Consumer complaint received 2019-12-30
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MD
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Problem when making payments
Sub-issue: Problem during payment process

Complaint:
This letter details a complaint against the Home Depot Credit Services ( Citibank ). On XX/XX/2019 I paid a balance of {$280.00} that was due on my Home Depot Credit card account via check. My financial institution ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) showed that the check had been cashed on XX/XX/2019 and funds in that amount had been withdrawn. 

However, the next month I received a statement from HD Credit Services indicating that the payment had not been received and that I owed the {$280.00} plus interest and a late fee. I immediately contacted them to dispute the claim and was told that they had not received the check and that I needed to provide proof of such. On XX/XX/19 I went to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX  ) and obtained the requested documentation and both faxed and mailed it to HD Credit Services to the attention of the Payment Research Department. After several calls to verify that they had received the information, I spoke with XXXX on XX/XX/19 who stated that they had received the faxed documentation and it would take 7-10 days to review it. 

Yet again I received another bill with a late fee added and was informed that the investigation into our dispute was being closed by HD Credit Services due to insufficient proof that the check was received. The issue seemed to have been that the back of the check was not stamped or endorsed. Therefore, on XX/XX/19 I meet with a Financial Services Representative at XXXX. He was able to obtain a copy of the source of receipt which proved that the money was taken out of the Federal Reserve on XX/XX/19.  On this same date I spoke with XXXX from the Payment Applied Department at HD Credit Services. He stated that there was no email where I could forward this information, but I could mail or fax it. This was done on XX/XX/19. 

On XX/XX/19 I received a letter from HD Credit Services dated XX/XX/19 stating that I should call them at my earliest convenience. I spoke with XXXX and then XXXX on XX/XX/19 and was informed that I needed to obtain a proof of payee and that I could dispute the issue with my bank or with the bank who cashed that check. The source of receipt was insufficient because it did not show that the funds were deposited with CBNA/THD. When I asked XXXX to send me something in writing explaining exactly what information I needed, XXXX stated that he couldnt do that. Only form letters were sent out because their company is so large and therefore unable to individualize letters. When I asked to speak with XXXX supervisor, he stated that he did not have one, that  there were only people in the back on computers! 

On XX/XX/19 I spoke with the representative from XXXX again. He is the only person this whole time who genuinely tried to assist me in resolving the problem. Within five minutes he spoke with his accounting department who told him that my {$280.00} check had been cashed by XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX stated that they would reimburse this amount to our checking account and note it as a missing check. 

When I called HD Credit Services again on XX/XX/19 and spoke with XXXX, XXXX, XXXX and finally XXXX, I was informed that my latest investigation was closed and I needed to take my dispute to my bank or XXXX  XXXX XXXX. At this point I was so frustrated with the process and lack of response from HD Credit Services that I decided to pay off the {$280.00} and asked that the interest and two months late fees be waived. XXXX said that it was their policy to only waive the current months late fee and the amount I owed was now {$310.00}. 

However, I received a letter dated XX/XX/19 which stated that under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, HD Credit Services was obliged to report my missed payment to XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX. While I understand there are federal regulations that must be followed, it seems extremely unfair that my credit rating, which has always been excellent, has been effected by a matter that was beyond my control. I paid my bill in a timely manner and followed through with everything that was asked of me by HD Credit Services.

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