Consumer complaint received 2025-02-03 00:00:00
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: BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
My Bank of America Visa credit card ending in XXXX was used to make purchases that I did not authorize. The purchases are with a merchant I have never interacted with and have no knowledge of. Two transactions were processed on XX/XX/XXXX, both with the description " XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I do not know this merchant nor have I ever done business with them. I did not purchase any items from them. The first transaction was for {$3000.00} and the second transaction was for {$2400.00}, for a total of {$5400.00}. Both transactions occurred on XX/XX/XXXX. The merchant description is " ELECTRIC PARTS AND EQUIPMENT ''. I use this credit card strictly for purchasing gasoline, as is demonstrated in my transaction history. I did not use any electric or electrician services of this nature on or around the date of the incident. I am still in possession of the credit card, but I did not authorize these transactions. They are fraudulent transactions. I disputed these charges with Bank of America on XX/XX/XXXX and reported the transactions as fraud. Bank of America deactivated the credit card and issued me a new credit card to prevent further fraud. However, on XX/XX/XXXX they declined my claim and refused to reverse the charges. The transactions were coded as in person transactions in XXXX, IL which is where I live. Bank of America 's theory is that because they were coded as in person transactions in the same city I usually transact in, then that makes them legitimate charges. Sure there is some logic to that theory, but todays criminals are clever and there are many theoretical possibilities for how this could be accomplished without my authorization. One simple possibility being that a criminal could have used a smartphone application and swiped it against my wallet in my back pocket while in a crowded space. I called Bank of America to appeal the decision one day later on XX/XX/XXXX. They told me they would forward my appeal on to a senior fraud investigator, and that I should hear back within 45 days. It's been 45 days, I am out {$5400.00}, and I have not heard any updates. During this process I filed a police report regarding the fraudulent transactions with the XXXX XXXX XXXX Police Department in Illinois on XX/XX/XXXX. The report number is XXXX. I also reported these transactions as fraudulent to the Federal Trade Commission on XX/XX/XXXX. The complaint number is XXXX. I assert my claim that I did not authorize these transactions. I did not purchase any items from nor do I know the merchant described on the transactions. I strictly only use this credit card for small dollar amount gasoline purchases. Somehow, even with all of today 's modern fraud prevention technology, Bank of America did not protect me and instead let these highly abnormal transactions get through to my account. Furthermore, they continue to string me along without providing updates or resolving my claim. Ive been a customer of theirs for nearly 20 years and I expected better.

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