by JGordon2020
I finally had to file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which oversees companies such as Bank of America. I suggest you do the same if you’re having problems with BoA’s non-Customer Service. www.consumerfinance.gov/
I’m also taking to social media (starting with Bank of America’s own Facebook page as well as Reddit and twitter) to voice my complaint.
I contacted Bank of America on 7/2/2019 regarding several large charges that hit my checking account from a company called blueorange. The charges were for $1,899.99, 1,299.99, (both hit my account on 6/28/2019) 199.99 and 129.99 (both hit my account on 7/1). There were also several “International Translation Fees” that hit my account in the amount of $57, $39, $6 and $3.90.
I called in to Bank of America on 7/2 after discovering my account balance was off so much and discovering the charges. I was informed someone had my bank check/debit card information and that’s where the charges were coming from. Bank of America immediately closed my card and issued a new one and opened a dispute/claim on the charges from blueorange. For some reason they broke the charges into three separate claims, one for the $1,899.99 charge (claim #190628504171), one for the $1,299.99 charge (claim #190628504292), and one that combined the two charges for $199.99 and $129.99 (claim #190702508226).
Since this was obviously a lot of money for me to be missing out of my account, I wanted to know when it would be returned to my account. I was told by the representative that she broke the charges into three claims to make it more likely that they would put the money back into my account while the claim was researched. Then I was told the larger amounts wouldn’t be put in my account, but the two smaller chargers would. This was very upsetting to me because it was the beginning of the month and I had bills to pay.
I also mentioned during the call that I had been a victim of identity theft where whoever had just about all my personal information imaginable filed a federal income tax return in my name for two consecutive years, applied for boat, car and payday loans, and even tried to open numerous checking accounts in my name. This was of little interest to the Bank of America representative.
On 7/9 I noticed in Bank of America’s online message center that the claims were resolved and would not be paid. I was very upset and called in to Bank of America. I asked how this could be? I was told that Bank of America claimed they contacted me and that I approved the charges in question, which was ludicrous. I said so to the representative. At first I was told I received a call, which I didn’t. Then I was told I didn’t receive a call but I received a text approving the charges. I told them this was just not correct, that they kept changing their story and it seemed like they just didn’t want to reimburse my account for these fraudulent charges.
The Bank of America representative said he would note the account that I wasn’t contacted nor did I approve these charges and the claims would be reopened and escalated for a quick resolution.
Fast-forward almost three months later and on 9/25/19 I still hadn’t heard anything from Bank of America. I called in and was told that they were past the 45 days it should have taken and the person I spoke to was going to make sure there was a resolution in the next day or two.
I logged in on 9/26/19 and once again all three claims said “resolved” and “unable to pay.”
I was very upset.
I google searched this blueorange that hit me with all these charges, and found out it’s a scam bank out of Latvia that is notorious for not only scamming people out of money but money laundering.
It appears Bank of America didn’t even do any real research like this because when I called in to Bank of America’s fraud department on 9/27/19 to find out why they didn’t pay these fraudulent claims on my account, I spoke with Susie in Arkansas and she once again told me all the notes said is that Bank of America claims to have contacted me on 6/27/19 and that I validated the charges, which is crazy. I looked back on my history and I see no calls, no messages or anything from Bank of America on 6/27.
I let Susie know all that had transpired and she was shocked that Bank of America had, and I quote (I also have a recording of this call) “Had not been an advocate for its customer but instead had been more of an advisory.” Susie seemed genuinely concerned (the first person at Bank of America I had talked to that actually did seem concerned about what happened to me) and said “It seems to me like someone here just swept this under the rug and didn’t want to deal with it.” She also saw the same thing I did about this blueorange apparently being some kind of foreign scam bank or company. I also requested documentation of the research Bank of America actually did on these claims be sent to me.
Susie wrote everything we talked about as well as her opinions on how I (as a customer) as well as the disputes/claims had been treated so far during this nightmare and reopened the claims. She wrote down what we had talked about and entered them in the claim notes and said she was sending this to an upper manager who should read it on 9/30/19 or 10/1/19. I also let her know I would probably be filing a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau because it see no other recourse at this time.
I would like this resolved and the funds that were fraudulently taken from my account put back immediately.
I believe this entire situation reflects very poorly on Bank of America and how it treats its customers. I also wanted to warn anyone thinking of banking at Bank of America to think twice about that decision.
Disclaimer: This content does not necessarily represent the views of IWB.