Consumer complaint received 2024-08-27
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card — Can't use card to make purchases
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (MD)

On XX/XX/2024 I made a payment in the amount of {$20.00} on my Bank of America ( BOA ) credit card account number ending in XXXX. On XX/XX/2024 I tried to use my card at the carry-out restaurant and it was declined. I was totally embarrassed by this as I was holding up the line trying to get my card to work because I couldn't understand why my card wasnt working. I knew I hadnt reached my credit limit. When I got home I called BOAs customer service number XXXX XXXX XXXX to find out what was wrong with my card. Once I was finally able to speak to a customer service representative, I was told my account had been suspended for not making the minimum payment due. I explained to the representative I made a {$20.00} payment on the XXXX XXXX XXXX, which was on time. The representative told me because I failed to make the minimum payment due on my account, the account was suspended. The representative told me if I paid the remaining balance she lift the suspension. I declined to make any further payment at that time. 

On XXXX I called the same customer number for BOA at approximately XXXX XXXX with my husband. After going through the prompts for several minutes, a customer service representative named XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX joined the call. After I gave XXXX my account information and he pulled up my account, I asked him to explain why my account had been suspended. XXXX said the account was suspended due a late payment. I told XXXX I made an on-time payment on XX/XX/2024 in the amount of {$20.00}. XXXX said he could see that a {$20.00} payment was made on the account. However, because it wasnt the minimum payment amount due, the account was suspended. My husband asked XXXX how could the bank suspend the account for making a payment less than the minimum amount due. XXXX said at the time of application the terms and conditions for using the credit card account should been explained to XXXX XXXX. I told XXXX no one explained to me that if I did not make the minimum payment my account could be suspended. My husband told XXXX there is nothing in the Truth in Lending Act ( TILA ) that authorizes the suspension or closing of a consumers credit card account for failure to make the minimum payment due. My husband also told XXXX that it was an unfair practice for the bank to accept my {$20.00} payment and then block my access to my account and that the bank had violated my consumer rights. XXXX said its in the terms and conditions that were mailed to you with the credit card. I asked XXXX if he had the authority to lift the suspension. He said the suspension can only be lifted if the balance due was paid. I asked XXXX could we speak to his supervisor. XXXX said yes and asked us to hold while he connect a supervisor. We were on hold for an extended period of time waiting for the supervisor. XXXX returned to call with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

Once we explained the series of events that lead to the call we explained to XXXX, XXXX said the suspension could not be lifted unless the minimum payment due was made. XXXX was far less patient in hearing my side of the story than XXXX. XXXX began to get flustered and said we are talking in circles. I found his comment offensive and rude. XXXX was unable to find the provision in the BOA terms and conditions that state a consumers account could be suspended for failure to make the minimum payment. So, he instructed us to look for it. XXXX made it very clear that he was not interested in helping us resolve our issue. I asked him could we speak to his supervisor. He tried to discourage us from speaking to his supervisor by stating his supervisor would tell us the same thing he is telling us. However, XXXX tried to reach a supervisor, but was unsuccessful. He told us a supervisor would call us in 24 to 48 hours. We accepted that and disconnected the call after being on the phone for 1 hour and 21 minutes. 

At XXXX XXXX  the same evening, we received a call for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX alleged supervisor. XXXX said his title was Client services team manager. After explaining everything to XXXX that we had explained the XXXX and XXXX, XXXX placed us on hold while he searched the terms and conditions of the credit card agreement to show us where it states the bank could in fact suspend the account if the consumer failed to make the minimum payment due. After an extended period of time XXXX came back to the phone and said he was unable to find the provision. My husband told XXXX the bank could not hold my wife, the consumer liable for a policy that does not exist in the terms and conditions. XXXX said its a verbal condition. My husband told XXXX in order to a contract to be valid it must be entered into knowingly, intentionally, and voluntarily. If a provision is not written in the contract, then it doesnt exist. That statement was an insult to our intelligence. My husband told XXXX that we dont consent to any verbal on-the-spot terms or conditions. XXXX asked if he could call us back after he spoke to someone else about this matter. We agreed that he could call us back. At this point we had been on the call with XXXX for 37 minutes. At XXXX XXXX  the same evening XXXX called us back. He said he would make our points known to the appropriate department. However, at this time the only way the suspension could be lifted is if the minimum payment due was made. My husband told XXXX the bank was violating my consumer rights by violating the TILA by denying me access to my credit, accusing me of making a late payment when in fact I did not make a late payment, and failing to properly disclose pertinent information about the credit card account at the time the application was taken. We told XXXX that would file a consumer complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ). All we wanted at the time was to have our consumer rights respected and have the suspension on the credit card lifted.