Consumer complaint received 2024-06-27
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (IN)

I've been the victim of several data breaches with companies I've done business with in the past years and months, and recently discovered my phone number had been stolen, which I immediately addressed with my carrier. As I result, I've been closely monitoring all my accounts for any unusual activity. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I noticed a charge on my BofA credit card for {$4500.00} + ( {$180.00} serv. charge ) I didn't authorize. I immediately locked the account, contacted the bank, and tried to file a fraud claim. The fraud department kept transferring me from person to person, and after 2 hrs. I was told I had to go into a branch to file the complaint. The closest BofA bank is XXXX miles ( one way ) in Michigan . I explained this but was told if I was unwilling to go, the charges would stand. I made a XXXXXXXX XXXX round-trip to XXXX MI and was FINALLY able to submit the report. In only a few days, I was told the claim was denied via a form letter. NO reason or documents were provided related to why the claim was denied. There's no way to respond to them in writing ; so I was forced to call the fraud dept. again ; wade through the transfers & holds, and file an appeal.

The staff had no additional information, and when I asked for the documentation used for the decision, I was told it could be send in 8-10 business days. Since I don't have this information readily available I can't challenge it. If they're reinvestigating it, what's changed from before? My account shows the fraud occurred at a XXXX XXXX XXXX  as a cash advance on my credit card. No one but myself has the card, the card itself wasn't lost or stolen, so evidentially the number was stolen and another card created to use it. Otherwise, how on earth would a bank give such a substantial amount of money without significant ID and validation? 

The information on the transaction indicates XXXX account already existed or was opened in another name, then funded using my card. There's a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX # on the transaction, indicating the customer may have been taking advantage of an offer that may have been sent. I would think the transaction and account holder could be ID 'd using this information. I tried contacting XXXX  directly. All they could confirm is that an account doesn't exist under my name of SSN. They refused when I asked for a written statement to confirm this that I could send to BofA.

I still don't know where the actual transaction took place, but if the transaction was done using an ATM, surely XXXX XXXX must have security video images of the person who performed the transaction. This alone would vindicate me that I wasn't the person doing it. 

I'm retired and living on SS, and I can not afford this charge or service fee! I've also been a customer of BofA since XXXX without any missed payments or notable issues. The {$4500.00} cash advance was highly unusual for my account, and I wasn't alerted or even contacted before the charge went through! Please help me get this resolved with XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX cooperation to supply details of the transaction. Any questions or need for additional information, please contact me any time. Thanks for your help!