Consumer complaint received 2024-02-08 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Other banking product or service
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account — Money was taken from your account on the wrong day or for the wrong amount
Company: BANK OF HAWAII CORPORATION
State: HI

Complaint narrative:
We pay our XXXX credit card ( account XXXX ) through Bank of Hawaii ( BoH ) Bill Pay from our checking account. We also have use XXXX XXXX  Autopay feature that pays the balance in case we don't receive the statement before the due date. We have always paid our balance in full. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed that XXXX XXXX credit card payments were being deducted from our BoH checking account every month, but only the auto-pay was credited to my XXXX credit card account. On XX/XX/XXXX, we spoke with XXXX at BoH who confirmed that both payments did go to XXXX and that the XXXX  account number on my Bill Pay Account, was correct -- ending in XXXX. She confirmed that the total amount of all payments misallocated by Bank of Hawaii is {$170000.00}. We then called XXXX and spoke with XXXX to report the missing payments. XXXX requested that BoH send a fax to XXXX at XXXX with a transmittal report for each missing payment. We then requested this from BoH. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, we were contacted by XXXX who works for XXXX, BoHs vendor for processing Online Bill Pay payments. We had never heard from XXXX before and were surprised to hear from a third-party vendor instead of from BoH. According to XXXX, XXXX received a Notice of Account Change from XXXX and started rerouting our Bill Pay payments away from our account number and to a different XXXX  credit card number ( account number XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ). Our account ends in XXXX. This had been going on since the first missing payment sent XX/XX/XXXX. 

We asked why we were not notified of the change and why our account number still appeared to be correct in BoHs online bill pay. She stated that it is not their policy to notify the account holder or bank when an account number is changed and she acknowledged that XXXX did not confirm the change with us or with Bank of Hawaii. 

XXXX initiated a three-way call with us, her ( XXXX ) , and XXXX. We spoke with XXXX at XXXX to review and confirm the details from the previous paragraph. We also confirmed that BofH, XXXX, and XXXX had all the same payments amounts and dates noted. XXXX told us it takes XXXX business days to refund the payments ( to XXXX ) after receiving transmittal confirmation from XXXX to refund the payments. XXXX informed us that the reimbursement would flow from XXXX to XXXX to Bank of Hawaii who would then credit our account. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX called to confirm that they faxed the transmittal confirmation for each missing online bill pay transaction to XXXX on XXXX XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, we called XXXX bank to follow up after noticing that our credit card account had been debited the {$170000.00} that XXXX had initially refunded us. Also, there was no corresponding credit to our BoH account. We spoke with XXXX at XXXX who told us that an escalation was opened on XX/XX/XXXX and that the case was sent to the Missing Payments department at XXXX. Missing Payments determined that the confirmation from XXXX was insufficient and closed our case. The XXXX representative would not provide additional information or help with directing XXXX to send the correct information and abruptly hung up on us. 

The same day, we called XXXX at Bank of Hawaii and explained the situation. She told us she would follow up with her manager. She never called us back. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, we spoke with XXXX at XXXX again. I pointed out to her that we have been working in good faith and had no knowledge of the diversion of our funds because XXXX didnt notify us of any account changes, and that XXXX should be responsible for refunding the money to us and then pursue getting back the misallocated funds from XXXX themselves, since the diverted funds werent going into an account associated with us. She agreed and said she would meet with her boss. 

Later the same day, XXXX called us back and said that because of the large amount, XXXX was not going to directly refund us but arrange a XXXX-way call that day between BoH, XXXX, and XXXX. I requested that she call me back after the meeting or have someone at Bank of Hawaii call me. No one called. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, still having received no word from XXXX or Bank of Hawaii, we called XXXX  at Bank of Hawaii, manager in the Dispute Department. She stated that the meeting did take place and acknowledged that no one called us afterwards. I pointed out that we had no knowledge of the fund diversion nor were we aware that XXXX had diverted the funds, or that XXXX even existed until we got the call from XXXX on XXXX XXXX. I pointed out that since our only direct business relationships were with Bank of Hawaii and XXXX, and because it appears that the change in the account information was done by their vendor without notifying us ( or Bank of Hawaii ), they should take responsibility for the issue and refund our money immediately. Then XXXX, can take the matter up with XXXX and resolve it. 

She implied that in usual cases, that is exactly what would be done but after speaking with her supervisor, he told her that the amount was too great and that he wanted XXXX to refund XXXX who would then refund Bank of Hawaii before they would refund our money. I was incredulous, to say the least. I requested to contact her supervisor and told her to call me back. He has not called and we still have not been credited.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief