Consumer complaint received 2024-01-21
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CO
Product: Credit 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:
I was scammed on XX/XX/2023 for {$490.00} by someone impersonating XXXX XXXX, ( XXXX ) saying I had to pay this fee to keep my original flight home from XXXX or be forced to fly ten days later. After speaking with the real XXXX XXXX, I realized immediately that I had been tricked and disputed the charge with my Costco visa at Citi Bank on XX/XX/XXXX, explaining it was a scam. I cancelled the card and got a new one. The charge on their system said XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX TX, but I was told by the real XXXX XXXX that nothing the scammer told me was true, that their charges end with the reference code 660, that XXXX would never charge for a change they initiated, and I would have received an email with a receipt for the fee, none of which occurred. Three weeks later, on XX/XX/2023, Citi Bank emailed me with the good news that my dispute had been resolved in my favor. Your {$490.00} conditional credit is now permanent. There's nothing else you need to do. I was greatly relieved! For details, it said, please click here. I was curious to see how it got resolved so quickly. Generally, it takes up to 45 days at Citi, if the merchant doesnt reply, to get the dispute resolved. But there was no explanation, just dates. The next day, I got another email, saying Action Required! It said there was a message that might require my immediate attention! I looked in my account notifications and found only a blank page with a link in the middle that said in large letters Withdraw Dispute. I didnt understand. Why were they prompting me to withdraw a dispute with a scammer that was resolved in my favor, for which I was given a permanent credit? The only reason I could come up with, was it was a formality to finish the documentation, as when a complaint or bad review results in some compensation or explanation from a hotel or other business and they ask you to remove the complaint from the XXXX  or XXXX review. Not suspecting anything, and given no warning or explanation, I clicked on the link, but immediately had doubts and called Citi customer service right away to see if that was a mistake. It was! I explained that I had no intention of reversing the dispute, and explained for the tenth time that it was a scammer, impersonating XXXX, and there is no way I would want to give the money back to him. The friendly woman explained that yes that was a common mistake. but she would take care of it. The next day, I got another message, telling me that they had received my communication, stating I needed to reopen this dispute, but that the money had been returned to the merchant and there was unfortunately nothing else I could do! I was furious!! Apparently, the woman with whom I spoke did not take care of it! I called Citi and complained and was told my complaint would be sent to Investigations but it would take approximately 10 days before I heard back. After waiting and worrying for 10 days, I finally got another message, saying that it was irreversible. Again, I called and asked to speak to a manager or someone with authority who could help me. The woman listened very patiently, but could only offer to send my complaint back to investigations again with another 10 day wait. After 10 days, I got another message that it was irreversible and threatening to report my account as past due to the credit bureaus, if I didnt pay the minimum due. I researched this online and found many people have had similar problems with Citi Bank. ( They have 1.6 out of 5 stars on XXXX XXXX ) My options are to file a complaint with the XXXX XXXX XXXX or file a suit in small Claims court, one requiring up-front payment of approximately {$250.00} and both taking up to 6 months to conclude with an uncertain outcome. I will cancel my Costco Citi credit card after receiving my Costco rewards certificate in XXXX. Considering many people are getting scammed ( XXXX XXXX impersonator ) and tricked ( Citi Bank ) out of much more, I consider myself lucky to have learned a valuable lesson about todays world.

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 non-monetary relief