Consumer complaint received 2023-09-11
Product: Credit 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

Complaint:
Good day to the person who is reading this complaint. I have XXXX sons. XXXX of my sons who first shared a credit card with me after he got married, cut up his card and became independent of me and his brother. Because the son whom I live with wanted to purchase a house I decided to help him build up his credit history by putting him on my credit card that my younger son had vacated. In XX/XX/ 2023, his wallet was stolen. Therefore, he called Bank of America and requested it to be closed. Because we shared credit cards, they closed both of our cards. The bank promised to send out new cards. However, credit cards were being stolen a lot in our area. Based on my younger sons advice to his brother, the son I live with, because he wanted to acquire XXXX, he applied for a credit card from XXXX XXXX. But before he could receive the card, someone had already stolen his new credit card and was racking up charges. He called XXXX XXXX and related the issue to them and the problem we were having in our area and immediately they removed the charges without a problem and issued another credit card and promised to send it via two-day delivery. 

The credit card from Bank of America took a long time to come via mail so my son assumed that someone had already gotten the card and was doing the same thing to the Bank of America cards. Therefore, he called Bank of America and told them his concerns, even telling them the issues we are having in our area. They offered to reissue new cards. Because my son had gotten another credit card from XXXX XXXX, I decided to take his credit card from Bank of America and cut it up However, on XX/XX/2023, while shopping at XXXX XXXX, in Georgia, I saw a message popping up from Bank of America on my phone asking me if I had authorized some purchases that had happened at, XXXX in the amount of {$220.00}, XXXX {$39.00}, XXXX {$30.00} and something else for {$63.00} and it all took place in XXXX. I immediately called Bank of America and told them no because my son and I was doing grocery shopping in Georgia, and we had not left Georgia. Therefore, they told me that the fraudulent department would investigate the matter. 

In XXXX of this year, I was paying some bills online and looked to see how the fraudulent department investigation was coming along with the credit card. I saw that the charges were still on my credit statement, so I called the bank to find out what was happening. They told me that they had investigated the matter and closed the case. They claimed that my claims were denied because the purchase was made in person. I asked them how was that possible since my son and I, not only lived in Georgia but also, we had not traveled to XXXX no time at all. I also informed them that I had no knowledge of them ever contacting me about this issue and why they had closed the case and had decided that I was responsible for this persons using this credit card. I was totally lost at their ridiculous conclusion. I thought they were not really being serious. 

The lead teacher in my classroom noticed my angry expression and advised me to call back and ask to speak to a manager, which I did. Therefore, on the XXXX of XXXX of 2023, I related my complaint to the manager thinking that they were not serious. To my shocking surprise, she informed me that this claim would be denied. Therefore, I told her I would call the news station to make a complaint because I worked too hard to pay someone elses grocery bill. To my overwhelming surprise, again, the managers response was Go right ahead! Hence, the reason I am contacting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Department. 

Thank you very much.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief