Complaint sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

I made the purchase of two pairs of sunglasses on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX at the XXXX XXXX store at the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX Minnesota XXXX The purchase total was {$200.00} and was made using my US bank Visa card ending in XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX I visited the store to return a pair of the sunglasses from the original purchase. The return amount was {$75.00}. 

Upon attempting the return, the young gentleman explained that he'd never done a return before and it took several minutes longer than it should have. He obtained the help of the manager, and stated the return had been made to my same visa card. The return amount was for {$75.00}. I received a receipt signed by the store employee. 

30 days went by and I still had not seen the return hit my bank account. On or around XX/XX/XXXX I called the store to inquire about what was holding up my refund. The store clerk and the store manager were unable to help and provided the number for corporate. Corporate stated I should contact my bank, which I promptly did. They also supplied a complaint form, which I submitted. And submitted, and submitted again. Finally on XX/XX/XXXX I received a response email from the merchant stating a refund would be issued in 3-5 business days. It was not. I contacted them once more and on XX/XX/XXXX received another response stating that they were in communication with the store, but advised me again to contact my banking institution. 

In addition to contacting the store, I had called US Bank and began an investigation into the purchase and missing refund. US bank issued a provisional credit, however the credit was for the incorrect amount. I incorrectly assumed this would be adjusted based on the results of the investigation. However, that was not the case. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter in the mail saying they had been unable to substantiate the claim and would be reversing the entire provisional credit and closing the claim/dispute. 

Immediately upon receiving this letter I called US Bank to dispute their findings. US Bank admitted they'd been unable to get a hold of the merchant, and closed the case. I expressed my dissatisfaction with the findings, and the US bank agent stated they would open a new case/claim/dispute regarding the situation. Again I rattled off the same information I'd given to so many others. Purchase date, return date, merchant name, amounts, card used, etc. 

Since receiving the denial letter on XX/XX/XXXX, I still have yet to receive a refund from either the merchant OR the bank. I have spent more than 12 hours on the phone with both. And while I've received promises from both of a resolution, nothing has been received in the form of a refund. I've called, and called and called, and been promised call backs ( which have not been received ), promises of another provisional credit ( which hasn't been received ) and passed from department to department, and sometimes, even just hung up on by the banker. 

It has now been 128 days since the refund was said to have occurred and I have still not received my money back. 

Continued calls to US Bank just end up in a circle of transfers to different departments, and eventually ending the call with zero progress. Calls to the XXXX XXXX store fall on deaf ears and no one has been able to provide the general or district manager information, despite multiple requests, and multiple promises of a call back with the information. 

Please help me navigate these waters between US Bank and the merchant. 

I do not wish to take the issue to small claims court, but the ineptitude that both parties are showing is deplorable and makes me wonder how they ever manage to stay in business at all. 


Timeline of events ( all dates/times are in Central Standard time ) : XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX - Purchase made totally {$200.00}. Receipt # XXXX, XXXX XXXX, Cashier was XXXX ( ID XXXX ) XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX - Partial return made totaling {$75.00}. Receipt # XXXX, XXXX XXXX, Cashier was XXXX ( ID XXXX ) XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX, XXXX and XXXX - called XXXX XXXX to ask about missing refund amount, was asked to hold/call back, and eventually given corporates information and told to contact my banking institution. 
XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX - called US Bank for the first time to discuss the issue, spoke with a gentleman who stated he was submitting the issue, and I would receive a provisional credit and a letter regarding the issue once resolved. 
XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX - Called US Bank after seeing the incorrect amount issued as a provisional credit. There was no resolution on this call other than being told to wait for the outcome of the investigation. 
XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX I received the denial letter from US Bank and immediately called to express my disagreement. The provisional credit was also reversed on this day. 
XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX - called US Bank to inquire about the progress of the situation. No resolution. 
XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX - called US Bank again to inquire about the progress of the situation. Again, no one was able to give relevant information or provide a resolution. 
XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX and XXXX - called US Bank again to inquire about progress, transferred multiple times to multiple departments, again they all claimed to know nothing, and no resolution was provided. 
XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX and XXXX - called US Bank and spoke with a woman named XXXX, who appeared to have knowledge that no one else did. She stated the initial claim/dispute had been filed completely incorrectly and it was surprised it was denied. She attempted to re-file the claim, but was unable to due to the incorrect nature of the initial claim. She stated she was emailing someone ( didn't specify who ) and said that I would receive a call back within 48 hours regarding the situation. Was also provided the number for the fraud department. Still no resolution. 
XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX - Never received a call, so I called the US Bank Fraud department via the number I was provided in an attempt to follow up on the situation, they stated it was not in their wheelhouse, was transferred around, until the call ended with no resolution, but another empty promise of a call back. 
XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX - Called the XXXXXXXX XXXX store to inquire as to the continued issue of the missing refund. Was told that a general manager would be contacting me. 
XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX - Contacted XXXX XXXX store asking for the management information, received a call back shortly after stating someone would call me. 
XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX - Contacted XXXX XXXX  in an attempt to obtain manager contact information, store clerk was unable to provide. Stated someone would call me back. 
XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX - Contacted US Bank to enquire about the continued mishandling of the claim. 

As of XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX - still no resolution. Just got off the phone with US bank and they have filed yet another claim, and promised yet another provisional credit, and promised yet another call back. 

Explanation of Attached Documents : Original Purchase Receipt and return receipt. 
Denial of Claim letter from US Bank Redacted Bank statements from the initial purchase through today. 
*The initial purchase is highlighted on the XXXX statement. 
*The provisional credit of the incorrect amount, issued by US Bank is on the XXXX statement. 
*The reversal of the provision credit is highlighted on the XXXX statement. 
Redacted transaction list from XX/XX/XXXX thru XX/XX/XXXX ( next statement isn't due for 2 more weeks and I wanted to show the continued lack of refund ). 
Two emails from XXXX XXXX stating a refund was being issued, and then a follow up email contradicted their earlier sentiments. 

In addition, I included the call logs from my cell phone with the calls mentioned above all highlighted. Total time on the phones so far is XXXX minutes or XXXX hours. This doesn't include the time I spent electronically communicating with the merchant or the time it took to put this complaint together.