How this story ended?

After making tons of complaining calls, I got nothing but frustration. It is so sad, how BoA, a respected bank, have become a trickster. Base on my research, I have discover tons of respectable institutions that do the same or even worst things.

The final answer of Bank of America was that they cannot refund any money withdrawn before the last statement. In other words, they are not responsible of any lost unless the client realizes the incident within one month.

Elite Excursions had refunded the money equivalent to 4 months, however, they have been taking out money from my account from the last couple of years.

Bank of America did not even refunded the money from the last month saying that it has been already refunded. I have no doubt that Bank of America work along with these institutions, not only because of testimonies from employees of BoA and Elite Excursions, but also from others victims who tell very similar stories.

Right after I had this issue, I started receiving telemarketing calls at least from 8 differents places. What’s going on? BoA’s third party associates are also those lousy companies that make those kind of calls. The scary thing is that some companies make fake calls on behave of Bank of America asking for private information.

If somebody know how or where can I complain, please let me know.

Do you know that Bank of America is giving away your personal info to its third party associations?

I feel shocked for what has been going on in my account. It is, Elite Excursion that has been taking out $20.99 monthly from my account for the past two years without my permission. I still don’t know who authorized such payments, but at least I know from a representative of Bank of America that they have given away my private information because Elite Excursions is one of its third party associations.

My main concern is what the representative told me: “You should follow this up“, but why? since Bank of America gave away my account number, they should follow this up not me.

I knew that I must have not been the only one affected by this crime, so I did a research online, and I found this:

http://marc-bourassa.com/2005/05/04/

Some of the comments on the post that bring up anyone attention are:

1. I would really like to know how they got my information though. pretty sleazy if you ask me.
2. I think anyone who has been affected by these fraudelent account debits should find joint legal representation, since it is obvious that BOA or Elite Excursions do not intend to refund all debits.
3. I called Elite Excursions and was given a fax number (1800-964-8115), which I use to send a letter requesting full refund. Over the phone I could get the refunds for the past 2 months. Has anyone successfully gotten a full refund?
4. One of Elite Excursion’s employees wrote: “sue your bank of whoever because they are the ones who gave the company your credit card information (and ask for the proof of enrollment address because we do have that department available for you).”
5. I have been charged from May 2007-Jan 2008 19.95 a month from BOA Elite Excursions without my permission. They have been taking it out directly from my bank account!
6. http://www.atg.wa.gov/pressrelease.aspx?&id=11860
7. Unethical business practices like these should be what Congress asks about…not steriods.
8. I received my credit card statement in today’s mail and an item for $119.99 appeared. The phone number (877-488-9283) appeared alongside the the entry, TLG*ELITEEXCUR….

Everywhere I complained, they behave very polite, however, it does not matter because base on previous experiences not all the money is back. The question is: HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING ROBBED BY THESE PEOPLE?

According with Bank of America’s policy, they have the right to share customer’s information because it is stated in one of the regulations that customers accept when they sign up for an account (well … there are so many that nobody has the patient to read all of them) As solution they suggest to activate an option called “OPT OUT” which supposedly avoid the sharing of customer’s private information with third party associations.

If you are a Bank of America customer and want to know if you are being robbed by these people follow these instructions in the Bank of America website, after signing in:

CLICK ON

1. Customer Service

2. View/Print Statements

3. Find transactions

TYPE IN THE SECTION

4. Find transactions containing: elitex, or elite, or boaelitex(any of these three)

5. Between now and: the latest date(usually is one year behind)

Full History

After not making any transaction for about two weeks in my checking account, I discovered an extra charge for $20.99. The transaction was on behalf of “BOAELITEX”. At the beginning, I thought, it was some legal automatic service from Bank of America. However, after doing a research online, I realized that I was being robbed by ELITE EXCURSIONS. Moreover, I was surprised of how many people have been cheated by this company and nobody has done anything.

I went to complain in one the branches of BoA (Bank of America). They claimed not to know anything about such company, they just gave me a telephone number (1800-283-9275), so I can contact them. I called them to complain for the money that was withdrawn from my account without my consent. At the beginning, they offered me a refund of 4 months, and I was happy with it. She said that I just need to fax a complain letter. When I asked: “how they obtained my account information”, she said, it was provided by Bank of America.

