Consumer complaint received 2024-10-10 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers — Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card
Company: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: MO

Complaint narrative:
After very careful consideration and research, I completed the " pre-approval '' process for several credit cards and even a car loan ( Bank of America pre-approved {$47000.00} loan on XX/XX/year> ), I decided to apply with Bank of America on XX/XX/year>. I did not want multiple hard credit inquiries, so I was extremely careful. I have recovered my credit XXXX points after a disastrous identity theft. So, I completed the " pre-selection '' process with Bank of America, entering my last 4 of social security, address, date of birth, income, and all other information I had entered in other pre-approval processes. The site returned with my " personalized offers '' and recommended several cards. It also stated that I could only get those offers if I applied immediately, on that site. Otherwise, the offers may not be valid. 

I was denied. I texted with Bank of America, then called Bank of America and both XXXX  on text and the the nice woman on the phone ( I have the recorded phone call ) stated that they do NOT have pre-approval for credit cards. This went back and forth for a while. She then said that I should wait for my letter of denial, see the reasons, and ask for reconsideration. She was also going to submit a dispute with the credit bureau, on my behalf, asking to remove the hard inquiry due to fraud ( her idea ), because I was misled by their website into believing they had pre-approval. 

The dispute was denied. The reason for the denial of the card was that I did not keep money in my Bank of America account. It clearly stated that it was not my credit, but the balance of my account that was the reason. I only have that account for convenience. The {$4.00} checking fee sometimes hits before I pay it, but I always reconcile it. So, I called again, finally got to the right department, and talked to XXXX, on my recording, who stated that they don't have pre-approval, there is nothing " personalized '' about their offers, because they treat clients and non-clients the same, and then went around and around about the " pre-selection '' process I insisted they had. First, he denied it. Then, he said no pre-approval is guaranteed. And then just belittled me for quite some time for thinking that the process I did was valid. I pointed out that they do treat clients and non-clients differently, because I was denied for being a client, not my credit. Then, I fact-checked their " see if you're pre-selected '' process. I put in completely fake information, and I got the same " personalized '' offers. While nothing is guaranteed, EVERY other bank I checked out that has the EXACT same process actually does a soft-inquiry and returns a fair assessment of your ability to be approved for credit with them. Bank of America 's process is nothing but an advertising scam. 

I believe their advertising process is misleading, deceptive, and fraudulent. I caused me to have a hard inquiry on my credit and I want it removed. I think their whole scam should be taken down, but for me, I want my credit to be repaired.

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 explanation