Bank of America sending us to the poor house

Bank of America started ripping me off on my credit card approximately one year ago. I was making payments via my online banking (another bank) every 4 weeks, like clockwork. However, apparently my payments eventually got ahead of the "statement" date since the statements are generated every 28 days. Two payments posted to my account on the same month. And every month, thereafter, BOA considered me "late" until I caught this.

by the time I caught up with this (was getting Ebills and no reason to log in a look since I wasn't using the card), BOA decided I was a "credit risk" and raised my interest rate to nearly 40% apr. Yes, you read that right: forty.

Suddenly, my minimum payments were a mortgage payment. However, I continued to pay them. I even decided to use their automatic payment system "bill pay". Again, I suddenly get a statement that shows I am past due, 2 months worth. I call, and find out that they've been applying my payment to a "corporate card" in my name which I have NO access to pay. But none the less, after many many calls, they transfered the money back. But the interest stayed as well as late fees.

Soon after, my payments were up to nearly $500 per month, minimum. I could not make these payments. I called customer service, held for ungodly times to be disconnected by the dept who could help me.

I sent emails via their online banking. I pleaded for someone to help me pay this down!! I didn't want to default on this card.

Finally after several calls, being bounced around, I was transfered to the correct dept. I spent nearly 1/2 hour of my time to give all my financial stats. IT was determined by this gentleman that my payment would be $200/month. It would freeze my account (close it actually). But would lower the interest rate to make it possible to pay this off. He said it would take about a week to process. I had to give him my checking account info and agree to automatic withdrawals from my account. We agreed on the 15th of the month.

A few days later, as agreed to, BOA withdrew $200 from my account. I presumed all was well.. Whew, what a relief to get this finalized...

A week later, I received a call from the BOA collection dept telling me that I was past due. They had received my $200 (thank you very much) but I still owed $700 in fees, etc. be "caught up". I gave the agent the schpeal on the whole plan I set up, etc. He advised that it probably just hadn't made ti to their dept. No love lost afaic.

A week after that, another call. Same thing...I was told, "oh, sorry - we'll note this on the account".

Ok, so it's fixed now, right?

Today, I recieved yet another call. Now, I'm realizing that indeed there is a problem. After several calls to different depts, I was informed that there was no way to fix this problem internally. That "I" have to call the Customer Service Assistance team. But, of course, they aren't in due to the weekend and holidays, etc. This allegedly is the dept who set up my "payment plan".

I am so frustrated. I want to pay this card off. But they simply do not seem to want to let me. First it was because I paid "too soon". Now they just continually give me the runaround when I try to work something out with them.

They claim that none of the departments have access to each's systems and notes. So there is supposedly no way for a dept to check and see if I'm indeed "on a plan". Even though I am obviously on a plan since THEY are taking my money out of my checking account monthly.

My CC limit is $9900. And now thanks to their fees due to THEIR incompetence, I'm over 10k now.

This is just plain abuse of consumer credit. I'm sickened by it.

As a contrast, Discover called me when I went a bit over my limit to see if they could help. I spoke with one person, and viola, I was setup and got it paid down in a few months.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Count me in on any Class Actions. I agree, they are awful here. I've never had such a problem with a credit card in all my life.

Worse, is that under Fleet, things were fine. When BoA took over, it all went to hell in a handbag....sigh.

Sorry to hear about the Fraud crap. That just stinks all around!

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Hi There, I am sitting here reading your story and I have one very much the same with my Bank Of America Credit Card it has a $3,000. Limit and I have been paying on it for over 4 years now with the automatic withdraw....8 Mnths ago same thing they took 2 payments @ once then my min payments sky rocketed over $485. a month.... What a joke I called and called agin no one could resolve this issue...Now after going on 4 years and not buying anything on that credit card for the last 3 years I now owe a wapping $5,000.....But wait it gets even worse.. I am a Realtor and as everyone knows its slow wright now...I looked online for a side job I could do out of my home... I found something called "Mystery Shoppers" I applied and got the job which was pretty easy they send me a check once a month and I go and shop at the diffrent stores and judge the cleaness and the customer service and so on and so forth... I get my first check for $1,600. I called the number (human Resorces) out of New York they tell me to deposit my check into my account and I have 2 days to get the reciepts and reports back to them. I go to BofA which I have been a member of since 1993 in good standing might I add...and I deposit the check..The next day I go to the bank to pull out the funds to find out they have FROZEN my account due to the Check was a FRAUD.... I went right to the police dept and gave them all the letters I recieved from this internet job along with numbers and copy of the check BofA gave me..The Police Officer said I was a Victom of Fraud.... I then went back to BofA with the Police Dept CAse # and info stateing this fact...BofA said they did not care that my account was going to be shut down because I deposited a fraudulant check and that I should have known it was fraudulant... The Cop said there was no way I could have known because it was a real check just the numbers at the bottom of the check were mixed up.....Now I went to open a checking account at another bank and they turned me away stateing I am on a list called "Check Systems" and for 7 years I will not be able to have a Bank account....Now I have no way to cash my commission checks and this is a huge nightmare....BofA said until I pay a fee of $245. which was overdraft fees $35. over and over and over again which caused my account to be deliquant they will not take me off the Check Systems.....Tell me if I am wrong but shouldnt they ave put that on my credit report not on Check Systems that seems against the law.... I was the victum of Fraud and yet I am being treated like a criminal... I am going to file a law suit against BofA so if there are any of you out there that wouuld like to join me... I know we have a chance to WIN reading all of these storys makes me sick... How dare these Banks....Lets take a stand and put them in there place...With out us they are nothing....if everyone one us got togeather and filed a Class Action Law Suit..... BofA would have to shut there doors due to being bank rupt for paying out all the LawSuits.....:)

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Next Day: I called the number rep gave. it was NOT the right dept. Found old number from last month. Called. Was told that BOA rep goofed and didn't submit my plan. However, needed HIS dept. Attempted to transfer me - DISCONNECTED. Called back. given direct number. Was told by Shannon in this dept that she resubmitted the application. Will take 7-10 bus days AGAIN. Asked her to remove late fees. Claimed she couldn't. Attempted to transfer me to someone who could. DISCONNECTED! Called back. Got Stephanie. Stephanie checked with Shannon who told her that she removed late fees. Asked to speak with Shannon. Put on hold, then DISCONNECTED!! Called back. Got Shannon who claimed that she DID remove late fees for past 2 months. However, cannot take my account out of collections despite the plan since it's not in place yet!!!

Asked what I could do to prevent problems. Nothing. Just wait for my letter of confirmation.