Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Battle with Bank of America

I have been in combat with Bank of America. This email explains it all. It is not a complicated problem, but to Bank of America it is impossible. Here is the text of a chat I had with the wonderful customer service people.


Welcome to an online chat session at Bank of America. Please hold while we connect you to the next available Bank of America Online Banking Specialist. Your chat may be monitored and recorded for quality purposes. Your current wait time is approximately 0 minutes. Thank you for your patience.
Thank you for choosing Bank of America. You are now being connected to a Bank of America Online Banking Specialist.
Chole: Good Afternoon! Welcome to Bank of America's Service Chat for Personal accounts.
Chole: My name is Chole. May I have your complete name & last 4 digits of the account?

You: Hi Chole Name: Russell X XXXXXXX
Chole: Hello Russell.
Chole: How are you doing today?

You: Last 4 Digits: XXXX
Chole: Thank you.
You: ok thanks, Here is a problem. All information to solve the problem follows.
You: Five phone calls have not solved this problem. I want to pay my BofA HELOC with a credit union account. , BofA placed THREE small deposits in my account for verification, but the verification Web page provided only TWO spaces for me to respond. So I failed to verify. I need to solve this problem so I can pay THIS MONTH's HELOC account. About to go to my local TV consumer reporter to get this solved. Here is all info you need to solve the problem. (HELOC Acct: # XXXXXX) (Verification Deposits: $ .48 .47 .01) (XXX Credit Union: Routing: XXXXXXXXX Checking:
XXXXXXXXXXX)
Chole: Please go ahead with your query.
You: There it is.
Chole: I understand that you would like to pay HELOC account from another bank's account.
Chole: And, you have to verify the trail deposit.
Chole: Let me help you with that.

You: correct. You have the credit union account, the name of the bank, the routing and cheking number there, and the exact amount of the trial deposits.
Chole: The trial deposits are done only in two small amounts........
Chole: And this trial deposit has to be done from Credit Unions account/

You: The
You: Credit union is the American Broadcast Employees FCU
Chole: Does it allow to transfer funds online?
You: yes.
Chole: Please make a trail deposit from that account into this HELOC account.
Chole: And it has to be only two small amounts.
Chole: In these three deposits did you try to confirm the latest two deposits?

You: Wait. the way this works is BofA made the trial deposits to veritfy the account. I was not able to verify because they made THREE deposits and the Web page only gave me TWO spaces to verify. Chole, did you read my complete explanation avove?
You: above not avove
Chole: Yes I did read the whole explanation.
Chole: That was the problem.
Chole: There has to be only two small deposit to verify.

You: Right. I need to verify those three deposits.
You: OK TWO. Which two?
Chole: The latest two.
Chole: Ignore the older deposit.

You: OK, that would be $.47 and .01
Chole: Please try to verify with them once.
You: Can you confirm verification?
Chole: No we do not have access that, it is a self service one.
You: Rats. OK, but I have been locked out of the system because of this screwup on the part of BofA. Can you get someone to unlock it, and give me the Web address so I can try again.
Chole: Sorry, as an associate I have only access to transfer the chat to my Supervisor.
You: We have to get this problem solved so I can make sure my HELOC payment goes in on time. BTW, I paid it in June and I need to make sure it is credited for July
You: Well, let's get it solved.
You: Let
Chole: I understand your point of view.
You: Let's get it solved. Supervisor. Good idea.
Chole: Sure....
Chole: Please allow me a moment!

You: I would hate to have to start this whole conversation over again if the chat window were to close down due to inactivity.
Chole: I am still with you.
Chole: I will transfer you over to my Supervisor but he will have the same access to this issue.

You: So if my payment is late, BofA would come down on me about that because BofA can't solve the problem?
Chole: I only assist with personal Checking and Savings account.
Chole: However, I can help you with setting up these trail deposits and verifying. But I will not be able to comment on the late payment fee.
Chole: Would you still like me to transfer the chat to my Supervisor?

You: Let's just get the problem solved. Now
You: Let's transfer to BofA CEO Brian Moynihan if necessary. In fact maybe a copy of this chat should go to a top exec of BofA. This is NOT a complicated problem.
Chole: Please wait.. while I transfer the chat to my Supervisor.
Please wait while I transfer the chat to Ralph who can best assist you today.
Thank you for choosing Bank of America. You are now being connected to a Bank of America Online Banking Specialist.

You: [After a long wait] anyone there?
You: I am going to get disconnected if someone doesn't appear. I do not wish to waste a lot more time on this very simple problem. Hello?
Chole: I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Please wait while I transfer the chat to Ralph who can best assist you today.
Thank you for choosing Bank of America. You are now being connected to a Bank of America Online Banking Specialist.
Ralph: Hi Russell! This is Ralph. I am the floor supervisor.

You: Hello there Ralph. I have every confidence you can solve this problem. It is not complicated.
Ralph: Please give me some time while I review your chat with Chole.
You: OK, let me give you the simple version. BofA made THREE small trial deposits in my credit union account but only gave me TWO spaces to verify on their Web page. So I failed to verity correctly and BofA locked me out of the verification page. Why can't I just pay the HELOC online out of the account: BTW I already paid the HELOC early and need to make sure it is credited for JULY
Ralph: I understand as you have failed verification on the trial deposits you have got locked out .
You: Correct, Ralph
Ralph: Please give me a quick moment while I provide you the number to our specialists who would be able to help you with this.
You: No I will not call. I have wasted hours on phone calls with BofA on this problem. No calls. I will copy this chat and sent it to Corporate HQ if necessary.
Ralph: Russell, I am sorry but through this chat channel we are unable to assist you.
Ralph: I can provide you with our specialists contact number who can guide you.

You: Fine, have someone call me. Someone who can actually solve the problem. 323.221.0821 or 323. 221.3550.
Ralph: I regret we would not be able to provide a call back regarding this issue.
You: I think BofA will be
You: I spent years as a television consumer reporter. This is one of the most outrageous cases (my own) that I have ever encounterd. Do you really think Corporate wants a copy of this message by email or snail mail?
You: I think it is your job, Ralph, to find out who can solve this problem and have them call me.
Ralph: Please contact us at 1.800.933.6262 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Mon to Fri, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat to Sun, Eastern Time. I do understand your frustration and I am sorry for the inconvenience.
Ralph: I am referring you to our specialists as they would be able to guide you on this.
Ralph: We solely assist with personal accounts so we are unable to directly assist you with this issue.

You: This IS a personal account.
Ralph: We assist only with Personal Checking and Savings accounts.
You: How do I contact the HELOC people?
Ralph: I have referred you to our Online Banking Specialists regarding the trial deposits verification.
Ralph: One moment please.

You: The online banking specialists have proven to be incompetent and unconnected. They have no interest in helping. They just shuffle me from one office to another.
You: How about if I publish this entire chat online for everyone to see? Without my account numbers included, of course?
Ralph: Please contact our Heloc specialists at 1.800.934.5626 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Mon to Fri, Eastern Time.
You: There's a reason I have no bank account with BofA.
Ralph: I do apologize for the inconvenience. Our specialists at 1.800.933.6262 would be able to help you with the trial deposits.
Ralph: Is there anything else I may assist you with?
Ralph: Are you still with me? Please respond so I can leave this chat window open to answer any questions for you.
Ralph: Russell, Unfortunately, due to the elapsed time since we received your last message, we are exiting the chat session. If you wish to chat with a Bank of America associate again, please click "Chat Online Now."
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