Consumer complaint received 2017-05-11
Product: Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest — Problem with fees
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (VA)

This began last XXXX XXXX when the company rejected a debt consolidation proposal sent by another company, one that was initiated primarily because of this particular credit card that had an approximately {$33000.00} balance ( their reason for denial was that I had made monthly payments on time and for at least the minimum amount ). I contacted them to find out why but also to see if there was anything else they could do since, although I was making the minimum monthly payments, I was robbing XXXX to pay XXXX and was also not able to pay down much principle so I did n't see how this balance was going to ever be able to get paid in my lifetime. I spoke with an associate ( XXXX ) who proceeded to see if we could get on their own debt consolidation plan due to hardship, but turns out they would n't approve us for the same reasons they had listed before. She looked into our hardships, and because I was n't positive our position was being worsened by some recent medical problems I had ( it was more because my bonuses had substantially reduced and I was n't willing to fabricate ), there was n't anything they could do. In speaking to her, however, she suggseted and said she could set up automatic payments so that we would be set with a certain monthly payment, much along the line of how any consolidation would work, and she even gave me figures ( if I paid $ ___, then it would be paid off in __ months, a couple different scenarios ). Seemed like the next best solution since it seemed I had exhausted all other options with them, so I set it up with her and was told I could n't change anything we had set up online but that if I needed to make changes, I would have to call. The monthly payments started being deducted, and showed up on my bill as " pay by phone payment ''. They were set up to be deducted on the XXXX ( same day the bill is due ), and have come out usually the XXXX or XXXX. I checked yesterday ( XXXX XXXX, XXXX ) and noticed the payment had n't been taken out of my checking account, but was n't surprised because a lot of times it does n't show until the XXXX and possibly even the XXXX, I checked again this morning ( XXXX XXXX ) and nothing, so I pulled up the bill online to see if it was showing up as paid on there. It showed the amount as overdue and charged me a {$27.00} late fee. I immediately called the company to inquire regarding the late fee and was told that the previous payments would have only been set up for a year, that that 's all they could do. That was never the understanding, the reason I set it up that way was that the associate said until they heard from me it would be automatically deducted and for that amount, it was all done this way because it closely resembled any consolidation plan, and I knew I was less likely to reduce any amount being deducted since I had to speak with someone to do it. Today was the first I heard of anything only lasting for a year. I never received any correspondence saying that would happen, nothing changed as far as the way it has always been month to month since XXXX XXXX or XXXX, XXXX, when that was all set up. I explained my situation to an associate this morning, said I would pay the outstanding amount immediately but that I wanted the late charge removed, she put me on hold for a long time and came back and said she could n't do that. I asked for a manager, finally spoke with one at length, who told me if I was on their consolidation plan, I would have received a notice about payments stopping, but since I was n't, there would have been no notice ( I already knew that ). We had a lot of back and forth, I asked if I was being recorded ( yes ) and if there would have been a recording from last year 's conversation with the associate, because I had no recollection that this payment arrangement would only last for a year, and I did n't believe that had ever been stated. Although I felt all along the associate I spoke with last year was as helpful as possible and wanted to do everything she could to help the situation, if this is the case, I was completely misled by her to believe these automatic payments would continue until I either called and changed the amount or cancelled the payments, or until the balance was paid off. Otherwise, I would have set something up myself online. All I am asking for is for the {$27.00} late payment fee to be removed, the manager I spoke with this morning told me numerous times that she could not do that, basically tough luck. That is ridiculous, and especially considering all the thousands of dollars they have made off me over the years. I have no problem setting up automatic payments online now that I know this, there was just never any reason to do that since I was sure the payments would continue to come out like they had been. The fact that they will not even consider removing this late fee is maddening, I feel scammed, all for a {$27.00} fee, and now I 'm afraid it might show up on my credit report as well. It is too bad that honest people that take responsibility for the debts they have incurred ca n't catch a break.