Consumer complaint received 2021-06-25
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: NY
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:
On XX/XX/2021, my Bank of America XXXX XXXX credit card went missing, but I did not realize this until I woke up on XX/XX/XXXX the next morning because I frequently use XXXXXXXX XXXX  so I did not notice the card was gone. Once I realized this I immediately cancelled the card, but someone had already racked up a bunch of purchases on the card : - XXXX {$4900.00} - XXXX {$1300.00} - XXXX XXXX  XXXX {$370.00} I immediately called the fraud department at Bank of America, and spoke with someone who assured me they would open a fraud claim. I then went to the XXXXPD XXXX precinct police station and filed a police report for Grand Larceny. I passed on the Police Report number to the Bank of America fraud department. 
A few weeks later, while I was visiting my parents, my mother gave me a stack of mail that had been shipped to my home address, including a time sensitive form that I had to fill out for my fraud claim. Since Bank of America sent the form to my parents house, where I no longer live, and the agent on the phone did not inform me that I would need to complete and return this form in a timely manner or verify my address, I had no idea I needed to fill out this form and return it. 
Once I had the form I immediately filled in the information and sent it back to Bank of America, but they had already denied my claim because they had not received it. I called the fraud department at Bank of America and spoke to an agent who reopened the claim, however the total of more than {$6000.00} was still sitting on my balance and they stated that they would not revoke the charges until a ruling came in my favor. I also told the agent to update the address on file to my current address in XXXX XXXX XXXX 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received notice that my claim had been denied again. I called the Bank of America fraud department and asked why my claim was denied and they stated it was because it was a chip transaction that was signed for so I must have authorized it. I told the agent that, as I originally stated, my credit card had been stolen, so whoever signed for it was not me, and that I had filed a police report for grand larceny. I again gave the agent the police report number as well as the officer 's name and precinct number. I asked the agent if there was anything else I could do to help my claim, and she suggested that I fax over a copy of the physical police report. On XX/XX/XXXX I went down to the police station to obtain a copy and I faxed it over to the appropriate Bank of America fax number, which I verified three times before sending. The agent told me it would take up to two weeks for the report to be uploaded to my file once received. 
Today, XX/XX/XXXX, after waiting two weeks for the report to be uploaded, I called the Bank of America fraud department to check on the status of my claim. My claim had been denied again, with the reasoning this time being that whoever stole the card did not follow the typical pattern of stolen credit card use. The investigators stated that usually a credit card thief will leave the geographical location and make charges until it hits the limit. In my case, the thief did not leave the geographical location but they did use the card until it hit the limit. The Bank of America agent told me they would reopen the claim, and I made sure to tell her the police report number, and I also provided the detective working on my case 's name and phone number. I also stressed to the agent that I have never in my life shopped at XXXX or XXXX or any store of that caliber, nor have I have spent more than maybe {$1000.00} at a single store. 
It has now been two months, and I still have these charges sitting on my statement, which has begun to adversely affect my credit score. I am trying to apply for a new apartment and am worried that I will have a hard time since this situation has killed my credit score. This situation has also cause me incredible emotional stress and anxiety, and I have had to take time off work to deal with this situation.

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 monetary relief