How fitting is it that I had to come all the way to Europe to learn firsthand how sleazy Bank of America is? Profit first, customers second.
Here’s my story: Recently, I was a victim of debit card fraud. After unusual charges from Arizona (while I was in Paris), Bank of America blocked the card. Rather than call to tell me this with the number I gave them, they forced me to find a landline phone and the company’s international number. Subsequently, I did not realize the card was blocked until I tried to pay for a bill on a date. That was awkward.
After 30 minutes of fishing through the website’s frequently asked questions page (which never has my question), I finally found the bank’s international hotline number. After 15 minutes on hold, they told me what happened and informed me I would need a new card. This was on a Monday, and Bank of America assured me the card would arrive by overnight shipping in Paris before my trip to Greece that Friday.
It didn’t.
And it didn’t arrive by the next Monday either. Good thing Greece is a first-world country that accepts credit cards at most establishments. Oh wait, it had a financial collapse. Unsurprisingly, nobody accepts credit cards there. Good thing my roommate is filthy rich and didn’t mind loaning me 200 euros. Oh wait, he’s not. That was also awkward.
I returned to France on Monday and immediately called Bank of America. It took another 15 minutes of unbearable elevator music for an operator to answer, who informed me my card was mailed to some random town in Maryland named College Park. This isn’t even the first time they’ve done this. Bank of America has previously mailed cards to my Massachusetts hometown while I was in College Park and vice versa. On each occasion I informed them of my location, but something always goes amiss. Also, it turns out Bank of America uses FedEx, which doesn’t even have overnight international shipping. The card arrived late to the wrong place.
After another 15 minutes on hold, I had developed a sense of entitlement.
“You know, this was an extraordinary inconvenience,” I said, before explaining about my situation in Greece, trying to find the phone number and going two weeks without cash.
“When businesses screw up, they compensate their customers. I don’t expect a cash payout, but it would be nice if you stopped charging me these mundane fees every time I convert a dollar to a euro, or use an ATM at a bank other than the one specified for me.”
“You want to talk about some compensation? Hold please!”
“Well I -” cue another 15 minutes of unbearable music. The next operator answered without a clue of my situation, forcing me to recount the whole thing. After yet another 10 minutes on hold, she told me she reversed two one-time $5 fees, which probably didn’t even pay for the phone call in the first place. I informed her that I never want to pay these nickel and dime fees again. “That’s impossible. You are abroad. You’re going to be charged fees for withdrawals and conversions.”
“Why can’t Bank of America cover those?”
“Would you like to talk to a customer service manager about further compensation?”
Another 15 minutes of hold did not sound enticing. I knew the objective here: keep tossing me from person to person until I give up.
Well I do give up. When I return home, I’m taking every penny out of my Bank of America account, and if you bank with them, I encourage you to do the same. My next bank may turn out to be just as bad, but these places need to learn we’re on to them. The days when business ethics are driven by a moral compass may be over, but perhaps knowing customers aren’t complete pushovers can make up some of the difference.
Greg Nasif is a senior history major. He can be reached at nasif@umdbk.com.
