Consumer complaint received 2017-06-19
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: NJ
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Government benefit card
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer
Sub-issue: Card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase or transfer

Complaint:
I was layed off from my job, applied for NJ unemployment and was given a debit card. One week it was loaded with XXXX $ and the next day it was XXXX. There were 5 charges from 500 miles away apparently done online that accumulated my entire check. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX All Done on the same date. I disputed charges and recieved provisional credit, then the money was deducted out of my account after the investigation. They found that the charges were correct. I dealt with some of the rudest people I have ever talked to in my life, there were no similar transactions or any background to lead them to believe I was not in fact telling the truth. They gave me transaction numbers, company numbers to contact, told me if I found any information that it would help my case. I spoke with supervisors, documented at XXXX XXXX, their sister company XXXX XXXX and not only did they agree with me that these charges are bogus, they could not find any of the transaction numbers to be valid, they could not find in archive me ever having, creating or supplying my card to an account or anybody affiliated with any of the above. They shared similar stories, were helpful in my concern and ideas and recommendations how to proceed. I have not been able to get in contact or recieve a return phone call recently from XXXX XXXX XXXX but i spoke with someone originally when this happened and they also could not verify a single thing. XXXX XXXX  is no longer in business or the phone number BOA gave me is no longer valid. How in any way possible BOA verified any of these charges blows my mind, they are in no way, no how possible or valid, I have since run out of unemployment, still aggressively surching the job market, married with mortgage and XXXX children at home and that 700 plus dollars means the world to me. I have been questioned ten times over was the card in my possession, could someone else in your household of used it, etc .... to the point of borderline disrespect. This now has been my second dismissal where they verified the charges. I called on X/XX/2017 at XXXX and spoke with charge companies and BOA for about an hour. They suggested re opening my claim and I did the research, called to verify my information that was gathered today at approx XXXX and amazingly they reopened, investigated and verified the claims and closed my claim again by the time I even called. I tell you what, they have a window of 90 days they said to expect a result yet they contacted the same companies that I talked to Friday that can not locate validation anywhere, they emailed, faxed or exchanged documents over the weekend about my so called charges and gathered and decided all to be valid by Monday. They must of opened the claims dept over the weekend, all 6 parties included etc ... I would not take it out of context to say BOA is playing the laws of average that if they deny X amount of claims, only a certain percentage wiill invest the time and money to fight there bogus findings. Its not my fault they are rated one of the worst for situations like this and I want my money and a apology.

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