Consumer complaint received 2024-01-19
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CT
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX  ( a XXXX XXXX  ) in XXXX. On XXXX XXXX, there were 3 fraudulent wire transfers from my Citi XXXX Checking account. One for {$30000.00} ; one for {$35000.00} ; and one for {$100000.00}. This amounted to ~95 % of my business money ; all that was left was ~ {$7000.00}. 

I never authorized these transfers. Ive never transferred sums of this size from this account. Ive never sent any money either of these banks XXXX  or XXXX XXXX  ( with the possible exception of a refund to a client in the middle of the pandemic in XXXX when they cancelled their wedding ). Citi never spoke with me to obtain my approval for these transfers. Its completely negligent of them to do that! 

Most of these funds were fiduciary in nature -- deposits from my clients for performing services ( their weddings, events, galas, fundraisers, and creating their subscription bouquets ). This money was to cover all my costs of goods and operating expenses. Without urgent help, I am in a very bad situation. 

The compromised account is now locked ; I've frozen all of my credit. I filed a police report on Mon. XXXX, the earliest I was able to do so. 

Citi has been incredibly unhelpful. I was on the phone with Citi for hours every day XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX, escalating the issue and pushing to speak with higher management, as I never authorized these wire transfers and need to obtain any customer protection measures that could help in recovering my funds as quickly as possible. They are telling me they need to first see if the other banks can return any funds, and if they can't they will continue their investigation ( as of Friday XX/XX/XXXX, there is still no concrete response from those banks, which I do not understand in todays modern age! )... 

Again, I never authorized these transfers. On XX/XX/XXXX, I asked the people I've spoken with at the Wire Dept. at Citi to provide me with their process for verifying/authorizing a wire transfer, and they essentially told me this was proprietary information, and that they needed to first complete their investigation. 

This is a total nightmare. I worked so hard for this money, and have been a client with Citibank since I was XXXX XXXX XXXX ( I am XXXX XXXX XXXX now ). I worked incredibly hard to be in a position to sign a new commercial lease on Monday XX/XX/XXXX, and put down the 1st month 's rent and 3 month 's security deposit. The money left in my account was not enough -- even for the payroll I needed to run payroll on Friday XX/XX/XXXX. I have roughly $ XXXX in monthly expenses, including payroll every 2 weeks. I do not have my money- the money I need to run operations, pay my 10+ employees, purchase goods, and complete services for my clients, etc. 

As of yesterday, XX/XX/XXXX, ( now 13 days later ) Citi 's Incident Report Unit ( the unit that handles the fraud case ) told me that they " needed to complete their investigation '' and that it " might take 30 days. '' They did not have any updates for me other than " an investigator will be calling you. '' They gave me a case #, and said they next time I call back to provide the case number for faster help, which I appreciated. 

This morning, XX/XX/XXXX, I had just started an important call with a client ( at XXXX ) when I received a call from an XXXX number ( at XXXX ) - my screen read " CITI, XXXX and so I said I needed to answer it as I thought it might be an update on my case. The person who called claimed to be Citi, and asked about a " charge to XXXX, '' which I hadn't made. I quickly hung up. 

I immediately called the IRU/Fraud Dept . to report this suspicious call -- and figured I could also get an update on my case. I have been calling the IRU daily. 

The woman in the IRU who answered the call and verified my name, asked if I had received any voicemail from Citi in the last 30 days? I said yes. She asked for the reference code in the voicemail. 

I checked my voicemail and deleted messages, and did not have a voicemail with a 4 digit code from a Citibank investigator from XX/XX/XXXX. 

She said this call was around XXXX. I explained that I missed this call on XX/XX/XXXX because I was at the Citibank branch, focused on transferring what little funds I had in my compromised account to a new account I was setting up, so that I could run payroll and pay rent, etc. 

I asked them if they could please verify my identity in another way. She said no, She needed the 4 digit code. I got very angry. I explained I will be putting Citi on blast, as soon as this is resolved for the terrible way that theyve treated me, after being a longtime client since I was XXXX. I screamed into the phone I need help. Youre supposed to help me! 

( I was supposed to be in an important client meeting at XXXX, to help lock down a job that I, in this moment, desperately need the deposit for ). 

She then sounded sullen as she asked for the last 4 of my social. I gave them to her. She then asked for my card number. I said which card? The old or the new card? She said either card. I said Either card? Im hanging up, I dont even trust that this is Citibank XXXX I truly didnt. I felt so paranoid, because just yesterday someone from the IRU had told me that all I needed was my case #. I decided to call the number on the back of my debit card because that has felt like the most legit way to reach Citibank. 

So, I called XXXX XXXX XXXX. I spoke to a woman, and explained the suspicious call Id received. I shared the phone number that had called me ( XXXX ) she said no, thats not a Citi number. ( So, definitely fraudulent ). She transferred me to someone else. Went through the whole story again. He said he was filing a case with the date / time ( XXXX ) of the phone call and number. He cancelled the new debit card ending in XXXX and Ill receive a new one in 1-2 biz days, mailed to CT, no signature required. 

Then I asked about the issue w/ the fraud dept. That I couldnt get through to learn about the status of my case b/c I didnt have the voicemail w/ 4-digit reference number. 

Transferred to Fraud told me he explained I dont have the reference number. Took about 10-15 minutes to get to speak with Laurence from IRU. 

He also demanded the 4-digit code that I do not have and said without this code, I can not further assist you. At this point, Ive been on the phone with Citi for 1 hour and 20 minutes. 

I asked to speak to a supervisor. I was put on hold again. ( I took a screen shot of this ). 

Spoke to XXXX, who Ive spoken to at least twice before ( when previously calling the IRU and not getting anywhere with whoever answered the phone ). 

XXXX repeated they cant help me w/out the 4-digit code from the investigator, and so the investigator will need to try calling me again. I got very irate, because I felt so gaslit. I am not a child. I checked my Voicemail there was no message, no code ; and, just the day before, the IRU told me all I needed was my case #. I explained that I had missed the investigators call not because Im ignoring calls ( I am picking up EVERY call right now because I have been dealing with so many departments and agencies trying to get answers and help ). I missed the call b/c I was at Citibank. I explained I am a busy person constantly in meetings, needing to organize orders, meet with clients, plan flowers for weddings, meet with employees. I said I would love to schedule a time to speak with the investigator, and that if I had the code, I would provide it as I do not have an hour and a half to be on the phone, fighting to learn any updates on my case. 

He said he felt me and would email the investigator to share what times Im available. He said he could not call me back to confirm a time that only the investigator can call me right now. I shared I was NOT in meetings today from XXXX, and Monday, XXXX. He said all he could do was share these times with the investigator in an email. 

I was on the phone for 1 hr 50 minutes. 

Im unable to run my business. I am desperately in need of help, to get Citibank to restore my funds.

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