Consumer complaint received 2024-05-23
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest — Problem with fees
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (MA)

I wrote this letter to various company offices. They have promised to reimburse me for over a month. I believe that this error occurs often everyday and they keep customers money. It is a systemic problem. Here is a copy of the letter sent and NOTHING has happened despite promises. As I said it is a very suspicion practice by this bank since errors of this type happen very often ALL representatives and managers tell me that it is protocol and standard instructions and it takes 60 days to return the money!! 
LETTER SEND TO BANK OFFICERS XX/XX/year> To VARIOUS BANK CORPORATE OFFICERS, PLEASE EXCUSE THE PROTRACTED MAIL BUT NECESSARY.. 
I am a XXXX XXXX year old retired college professor ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) with visual impairments. My family and I have maintained a longstanding relationship with Bank of America spanning decades. For well over a decade, I have held a credit card ( ending in XXXX ) with your institution. The purpose of this correspondence is to address a recent cash advance transaction of {$24000.00}, which has resulted in an unfortunate misunderstanding. I have made similar sized transactions and have always paid them back without such a problem. Approximately {$12000.00} is remaining of the debt. 
After your staff and myself spent an hour on the phone trying to resolve my issue I was told that I must wait TWO billing cycles ( equivalent to XXXX DAYS ) to receive the {$2700.00} payment back to me due to an error of your employee!! 
I must express my concern regarding the absence of a clearly defined protocol or set of instructions by BoA to address this situation of communication error between a teller and a customer. Frankly, I find it quite suspicious that BoA does not have a very specific protocol or set of instructions to resolve this situation in a timely manner, unless it is part of their plan to detain payment of funds. 
On XX/XX/year>, I visited my local Bank of America XXXX XXXX located at XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, Massachusetts to cash two checks, totaling {$2000.00} and {$1700.00} respectively, and to make a {$1000.00} payment toward the remaining balance of {$12000.00} on my credit card. I articulated my request in very clear XXXX by my initial statement which was, Hi, I would like to cash these two checks and make a {$1000.00} payment on my credit card. I said this very clearly in XXXX to the cashier, reiterating it more than four times during our interaction. I wish to emphasize that XXXX is my native language, and my communication was unambiguous. It is not the cashier 's native language. 
Regrettably, despite my explicit instructions, the cashier, whose primary language is not XXXX, applied the entire sum of both checks to the credit card balance, resulting in the absence of cash disbursement. When I realized the error, I promptly sought assistance from a manager, who acknowledged a potential " communication error. '' Although I acknowledge partial responsibility due to my inability to read the keypad agreement without my glasses, I firmly believe that my repeated verbal instructions should have sufficed to convey my intentions accurately. 
Subsequent discussions with the XXXX and assistant, while polite, have not led to a satisfactory resolution. The problem evolves around the fact that the cashier ( teller ) who does NOT use XXXX as a first language paid the entire amount of both checks to the balance of the credit card. I did not receive any cash which is needed. The cashier informed that the transaction could not be reversed. I immediately solicited the XXXX who agreed that there must have been a communication error. I agreed that some of the responsibility was no my part since I could not read the agreement on the keypad because I did not have my glasses. I felt that I had stated my desires enough times that the cashier should have understood my needs so I verified the transaction on the keypad without being able to read it. 
The manager was polite and told me to return following Monday or Tuesday and we would resolve the issue. Today is the following Tuesday and the issue is far from resolved.

1. The manager 's assistant was polite and first asked me if I had a bank account with BoaF so we could simply disperse the funds to that account. I told them that I did not but would open an account if it would expedite matters.

2. The assistant than asked me if ten business days would be okay to have a check forwarded to me and I answered the affirmative.

3. She then came back and informed me that it would take two billing cycles which would be TWO billing cycles which is approximately SIXTY DAYS!! I told her that was unacceptable. 
The assistant dealt with someone on the phone which resulted in the issue being expedited or escalated with NO estimation of time involved. At which point I told them that it was not their fault but I must seek legal consul which I will do if I do not receive communication or action pursuant to this letter including an EXACT DATE to receive cash or a check for my {$2700.00} which is a small amount for BoaF but a large amount to a senior citizen relegated to a fixed income with a sick wife. 
It is essential to note that while I empathize with the challenges faced by large corporations in their hiring practices, particularly concerning language proficiency, the implications of such errors are significant for individuals like myself, particularly those navigating fixed incomes and familial responsibilities. 
As a retired XXXX XXXX professor familiar with online information XXXX, I am aware of the legal standing of complaint sites as defined by the XXXX XXXX. I have been a contributing writer to XXXX articles as well as numerous websites. I am prepared to pursue alternative avenues if necessary to seek a resolution, including publicizing my experience, talking to my political representatives, and seeking legal counsel. 
I urge your prompt attention to this matter and request clear communication outlining a definitive timeline for the disbursement of {$2700.00}, either in cash or by check. A sum of couple of XXXX dollars holds different significance for a large financial institution like BoA and its stakeholders compared to a senior citizen on a fixed income, particularly one with a sick spouse. 
I must express my concern regarding the absence of a clearly defined protocol or set of instructions by BoA to address this situation. Frankly, I find it quite suspicious that BoA does not have a very specific protocol or set of instructions to resolve this situation in a timely manner, unless it is part of their plan to detain payment of funds. 
SIXTY DAYS to correct an error effecting a longstanding customer due to poor hiring practices is a systemic failure for any financial institution unless it is an intentional delay. 
Thank you for your attention and cooperation in resolving this issue. 
Sincerely, ( Name and contact info not included in THIS version for obvious reasons ) This was NOT composed by XXXX