Consumer complaint received 2023-09-21
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: COMMERCE BANK (MO)

I hired a contractor to do a home construction project that he was skilled or capable of doing although that is what he sold to us. The contractor left our home in shambles due to getting injured at another job so he said. However during this time he was supposed to be at my home, but instead was taking other jobs instead. The contractor advised us he was bonded and insured prior to starting work and then when he finally let me know he was not able to finish our contracted timeframe on our project because he was injured he also told me hes worried about it because he isnt bonded and doesnt have insurance. I asked the contractor to send me a termination of contract letter due to him not being able to complete the project within the agreed upon timeframe. He advised me he could complete the job in 3 months and would be on crutches. I immediately called Commerce Bank and disputed these charges as fraudulent due to the new construction company saying that the materials the guy left here were not in good condition as they were warped and left in the garage and could not be used to pass inspection. I have had the county inspector here who has rejected the condition of my stairs. I have sent multiple documents to Commerce Bank trying to address this as quickly as possible. Commerce Bank did a 3 way call with me and the merchant or contractor and advised me that this call was what decided the dispute decision. The dispute agent that I spoke with said that we resolved it during that call and all parties agreed including myself that those funds were owed. I have multiple emails sent back and forth since that original contact indicating that being the farthest thing from the truth on my end. I feel no one actually looked into this dispute as this call that they said I agreed to owing these funds ended by me asking commerce to please direct any other questions to me directly and not with the merchant in my ear. I had tried to remedy this with the contractor thats why I called the bank. I have spent countless hours just trying to speak with someone in the disputed department and was sent the decision 1 week before funds were being charged back to me and got the letter 2 days before funds were pulled out. No time to express frustration or appeal further or have the bill opportunity to be able to submit additional documentation if necessary or review/discuss what has been received and reviewed. There was no one truly helping with this and now me the customer is stuck taking the hit from a shady contractor, the new construction company that charged more than twice what the original contractor charged, and the bank who could really care less. I had more calls disconnected trying to dispute that is if anyone ever really answered. I have medical issues and my husband also has medical issues one of them being from falling down our stairs which is why we were needing to do the home construction project to begin with. I was told the day before the funds were charged back that XXXX the manager in the disputes unit would call me back to address this. No call back was received. Now I cant get the dispute call center to answer at all. Last communication Commerce said was for me to seek legal representation against a guy who lied about being bonded, insured and capable, left my home in shambles, and without any true identity of who he is as he has since deleted his company page where I found him originally. Commerce sided against their own customer and they are truly the only way to find him since it was paid with my credit card to his bank account using checks. This contractor tore down my stairs and replaced them with my old stairs how is that not a fault product or fraud in the Commerce dispute unit? Additionally, they are charging interest on an account that isnt supposed to have interest yet.