Consumer complaint received 2015-11-15
Company: TD BANK US HOLDING COMPANY
State: FL
Product: Credit card
Issue: Credit card protection / Debt protection

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX, 2015, I made an online purchase for a professional exam review course from what appeared to be a reputable website ( XXXX logo was displayed ). Instead of the review course, I received used and outdated books, and merchant was slow to respond. I disputed the charge with my credit card company, TD Bank. The disputed charge was not reversed. After repeated calls, TD Bank told me I would need to fill out a dispute form, which they would send via USPS mail service. It took several weeks - and multiple phone calls to TD Bank - before the dispute form arrived. 

Meanwhile, I continued attempts to work with the merchant, and on XXXX XXXX, 2015, the merchant stated in an email, " I instructed our Finance department to put the refund through. It usually takes 4-5 business days to process and show on your account. '' TD Bank was provided with a copy the email communication from the merchant. Still the charge was not reversed. TD Bank billed a late fee to my account while the dispute was pending. After another hour on the phone, the bank agreed to reverse the fee. 

Meanwhile, on XXXX XXXX, multiple fraudulent charges appeared on my TD Bank credit card account. I strongly suspect the scammer-merchant sold my account information. I called TD Bank immediately. TD Bank did not advise me to file a police report, nor did the bank advise me about placing a fraud alert on my account with the credit bureaus. Fortunately, a XXXX search did. I filed police reports with both my local police and police in the state where the charges were made. I also initiated a fraud alert with the credit bureaus. TD Bank took over a week to reverse the fraudulent charges. 

On XXXX XXXX, 2015, I filed a complaint with the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau ( Case # XXXX ). TD Bank responded by posting a credit to my account for {$1600.00}, the amount of the initial merchant charge. The bank 's response did not mention this was a " conditional '' credit. 

On XXXX XXXX, 2015, I received a letter from TD Bank which included the following " chargeback response '' from the merchant : " We have not received the books back. Therefore, we have not processed the refund. Customer needs to return the books. '' The merchant had not acknowledged prior requests for return merchandise authorization ( RMA ) or provided an address to which the materials could be returned. 

On XXXX XXXX, 2015, I mailed all materials back to the merchant at the address provided in TD Bank 's letter ( USPS Tracking No. XXXX ). I faxed ( on XXXX ) and mailed ( on XXXX ) a response to TD Bank, which included a copy of the USPS receipt as evidence that the materials had been returned to the merchant. The merchant accepted delivery of the materials on XXXX XXXX, 2015. TD Bank did not finalize the credit. 

TD Bank re-charged my account for the full amount of {$1600.00} on XXXX XXXX, 2015. A TD Bank representative told me, on XXXX XXXX, that the merchant alleged a check had been sent to refund the charge, the bank had closed the dispute, and I would need to make any further dispute directly with the merchant. I have not received a check for {$1600.00} from the merchant. I will not accept a check from the merchant, as I would then have no protection should the check turn out to be a " bad check. '' I expect the refund to be processed back to my TD Bank credit card, in the same manner the initial charge was made. 

TD Bank has not provided useful advice and has not protected me. It has undermined the consumer protection supposedly afforded by using a credit card, abandoning my dispute, choosing to accept false statements made by the merchant without proof or evidence. It has advised me to settle with the merchant, to my loss. My confidence in TD Bank has been seriously eroded by its handling of these events. I am very disturbed about the level of service provided by this bank.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief