank of America automatically enrolls me in electronic statements, which I do not want, and did not agree to. I have repeatedly brought this up while on the phone, and been told I am enrolled in paper statements, but I have not received my first statement. On the XX/XX/XXXX call, they have stated they are requesting another statement to be mailed. 

<br><br> At this point I do not know how to escalate the issue with Bank of America further.

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