Consumer complaint received 2024-12-27 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card — Application denied
Company: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA
State: CO

Complaint narrative:
A merchant was using my XXXX account without my permission and would not let me discontinue the service. I believe the merchant was a fraud. XXXX months prior I tried to stop this merchant from charging my apple card account for a subscription I could not end. XXXX  XXXX told me I could change my account electronically with my apple XXXX. I did so. XXXX  XXXX subsequently supplied the merchant with my new account information without my permission. ( Turns out this was disclosed in a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX as a feature of the Apple Card ). Knowing I had to stop the fraud, I closed my account with the intention of opening a new account. I knew changing my account number would not help because it would just be re-given to the fraudulent merchant. 

When I closed the account the account representative did not tell me I could not reopen a new account using the same XXXX XXXX. This is an undisclosed credit term and appears to only apply when I closed my account. Losing the right to a new account through a credit card provider because I exercised a need to avoid fraud on my account is unconscionable. I was not told I could not open a new account, and I could not find this credit term in my disclosures. Misuse of a credit account is XXXX thing, but my account number was given by XXXX to a very bad merchant that I was trying to manage to prevent more fraud on my account. 

XXXX  XXXX is an authorized issuer of XXXX. XXXX is the company that supplied the new account number to the fraudulent merchant, not XXXX. Closing my Apple Card, issued my XXXX, but under terms of XXXX, leaves significant uncertainty for the responsibility for managing fraudulent activity on an Apple Card. I am collateral damage in the relationship since as a card user, I could not change my account number, which is heralded as a significant security enhancement for a user like myself, and prevent XXXX from overriding my account change and providing the new number to a very bad merchant. Who knows where that money was going! 

Punishing me by not allowing me to even apply through the normal method using my XXXX XXXX is simply wrong. I also lost access to my XXXX statements. The loss of ability to reapply should be clearly disclosed to the account holder before the account is closed and other methods to lock a fraudulent merchant from the apple card account should be clearly explained and offered. I completed a fraudulent transaction report twice with XXXX. I followed proper procedure reporting unauthorized activity on my account. I can not apply for new XXXX without a new XXXXXXXX XXXX. This appears to require a new phone number. The act of trying to prevent fraud on my XXXX account has denied me both credit and access to statements on previous activity. It is true I could have downloaded the statements, but there was no need since I had them in my XXXXXXXX XXXX I can not retrieve my card account number since it was removed from my apple wallet and is not printed on my card.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation