Consumer complaint received 2025-01-02 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: BMO BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
State: IA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX at about XXXX CT I received a phone call from Bank of Montreal ( BMO ), formerly Bank of the West here in the United States where I have a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with a limit of {$300.00}. The agent who identified himself as XXXX from the " BMO Collections Department '' ( The number was BMO 's immediately attempted to explain that my account was delinquent, in default and therefore had been placed for collections as a result of my account being over the limit of {$300.00} and attempted to collect on the account making it sound as if it was urgent and that it needed to be paid right away. Of course this is a common tactic used by scammers which makes this all the more alarming. Even when I attempted to point that I had already paid the balance on my account that is currently due on XX/XX/XXXX he attempted to argue that I paid {$50.00} on XX/XX/XXXX but that this was not enough to cover the amount owed. Despite pointing out that it clearly shows on my account that I owe {$0.00} and that even if I owed anything at all it wasn't due until XX/XX/XXXX XXXX continued to try and argue his point insisting that the account was over the limit in an attempt to collect a non-existent debt. Obviously, if no further payments were made prior to my next credit card statement going out the overage would simply be added to my minimum payment due on my XXXX bill and due when that bill is due. Unfortunately, no matter how much I tried to explain the issue to XXXX he failed to understand how or why even placing the call let alone at this time was inappropriate and even illegal. In the end XXXX attempted to inform me that they can remove my number from their list as if they were clearly a telemarketing company or even moreso a scam call center. Obviously, the bank should not be removing my number from their list especially as I am a current customer and so this just looks even more suspicious. Obviously, I had the call escalated to his supervisor XXXX who initially tried to assert that the call was simply a courtesy call to inform me that my account was over its limit. He also attempted to try to paint the picture that these calls are outside of the control of their collectors as they are all automated which I pointed out was simply not true as XXXX clearly cold called me directly. XXXX claimed that he understood my points and in the end agreed to coach XXXX and make sure that I don't receive any more of these kinds of calls ( Although he kept saying that he would make sure that I don't receive anymore calls from them at all which is obviously clearly suspicious in itself as this doesn't sound like anything that a bank would do ). This is not the first time I have recieved suspicious calls from the " BMO Collections Department ''. Just a few months ago I received a call from them attempting to collect a non-existent debt and on that occasion I actually called the regular customer service number and got someone higher up who confirmed that these calls should not be being made especially in the fashion they are being made and even they thought it was suspicious and seemed like a scam.

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