Consumer complaint received 2021-03-03
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: PA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Government benefit card
Issue: Trouble using the card
Sub-issue: Problem using the card to withdraw money from an ATM

Complaint:
This incident follows a previous incident that happened on the same day at a different branch of Bank of America in XXXX XXXX After I was informed at the Gray Highway branch of XXXX Ga that their device used to take money off of the unemployment card was broken, I traveled to the XXXX XXXX location on Wednesday, XXXX XXXX. 
I approached the teller to withdraw {$1000.00} off of the unemployment card. She attempted and told me it was declined. I called the phone number on the back of the card and they said they would remove a hold and to try the transaction again in one hour. I left and returned to the Bank of America after about a hour and a half. The teller tried to take the money off and told me once again it had been declined. I asked for a manager. A manager named XXXX came out and said there was nothing she could do and told me I would have to wait 24 hours. I pleaded for her to call Bank of America to see if there was some way they could remove the hold, since the card services rep told me that the hold would be removed on the card 's end. She refused and said there was no-one she could call and that there was nothing she could do. I told her that I was in an emergency, visiting from out of town to check on for two elderly parents, one of whom has several chronic illnesses. She did not attempt to help. She said bank of america had a hold on the card and that I would have to come back. I called the unemployment card services department and asked them to hold while I waited for another manager. The reps for the card said they'd taken all holds off of the card and that it should work. Another manager, XXXX, came out and told the rep that I would have to go to another bank. I informed her that their broken card machine at the gray highway location caused this issue and that this would probably continue at another bank. In addition, why would she advise me to go to another bank without knowing if I had the funds or transportation to travel to another bank. She was very dismissive and seemed as if she just wanted me to leave. I advised her that I was a Bank of America customer for at least 20 years, with savings, checking and credit accounts. Even as I pleaded with her to call Bank of America to ask them to remove a hold that XXXX said would be on the card, she refused. The card rep then asked her to and after some resistance, she said she would. She eventually was able to take the money off of the card. This situation took me through the most unnecessary emotional distress. The managers did not even consider or care that Bank of America has been contracted out by the federal government to provide this service but instead insisted that I got somewhere else and suffer a loss because of a problem THEY CAUSED. They refused to provide me my money that I was rightfully owed. It was strikingly disturbing and borderline, if not outright criminal.

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