Consumer complaint received 2017-06-20
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: MA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Struggling to pay your bill
Sub-issue: Credit card company won't work with you while you're going through financial hardship

Complaint:
My complaint is with Bank of America to whom I have been banking with for at least 29 years. I am a  XXXX   XXXX   XXXX    XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   and business has been faltering for a number of years, due to changes in advertising, larger companies controlling the market and my inability to perform as I use to and income decreasing.   These circumstances required me to depend on my credit card use to make ends meet therefore producing a substantial debt that was difficult and almost impossible to maintain.   I contacted Bank of America on  XXXX / XXXX / XXXX  and explained my circumstances to a representative named  XXXX  and asked if I could enroll in a hardship payment program.   She connected me to  XXXX   XXXX  who told me that my payments were current and I could not be placed on a program and instructed me to call back in  one  month to see if I would qualify for another program.   I contacted Bank of America on  XXXX / XXXX / XXXX  and spoke to  XXXX   XXXX  and explained my situation and she told me that my payments were current and that I did not qualify for a program. I asked how could I qualify and she told me that I would have to default on three consecutive payments to be considered for a program.   So as  XXXX   XXXX  instructed me I made no payments on  three  consecutive payments months and then was contacted on  XXXX / XXXX / XXXX  by letter from the  XXXX   XXXX    XXXX   by  XXXX   XXXX  stating this is an important matter that I need to discuss with he and to contact her as soon as possible. I immediately tried to contact by the phone number she provided and her email address numerous times through  XXXX / XXXX / XXXX  with no response from her. On  XXXX / XXXX / XXXX  I contacted  XXXX   XXXX  and asked her if I would qualify for the hardship pay-down program. She took all my income and expenses in hopes that since T had missed numerous payments as instructed by Bank of america representatives that I would get some help. But  2  weeks later " I '' called back to see what the statis was and was told I did not qualify because the program would only lower my monthly minimum {$20.00} but lower my a.p.r. considerably but still I did not qualify because my income was too low.   I have had numerous correspondence trying to get some help but it seems to me that I have been getting the runaround and had also contacted a debt consolidation company recommended by Bank of America who told me that I did not qualify for their program because I have a monthly surplus of income?   They also withdrew " set back '' {$1700.00} from my checking account to cover past due missed payments with out my authorization.   I am at my wits end and would greatly appreciate your help for I do not want to declare bankruptcy and sine this occurred my credit rating has been devastated from a rating of  XXXX  to  XXXX .   I have  two  accounts with Bank of America, a personal account  XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  owing {$20000.00} and a business account: XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  owing {$15000.00} which I have already reported to the  Comptroller of Currency.       XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX , MA  XXXX   XXXX  XXXX  XXXX

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