Consumer complaint received 2020-07-08
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: TX
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: Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card

Complaint:
The fraudulent billings on my Bank of America Mastercard XXXX came to my attention on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX after review of the prior year 's Bank of America charge card statements for XXXX. The review was done to gather information to prepare my federal tax return for XXXX. 
These fraudulent billings to this credit card all had one thing in common - XXXX ( merchants name ) '. After researching these items with a call to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, it became clear they were billed from a rogue account. This account had been opened by a relative of one of my employees. This employee had been hired a few years earlier to help me manage my sole proprietor business. I provide eye care services and products. 

I called Bank of America on XX/XX/XXXX, with the list of fraudulent billings from this rogue account per XXXX fraud department. Bank of America 's fraud department closed the account, and issued a new credit card XXXX. They investigated the matter. They agreed, and found all the fraudulent billings. They issued credits of {$68000.00}. I agreed this was correct, and they closed the case - per letter from Bank of America XX/XX/XXXX. 

I had also filed a report with the XXXX Police Department on XX/XX/XXXX. The report # XXXX was investigated by Detective XXXX. He did confirm the XXXX account is fraudulent after issuing subpoenas. The fraud case is ongoing against those involved as other issues arose from this investigation. All this information had been given to Bank of America. 

Surprisingly, on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from Bank of America charging back /denying all my credits. This letter stated the merchant ( fraudster ) reported I received product and had a subscription that was delivered to my address. Again, I called Bank of America to complain the fraudulent billings were unauthorized. They had been paid by my accounting staff at the time ( rogue employee ) with billings from her relative 's rogue XXXX account. 

I wrote a letter on XXXX XXXX to Bank of America in reply. However, they denied my request. Thus, I closed the Bank of America account ending XXXX. I have not paid any of the fraud charges to date. Thus, my credit score was ruined since Bank of America reported this. They continue to refuse to issue back unauthorized billing credits. 

I believe XXXX had a reponsibility in detecting fraudulent activity, and the opening of this rogue account. If their systems detected numerous billings going out of this rogue account to just my Bank of America account -- it could have been prevented. Bank of America should have contacted Bank of America to confirm this account was indeed fraudulent -- as the XXXX Police Department found through subpoenas. 

I also believe Bank of America should adhere to their written policy in not having consumers be responsible to pay for fraudulent billings. If they investigated the matter thoroughly by contacting XXXX, this matter would have been resolved correclty. 

In summary, I have exhausted all other avenues to have my Bank of America account credited back appropriately. I now hope to have CFPB to investigate this matter to apply back credits due to fraud.

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