Consumer complaint received 2022-08-03
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: WI
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
Filed claims XXXX and XXXX on XX/XX/2022 with Bank of America credit card. Disputing charges due to service not being rendered as an immediate family member passed away unexpectedly. I received response to claim on XX/XX/2022 denying charges. They claim they must follow the policy of the company, XXXX XXXX. However, XXXX XXXX has a policy on their website that specifically states that bereavement is a valid reason to receive a refund of purchase. It is readily available on their website for anyone to view. 

I spoke with two staff members on XX/XX/XXXX, who were kind and empathetic and reopened the claims. They stated that death of an immediate family was an valid reason to dispute charges and said they would escalate the dispute. The last one gave me a fax number to submit the documents that show the death of the family member. I submitted the documents on XX/XX/2022 I called on XX/XX/2022 to see if they received the fax. The staff member did not see the fax attached to my account. Told me it takes a few days to link to accounts after it is submitted. 

Yesterday, XX/XX/2022, I received a second denial of charges, with the same reason. I called 3 times to speak with someone in the claims department. Eventually, after them repeating the same thing, I asked to speak with a supervisor. I received XXXX from Tennessee. She was rude, condescending, and did not show an ounce of empathy for the death of a loved one. I eventually became upset as I should since if death of a loved on is not hard enough, what constitutes a good reason to file a dispute? Isn't everyone filing a dispute because they did not receive the service or product and the company you purchased from is not handling the situation. This is appalling to think that death of an immediate family member is not a good enough reason. especially when you are faced with mounds of bills that you had not anticipated. 

I eventually went to XXXX, as I did not have time to sit on hold for 20-30 minutes, to ask what is a good reason to dispute a charge if death was not. The Bank of America help contacted me right away. I explained who I had spoken to and asked for someone other than XXXX from Tennessee. They immediately put me in touch with XXXX. Right off the bat, she was rude, did not listen to what I had to say that I knew the policy allowed for it and that I knew that the reason she was giving me was not valid. We have disputed the same charges in the past and they were granted. I knew right then, it was more important for her to be right, than to admit that she was wrong and show any empathy to a grieving family. 

The amount of stress and XXXX  this has caused on my family is outrageous. Not to mention the time that has been spent trying to make sure we do not have to pay a bill for a service we did not receive and immediately tried to take care of. 

I canceled the trip immediately on XX/XX/2022 when we found of of the passing. Long story short, she lived alone, and had been deceased for days before anyone found her. It was heartbreaking. In addition, the financial burden is devastating. There are loans in my sons name that we are now responsible for that we were unaware of. There is no life insurance or anything to assist with the additional debt. All of which I have made very clear. I was told at the time the cancelation was submitted along with the refund request, which was valid due to the death of a family member. I have not had good luck with the airline as I kept getting transferred around. I have not been in contact with them 5 times, and may be getting somewhere. 

I have the death certificate which I provided to Bank of America, along with proof of XXXX XXXX refund policy for death of an immediate family member. They still will not review the dispute and have treated me awful during most of the contacts. 

I would like someone else to contact me about the dispute and review the policies that are clearly on XXXX XXXX website.

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