Consumer complaint received 2024-09-17
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account — Transaction was not authorized
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC. (PA)

On XX/XX/year>, I was the victim of a fraudulent charge of {$870.00} at a gas station in XXXX, XXXX. Despite multiple disputes filed with Ally Bank, they have consistently ruled in favor of the merchant, neglecting to address the fraudulent nature of this transaction. 

The incident occurred when I was told by the gas station attendant that a charge of approximately {$20.00} USD would be applied to fill up our rental car. When our credit cards " declined '' the charge, I provided my Ally debit card as an alternative. The attendant claimed the debit transaction also failed, leading us to pay in cash. However, upon reviewing my bank records, I discovered that the charge of {$870.00} was processed successfully on my Ally debit card, while our credit cards correctly declined the same excessive amount. 

At no point was I informed of, nor did I authorize, this {$870.00} charge. It was presented under fraudulent pretenses and is clearly not reflective of the agreed-upon amount of ~ {$20.00} USD. This transaction was neither legitimate nor conducted in good faith. The gas station in question has a history of similar fraudulent practices, as evidenced by numerous one-star reviews on their XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, detailing similar fraudulent activities. ( https : XXXX, XXXX! XXXX! XXXX! XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  ) Throughout the dispute process with Ally Bank, I have encountered significant incompetence and poor communication from their support team XXXX I was provided with inaccurate and conflicting advice regarding the next steps in resolving my dispute. At one point, I was told it was too late to dispute the transaction again, despite having filed my initial dispute within days of the charge being made. The online dispute portal failed multiple times, forcing me to file the dispute by phone. However, I was never given any confirmation that the necessary documentation was uploaded or that the issue was accurately described. There has also been no way for me to write out or explain my dispute in detail, and the dispute types available on their portal do not match my situation. As a result, Ive been asked for irrelevant information, leading to delays and confusion, and ultimately rejection of my dispute. 

I firmly believe this is a straightforward case of fraud. However, despite Ally Bank 's stated commitment to protecting its customers from unauthorized transactions, they have refused to reverse this charge or assist in any meaningful way. 

I am requesting the CFPB 's assistance in investigating Ally Bank 's mishandling of this dispute, as well as their failure to comply with their obligations under U.S. consumer protection laws, including but not limited to the Electronic Fund Transfer Act ( EFTA ). I believe the banks refusal to rectify this matter represents a breach of their duty to protect customers from unauthorized and fraudulent transactions.