Consumer complaint received 2021-03-23
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CT
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:
There is currently a billing error in the amount of {$230.00} on my account. The amount is incorrect because it is erroneously linked to a charge that was investigated as fraudulent and resolved in XXXX. 

Although the Security Operations department of LLBean Mastercard notified me in writing that the dispute had been resolved and my account cleared on XX/XX/XXXX ( see attached ), the charges remain and continue to accrue interest and late fees. I have tried multiple times to resolve this issue by phone with multiple agents from the billing dispute, fraud and security operations departments, there has been no action taken to resolve this issue. 

This matter arose on XX/XX/XXXX when I purchased a jacket from a vendor listed as XXXX. I ordered the jacket on-line and paid for it with my LLBean Mastercard. I made a payment to LLB Mastercard for the total amount, {$100.00} ( {$100.00} plus a foreign transaction fee of {$3.00} ) on XX/XX/XXXX. 

I never received the jacket. I called customer service and was referred to the fraud department. On XX/XX/XXXX I received correspondence from security operations that the claim was being investigated. On XX/XX/XXXX, I was notified by security operations the fraud investigation was complete and that we removed the disputed charges and any related fees and interest charges from your account. Both communications are attached. 

In order to receive a refund for the purchase, I was given a choice of wire transfer or check. I requested a wire transfer. When it did not arrive within the promised time frame ( within 3-5 days ) I requested that I be sent a check. On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with a customer service representative. That check was issued on XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of {$100.00}. That should have been the end of it. 

I began noticing activity on the account related to this transaction. When I spoke to a customer service representative in late XXXX XXXX he stated it looked like two departments had been working in the account, possibly fraud and billing disputes and that he would get it sorted out. Nothing changed. Simply put, the disputed amount {$100.00} or {$100.00}, depending on whether the foreign transaction fee was included ) was being added on and taken off the account over and over. Attached is a timeline supported by billing statements and activity logs. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I contacted customer service again and spoke to XXXX in billing disputes. There was much confusion and he proposed to open a new billing dispute. I explained that all of this was already resolved by the fraud department, but I was told a new dispute had to be initiated. I requested that my account be adjusted to remove any late charges and that I be assured that this mistake would not be reflected on my credit report. He told me that as long as 30 days have not passed it would not be an issue. He issued a refund of the late charges and interest that had accrued on the account. 

The following day I called back and spoke with XXXX in billing disputes because XXXX was not available. Again, I requested that I not be penalized for the mistakes made by LLB Mastercard. 
She confirmed there was an open investigation and that I should not worry about penalties or adverse credit implications. Twelve days later I began receiving calls from a collection agency along with emails stating that my account is past due. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with XXXX in the fraud department who assured me this issue would be resolved and my account would have a zero balance. It has been two weeks and nothing has changed. I attempted to contact the fraud department this morning, identifying myself as a lawyer and was kept on hold for 20 minutes at which time I ended the call. 

I sent a certified letter with attachments to LLBean Mastercard with a copy to CFPB by certified mail with all attachments on XX/XX/XXXX.

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 monetary relief