Consumer complaint received 2023-06-19
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: PR
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/2023 - Three fraudulent transactions ( for {$220.00}, {$370.00} and {$130.00} ) were charged to my Macys store card at a Macys store in XXXX, XXXX, NJ ( for a total amount of {$730.00} ). I called Macys to report the transactions. They said they would open a fraud investigation, cancel my card and issue a replacement card, which I accepted. 
XX/XX/2023 - As of this date, I had not yet received my new card. However, two fraudulent transactions ( for {$440.00} and {$140.00} ) were charged to this new card number at a Macys store in XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, NJ ( for a total amount of {$590.00} ). At this point, I suspected that my identity had been stolen and recalled that Macys allows customer without their physical card to access their credit line by introducing their SSN at the stores register. That same day, I filed an Identity Theft Report with the FTC and called all three credit agencies ( XXXX, XXXX and XXXX ) to place fraud alerts and freeze my credit. I also called Macys to report the transactions and explain that my identity had been stolen. Macys said they would open a second fraud investigation, cancel my card and issue a new replacement card. However, this time, I clearly refused the replacement card and requested Macys to close my account. The next day, I found out that they did none of these two things. 
XX/XX/2023 - Despite having refused a replacement card and having requested Macys to close my account, Macys issued a new replacement card and two fraudulent transactions ( for {$420.00} and {$91.00} ) were charged to this new card number at a Macys store in XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, NJ ( for a total amount of {$510.00} ). I called Macys to report the transactions and questioned why they had issued a new card and kept the account open against my will. Their Customer Service explained that the companys policy is to automatically issue a replacement card when fraudulent transactions are reported and that, in order to prevent the replacement card from being issued, extra steps were required from Macys Customer Service that had not been done by the person who took my call on XX/XX/XXXX. They apologized, said that they would open a third fraud investigation and confirmed that they would cancel my card without issuing a replacement and that they would close my account. Once again, they did none of these two things. 
XX/XX/2023 - XXXX received an email from Macys notifying that I had been upgraded to Platinum Status and that I would be receiving new Platinum Macys Star Rewards Card in the mail shortly. I called Macys Customer Service, reported the email and explained that I had not authorized any new cards to be issued and had in fact requested my account to be closed on XX/XX/XXXX. They apologized for the inconvenience and said that they would solve the problem. They obviously did not. 
XX/XX/2023 - At this point, I have already requested Macys on 3 different occasions to NOT issue any new cards and to CLOSE my account. However, Macys kept the account open against my will, issued a new replacement card without my will and two more fraudulent transactions ( for {$170.00} and {$110.00} ) were charged to this new card number at a Macys store in XXXX, XXXX, NJ ( for a total amount of {$290.00} ). Since the previous fraudulent transactions were still being charged to my account, these purchases surpassed my credit limit and Macys still allowed the purchases to be made. In fact, at this point, Macys had allowed {$2100.00} in fraudulent transactions to be charged to my account, which had a {$1800.00} credit limit. I once again called Macys to report the transactions and question why they had issued a new card and kept the account open against my will. They explained again that the companys policy is to automatically issue a replacement card when fraudulent transactions are reported and that the previous Macys Customer Service Employee had not taken the required extra steps in order to prevent the replacement card from being issued and close my account. They apologized, said that they would open a fourth fraud investigation and confirmed that they would cancel my card without issuing a replacement and that they would close my account. This time they finally did. 
XX/XX/2023 - I called Macys to report that I had received an email regarding undisputed card balance of XXXX with minimum payment required of XXXX by XX/XX/XXXX. At this point, the fraudulent charges made on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX have been eliminated from my account, but those made on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX have not. I explained to the employee that they were still charging me 5 fraudulent transactions that had all been reported on the dates in which they were made. The employee assured me that she would report them again and that my statement balance would be updated in 72 hours. I point out that Macys has reported to the credit agencies that I owe them this amount and that this has already affected my credit score. She says that I should not worry, that Macys will fix this issue with the credit agencies as well. 
XX/XX/2023 - My XXXX statement arrives. The Balance is still {$1000.00}, but the Minimum Payment Due is {$0.00}. However, the amount of {$1000.00} is still showing on my Credit Report as owed to Macys. 
XX/XX/2023 - I received a letter from Macys Fraud Investigation Department dated XX/XX/XXXX. It states that the investigation has been completed and that they have removed all the disputed charges and any related fees and interest charges from my account. They also state that they have updated the dispute to a resolved status with the following consumer reporting agencies : XXXX, XXXX and XXXX. I check my statements online and realize that there is now a balance of {$1000.00}. Macys is still charging me the {$1000.00} plus {$27.00} in interest and is requesting a Minimum Payment of {$38.00}. I call Macys Fraud Department and explain everything for the seventh time. The employee apologizes, explains that apparently no fraud investigation was opened on XX/XX/XXXX and that the other XXXX fraud investigations have already been closed, so she can not do anything else from her department. She asks me to call Macys and Bloomingdales Fraud Claims and Investigations and provides the following number : XXXX. They do not work 24 hours, so I must wait until the next day to call. 
XX/XX/2023 - I call Macys and Bloomingdales Fraud Claims and Investigations at XXXX and explain everything for the eight time. The employee apologizes and assures me that all charges and interests will be dropped in the next few weeks. He acknowledges that I have suffered from Macys actions and says that I will receive a call from Management within 48 hours. 
XX/XX/2023 - The promised call from Macys Fraud Claims and XXXXnvestigations Management never arrived. However, I did receive a call from XXXX, a number that has been identified in previous lawsuits against Macys as an automatic debt collection robocall used by Macys. I did not answer the call and decided to check my statements. I now have 2 statements. One for my original Macys store card ( the one I reported on XXXX XXXX ) for a total of {$730.00} and another one for the last card ( issued against my will ) for a total of {$330.00} which includes {$29.00} in fees and {$7.00} in interests, and requests a Minimum Payment of {$69.00}. I have also received an email from Macys stating that my Credit Card Payment is Past Due. At this point, I have decided not to call Macys anymore and have instead reached out to a Law Office specializing in Consumer Affairs to let them pursue this legally.

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