Consumer complaint received 2021-07-31
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NJ
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: Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card

Complaint:
This complaint is regarding a fraudulent charge on my Citi Bank Best Buy Credit Card account. The total amount of this fraudulent transaction was {$1200.00}. On the enclosed digital receipt, it appears that {$1000.00} was charged directly to my Best Buy credit card. However, the remainder amount {$200.00} was charged to a different mode of payment ( see the enclosed digital receipt ). I opened this credit card in store on XX/XX/2021. And I would like to emphasize that I never received the physical credit card at my on-file mailing address. And I suspect that my credit card was used in an unauthorized manner to make the aforementioned fraudulent transaction. I am a victim of identity theft, and I did not make or authorize this charge. I am requesting that the matter be investigated, the billing error may be corrected and the associated information provided to relevant credit reporting agencies be corrected with immediate effect. 

I became aware of this fraudulent transaction on XX/XX/2021, after logging into my XXXX online member account. I contacted Citi Bank Best Buy Credit Card Customer Service and the merchant ( Best Buy # XXXX ) to report this unauthorized activity. At the Citi Bank Best Buy Credit Card Customer Service helpline, I talked with Agent XXXX ( Agent ID : XXXX ), Conversation Reference # XXXX. In addition, at Best Buy store # XXXX, I talked with Store Representative XXXX, and was able to get a case registered for this fraudulent transaction in Best Buy records ( Case ID : XXXX ). 

Citi Bank Best Buy Credit Card has been incompetent throughout this matter. My first and foremost concern is the lax consumer security protocols in place at Citi Bank Best Buy Credit Card department. How was my potentially unactivated credit card used for this unauthorized fraudulent transaction? Why did my credit card never arrive at my on-file mailing address? When I contacted Citi Bank Best Buy Credit Card department on XX/XX/2021 around XXXXXXXX XXXX I was told by Agent XXXX ( Agent ID : XXXX ), that credit cards are shipped in activated condition. If this information is true, then it raises serious consumer security concerns. And this reiterates the negligence and incompetence of Citi Bank Best Buy Credit Card, which has already caused me immense mental and emotional stress. 

To make matters worse, I learned that Citi Bank Best Buy Credit Card reported my credit balance utilization ( while including the fraudulent transaction ) to credit reporting agencies, which has caused my credit score to drop by a significant amount. This is utterly incorrect. I have always maintained good credit in the past, and this behavior is unacceptable. I would like to request CFPB to inquire Citi Bank Best Buy Credit Card regarding this credit reporting and kindly facilitate the correction in my credit report with relevant credit reporting agencies. 

Finally, the general customer service and responsiveness at Citi Bank Best Buy Credit Card is subpar. Several agents that I talked with over the phone were plain rude and unhelpful. Many agents chose to talk over me and hung up the phone call, while I was calling to report this fraudulent transaction and inquire about progress made in the investigation on this case. Citi Bank Best Buy Credit Card needs to train their representatives on how to behave with customers. 

I have enclosed copies of the following documents supporting my position : Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) Identity Theft Report, Best Buy digital store receipt, XXXX online account purchases page ( screenshot ) and Equifax initial fraud alert ( confirmation page ). Please investigate this matter and correct the billing error and the associated information provided to relevant credit reporting agencies as soon as possible.

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