Shocked by these news, I went back to the same branch of Bank of America. When I made a formal accusation, the representative from BoA called to Elite Excursions. She was told that supposedly 2 years ago, I signed for a promotion of an MP3 player. That is how I was subscribed for Elite Excursions services starting paying $20.99 monthly. Furthermore, I was told that Elite Excursions has been withdrawing money from my account for almost two years. She suggested me to complain to the phone number on the back of my debit card. Once again, I asked how Elite Excursions obtained my information and she said that third party associates of Bank of America have access to BoA’s customers private information. As a solution, she recommended me to activate an option called “OPT-OUT” that stops the sharing of customers’ private info with other companies.

When I called to the telephone number on the back of my debit card, the associate just gathered basic info. That day, he made me foreseen this situation. He said that I was supposed to check my statements, and complain earlier. In other words the fact of being robbed for 2 years, the violation of my private information were all my fault, and therefore nobody will help me to recover my money.

I wrote the complain letter including the transactions made from Elite Excursions, and I fax it. As I expected, after a week I did not receive any email, letter, phone call, anything neither from Elite Excursions nor Bank of America, so I called them back.

When I called to Elite Excursions to ask the status of my complain, the tone of voice and the attitude this time was very rude. The supervisor, Brian Adams, denied that Bank of America gave away my account information, instead he explained me the trick they use:

1. Elite Excursions on behalf of Bank Of America offers an MP3 player

2. If such promotion is accepted, it needs to be signed and mailed. Now comes the trick, because by signing the MP3 promotion, the customer is automatically subscribed for Elite Excursions services, so he/she will start paying after the second month $20.99.

3. The customer’s signature is all what they need against any legal action. If any complain is made, later they will show the signature as a proof of their legal transactions in your account.

4. You will be charged $20.99 monthly until you find out, and when you call to complain they will say that the account is already closed.

When I told the supervisor of Elite Excursions that I have never signed for any of it. He told me that I will receive by mail a proof with my signature on it. However, he said that I can claim the falsehood of the signature, and that Bank of America will decide whether is valid or not. In the case, I prove that the signature is false they will definitely give me back 4 months, it is about $80, but there is not certainty that I will get the full amount of money back, it is approximately $500 in my case.

When I called to Bank of America, the helpless attitude was the same. The representative told me they will not help me to recover my money whatsoever, even though I explained her that I have not authorized such payments. Once again I was told that the most I can get back from bank of America is 4 months ($80). This time the representative also denied that BoA has provided any account information. By the way, awful customer service this time.

CONCLUSIONS

At the beginning the representatives of both sides, BoA and Elite Excursions, they were very nice and good listeners. Later, they both behaved very rude, impolite, and they even raise the voice, using aggressive tones, this was the case of Brian Adams, supervisor of Elite Excursions.

Such a coincide, the first time I called both sides, Bank of America and Elite Excursions, they confirmed that Bank of America gave away my private information. However, the second time I called, they both denied it. Also, both willing to give me back only 4 months in case I can prove that I have been robbed.

They both use the MP3 player trick.

Bank of America does not offer any legal protection in case a company is robbing you. They will not help you to get the money back.

It is so obvious that Elite Excursions is a company of fakers. Not only because of the many accusations posted online against this company and BoA, but also its website <http://www.elite-excursions.com/&gt; which is a joke, a fake. Most of its links are not found. What kind of company is this?

Elite Excursions knows very well that they are robbing innocent people, and that is way, the first time when I called to complain, they automatically said that my account is closed already, even though they charged me one week before I called them.

If BoA and Elite Excursions have no connection, why in the statements the transaction is registered as “BOAELITEX” ?

According to their version, the trick is the MP3 player where customers signed for it. If one signs for it, they have a very smart legal way to avoid civil charges. The only proof they have is the signature which apparently is enough, anyway they can get it from BoA and fake it. These people have no shame, if they have been robbing for many years, of course they will fake a simple signature at anytime.

I feel sorry for Bank of America’s employees since they have to lie and endure so much BS, just because ambitious businessmen plan identity theft against BoA’s customers. I read that Chase Bank does the same.

I was being robbed for two years, how many people are being robbed right now and they do not know? For how long? and when they called to complain, they will heard: “DON’T WORRY YOUR SUBSCRIPTION HAS BEEN CANCELED” but what about the money stolen, BoA will not help, Elite Excursions will get any information they please from its associate BoA, what kind of BS is this? Who is going to stop these people who play, rob, cheat on customers who trust entirely their banks?

HOW IT ENDED?