Consumer complaint received 2020-12-15
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: FL
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:
On XX/XX/2020, I was traveling outside of the country vacationing at the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, an All Inclusive Resort in XXXX. During the trip on Saturday XX/XX/XXXX I left my wallet in my hotel room when our group went to the beach. The resort was an all inclusive, and I didn't process a single transaction the entire weekend in XXXX. While at the XXXX airport awaiting my return flight to XXXX, I noticed a suspicious pending charge on my card. The charge was a vendor I had never heard of called XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for {$1000.00} USD. 

I immediately reported this charge to CitiBank. While this charge occurred using my credit card, my card was not physically stolen which I reported in the incident report. Ultimately, Citibank decided NOT to credit the charge to my account as a fraudulent charge because I never physically lost the card and their records indicate it was a chip transaction. What was very evident to me was that a member of the hotel housekeeping staff gained access to my hotel room, and used the card to process a transaction through their mobile device and a payment gateway device. I was not the only person in my group who experienced the same fraud with the same vendor in the exact same manner ; their bank ( XXXX ) immediately flagged the charge and provided excellent service to their customer ( see proof later in the letter ). 

I am extremely disappointed in the way that this fraud has been handled by CitiBank - this matter has been outstanding now for 10 months, and I have easily spent 40 hours calling and following up on this claim, writing letters etc. As a last resort I am filing this claim with the CFPB because I am at a loss of what else to do. 

A simple XXXX Search shows that the vendor XXXX XXXX XXXX is a XXXX XXXX that permits mobile payments and transactions via a reader on a cell phone or tablet. This explains how the hotel staff at the resort were able to process the large fraudulent transaction without permanently stealing my credit card. When I called the bank to understand why my fraud claim was rejected, I learned it is because I never physically lost the card. Its obvious to me that a member of the hotel staff used the card while in my hotel room to transact through their mobile phone and then returned the card to avoid raising any suspicions. 

https : XXXX https : XXXX  Please see attached evidence of how this same fraud happened to another member of my group while on the same trip ( she was staying in a different hotel room at the resort ). 

I have been a loyal CitiBank customer for many years, and currently have the AA Citi card and use this card to purchase ALL of my travel and related expenses. I believe that CitiBank should have immediately flagged this transaction as fraudulent ; furthermore, the fact that its been 6+ months since the incident and remains outstanding is particularly disappointing. Additional frustrations include : 1 ) The original claim was denied due to me reporting the card as not physically missing when a simple XXXX search on Sr Pago explains how this is possible 2 ) I wasnt informed that the case was denied, and I only realized when I got a late fee for a balance I didnt know existed 3 ) When I called back to re-open the case no one informed me when that second case was denied. 

Thank you for your consideration and assistance with this matter.

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