Consumer complaint received 2021-01-11
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CO
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
Concerning a fraudulent charge on my mastercard, with Citicards. On my XX/XX/XXXX billing statement, a charge of {$410.00} appeared that I did not authorize. The transaction date was XX/XX/XXXX, and post date was XX/XX/XXXX by a company listed on the bill as XXXX XXXX XXXX inXX/XX/XXXX XXXX. I have never heard of this company. I first went online searching for this company, and their phone number to try and resolve this. There was no company with this name online, but a similar name came up : XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, Colorado. The phone number for this company is XXXX. I attempted to call this number several times on XX/XX/XXXX, but no one ever answered the phone, and there was no voice mail prompt. 

I then called Citicards, and filed a dispute on XX/XX/XXXX. I told them that I did not lose my credit card, but I also did not use it to authorize this charge, and I did not receive any goods or services from this company. Citicards rep said they would investigate, and they closed my account and sent me a new credit card with a different account number. 

I received a letter from Citicards dated XX/XX/XXXX, which stated my dispute was closed and the charge of {$410.00} will remain on my account because I didn't lose the card, and the card 's EMV chip was used to make the disputed transaction. I called Citicards on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with XXXX in the investigative center, asking for a new investigation. I told her that the only place I used a chip reader on XX/XX/XXXX was at a hotel in XXXX, Colorado called the XXXX XXXX and gave her the phone number for them - XXXX. I told her that I already called the XXXX XXXX and asked their manager if my card was charged on that date and the money sent to a XXXX XXXX XXXX company. The manager researched the matter, and said that my card was not charged any money. The hotel room had been prepaid by my friend, XXXX XXXX, and my credit card was just put on file with XXXX XXXX in case of incidentals ; the manager assured me I was not charged for any incidentals, and he further stated that the Lodge does not have any dealings with a XXXX XXXX XXXX company. I was told by Citicards that I would need to submit something in writing in order to re-open a closed dispute. She said to address the letter to Mr. XXXX XXXX, who was the investigator. I wrote and mailed a letter to him on XX/XX/XXXX, explaining everything, and gave all phone numbers and information. 

I received another letter from Citicards dated XX/XX/XXXX, saying they confirmed that I participated in the transaction, the charge will remain on my account, and the dispute is closed. I called Citicards again on XX/XX/XXXX, and was placed on hold for one hour and 5 minutes, and had to hang up. I also tried calling the XXXX XXXX XXXX company again on XX/XX/XXXX, and finally someone named XXXX answered the phone. I told him about the charge, and XXXX said that he has received calls from many different people who reported the same issue to him. These people also said they had fraudulent charges by a company called XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX confirmed that his company was never called XXXX XXXX XXXX, and he believes someone used his company 's name and changed the name slightly, to somehow make fraudulent credit card charges on multiple people. He said he would be willing to talk with a Citicard investigator and confirm this information with Citicards. 

I was able to get through with Citicards on the phone XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with XXXX. I told XXXX the whole story from the beginning, and gave her the new information about the VIP company, along with phone number, and asked if she would have the investigator call XXXX to confirm these multiple counts of fraud. I told XXXX that XXXX requested that they call Monday through Friday, from XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX, as that is when he has business hours. I also requested that the investigator call me personally so that I could answer any questions. An investigator did call me several days later. I re-iterated what I had told XXXX, and I told him that the only possible explanation I could think of, was that perhaps an unscrupulous person was nearby when I checked in at the XXXX XXXX and perhaps they were able to steal my information from the chip reader. The investigator asked if I had filed a police report. I said that I had not, because I did not even know about that charge until I received the billing statement later in XXXX. I said I would be willing to drive back up to XXXX, Colorado and file a police report, if that's what it would take to resolve this. He ignored my statement, and started asking other questions about whether I had lost the card, which I had not. I told him that I have been a faithful customer of Citicards for approximately 20 years, and have not filed claims before, and I am telling the truth that I did not authorize this charge. He seemed like he was calling from somewhere outside the US, and may have just been reading questions from a form, and seemed completely disinterested in any explanations I had to offer. 

I received a letter from Citicards dated XX/XX/XXXX, saying exactly the same thing the XX/XX/XXXX letter said. After three attempts to resolve this, I have not contacted them again. I am writing to you.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation