Consumer complaint received 2019-08-15
Product: Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (NY)

On the evening of XX/XX/2019, I was in my apartment when I received an email from Bank of America stating that suspicious activity was detected on my Visa card. It showed a declined transaction of {$650.00} at " XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX '' and an approved transaction at the same store for {$420.00}. I selected the embedded email link that stated " No, I don't recognize one or more of these transactions '' and called Bank of America to file a fraud claim. 

When I spoke to a customer service representative, they told me two other fraudulent transactions had been approved on my card -- each transaction was for {$100.00} at " BP # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ''. The fraudulent charges made before Bank of America shut down my card thus totaled {$620.00}. 

I was asked if I or anyone from my household could have made those charges. I assured them that was not the case -- my partner and I were both in the apartment that evening when the fraud alert email arrived. I told the service rep that I have never been to either of these establishments before. I also checked to make sure that the card was still in my possession -- it was -- and told the service representative. A fraud investigation was opened and the charges were removed from my account. 

On XX/XX/2019 I received a voicemail from the fraud department asking me to call them back. I returned the call and was told my fraud claim had been denied because the chip had been used at the stores in question. I reiterated that I had possession of my card at the time of the charges, so this was impossible. They offered no proof that the chip had been used, but re-opened the case on appeal. They also put the charges back on my account. I received a letter soon after re-stating the reason that the claim was denied. 

As a Bank of America customer of 12 years who has always paid my bills on time, I feel I am not receiving a swift or appropriate response to this fraud. I therefore filed a police report the next day -- XXXX XX/XX/2019 -- explaining that my card could not have been used for these charges as it was in my wallet at the time. On XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX I called Bank of America and asked them to add the police report to my case -- they added the case number ( # XXXX ) and gave me a fax number to submit the full report ( fax : XXXX XXXX which I immediately did. I also pointed out in the cover letter that clearly " XXXX XXXX XXXX '' had some level of awareness that the transaction was fraudulent having denied the initial charge of {$650.00}, before approving the charge of {$420.00}. 

I think it is also highly suspicious that this fraud occurred on a card that had been mailed to me very recently -- I received an alert in my online account that " A new card is on the way '' on XX/XX/2019 and the fraud occurred 12 days later. 

On XXXX, XX/XX/2019 I received an email stating a different credit card of mine ( a XXXX card ) had been used to buy groceries at a XXXX in Georgia ( I am in XXXX XXXX ). While this may be coincidence, it seems like there has been some sort of security breach to my financial information, and so I have locked my other credit and debit cards where possible ( my credit reports were already frozen ), changed all my passwords, and am following up with that fraud claim with XXXX. I alerted Bank of America to this new credit card fraud on Wednesday, XX/XX/2019. 

I would like Bank of America to immediately remove the fraudulent charges totaling {$620.00} from my account before any interest or fees accrue, and approve the fraud claim in total. As a loyal, long-term customer I feel that Bank of America has not responded swiftly or effectively, and this entire ordeal has caused me to consider rescinding my business. 

Thank you for your assistance.