Consumer complaint received 2023-03-22
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MI
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit 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:
XX/XX/XXXX - My husband passed away who retired from the company. 
XX/XX/XXXX - With the assistance of my daughter, contacted the company to inform of husband 's passing after receiving the death certificate. 
XX/XX/XXXX - Spoke with CSR who confirmed account was closed and told there was a XXXX balance. Also told not liable for balance. Told to send death certificate and letter to the company. 
XX/XX/XXXX - Received a call from the company regarding account. Spoke with floor supervisor and explained what happened the day prior. Floor supervisor stated that a letter would be sent out 7-10 business days. May possibly receive phone calls until updates were made in the system. 
XX/XX/XXXX - Spoke with CSR regarding account. We were told there was nothing in the system and that we should speak with someone with the Investigations Dept. Given a case ID # ( XXXX ). Told to resend death certificate and letter, nothing on file. 
XX/XX/XXXX - Emailed letter and death certificate per request. 
XX/XX/XXXX - Spoke with CSR and was informed that my husband 's account had been transferred to a new account on XX/XX/XXXX in my name. Was told that there supposedly I was joint on the account. Informed CSR I was ONLY an authorized user on the account. CSR looked up notes in the account and found that retiree called regarding adding someone as a joint person on the account ( XX/XX/XXXX ), but there was no application of a joint account. Also was informed that whatever was done on XX/XX/XXXX wasn't correct. Was transferred to another company to their Investigations Dept and then to the Probate Dept with no resolution. 
XX/XX/XXXX - Contacted by the company once again and was transferred from CSR to Probate who then transferred to Employee Accounts ( the new account opened was an employee account, my deceased husband 's account ) who then transferred to a Collections Supervisor who then transferred to Fraud Detail who then transferred to a Supervisor who supposedly closed the account, apologized for the confusion and stated that I was not liable and would be referring to the investigations department. 
XX/XX/XXXX - Contacted by the company and SCR stated the account was closed an a new credit card was opened ( reason for the call from credit department ). He stated his supervisor told him that I was still liable for the account. After going back in the notes, the CSR stated there was an account closed in XXXX with a different account number ( looked like an error ), then also confirmed the old account was transferred from my late husband to new account with my name only. Finally spoke with the supervisor in the Billing Department. She stated she was escalating the case and to resend the letter and death certificated to the company 's dispute department. It would take 10-14 business days. 
XX/XX/XXXX - Received a XXXX package from the company. The letter stated that I was the primary and requested my husband, who was an authorized user, be made joint on the account. I was NEVER the primary on the account! My husband may have called to inquire about adding me as a joint account holder, but I never agreed to anything. When I requested the documentation to show a credit application with my name on it, all they sent were copies of my husband 's old credit card statements. The letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, was to show I was only an authorized buyer on the account. My husband had to go through bankruptcy and I was never involved in his dealing. I was under the impression that my name was solely on the bill because I was an authorized user. I am not aware of what my husband did with his account. The company never sent any documentation of a credit application, only statements. 
XX/XX/XXXX - The company had a letter to the my estate and that the account was closed. The estate would receive communication from an outside probate partner. I did not call because this became very frustrating and hurting. I am still mourning the death of my husband and now they are sending letters to my family stating that I am dead. This was devastating! 
XX/XX/XXXX - I received a letter from a law firm addressed to my estate. They had received notification that I had passed away, They were seeking to located the Executor of my estate to pay outstanding bills. My daughter sent an email to them letting them know I was very much alive and that this was an example of the poor services being received from their client. 

The end of XXXX I received a statement from the Company for payment and several phone calls from the credit collections department. I began to seek legal help, but I can not afford to pay for the expenses. I was speaking with a family friend and was told I should send my concerns to CFPB.

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