Consumer complaint received 2023-08-23
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: FL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
I was out of XXXX, FL on XXXX XXXX XX/XX/2023. On XX/XX/2023, around XXXX I received a notification alert on my cell phone that said that a {$240.00} charge was made from my account at a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I immediately logged into my bank account to verify the truth behind it and it was true. I immediately contacted my bank from the car due to the fact that I was on my way back to XXXX, FL from XXXX FL. I advised the representative that there was a fraud on my account and that I knew it was not me because I was not even in XXXX at the time of the use. I had my debit card on me and always do and my bank transaction will reflect that I had just used the card earlier in the day in XXXX FL. On XX/XX/2023, I contacted the bank again to follow up on the status of the fraud and was advised that nothing new had been done and at that time it would take up to 10 business days for a credit to be issued to my account for these funds. Needless to say, I was upset because here I was the victim in this situation and my own banking institution is treating me like I am a criminal. I called back again on Tuesday and was advised that there still was no update to the fraud and at that point, I contacted my local police department ( JSO ) to file a police report in hopes that it would speed up the process of returning these funds to my account. The police officer came to my home to gather a statement from me and I was advised at that time that the card had been used relatively close to my home which leads me to assume that this person got my information prior to me even leaving for XXXX on XX/XX/2023. The police officer went to XXXX and reviewed the camera footage of the incident in question and came back to my home to show me the picture of the woman using a card at a self check out register. I still had the physical card in my possession and I was advised that criminals are using skimmers to obtain bank information to clone debit cards and make them accessible for them to use. The officer said the woman parked in the further parking area of the parking lot and was unable to obtain the tag information for the woman who made the purchase. I contacted CitiBank immediately and provided them with the case number that the officer provided me and then I let it rest for the week in hopes that today, Monday, XX/XX/2023, there would be a resolution. I contacted the bank today since I did not see the funds back in my account and was advised that my case had been closed and denied due to the debit card being in my possession at the time of the fraud. This is completely ridiculous when I have a police report of the fact that it was another woman who used a cloned card to make this fraudulent purchase. I have now had to dispute this case again today with an updated case number and now will have to wait up to 10 additional business days in hopes that these funds are returned to me. If these funds are not returned to my bank account, I have already obtained legal counsel and will move forward with litigation to rectify this situation. It is ridiculous that there is camera footage and a police report that states this was in fact not myself who made this purchase and proof that I was not even in XXXX Fl and the card was used in XXXX FL just earlier that day which is over 3 hours away from XXXX FL. I am completely distraught with how the bank is handling the situation and I will never recommend this bank to anybody. These funds need to be refunded back to me and legal repercussions should take place for the woman who fraudulently cloned my card and used it.I have provided police documentation and XXXX has agreed that will release the camera footage of the transaction made. How can this still be denied when the police report states the woman had a different hair color than myself? How can this still be denied when your records should show that MY debit card was used just earlier that day IN A DIFFERENT CITY that is HOURS away from this location?? The response I received was not clear as to what is going on and nobody is making the proper attempts to resolve this issue. I really do not want to pay the money for an attorney. I have spoken with my local news stations and will be completing an interview shortly because I am not the only one who has had this issue with CitiBank before!! That tells you that your 'fraud department ' is not doing their job. I will be emailing the CEO XXXX if I need to on top of the interview to get this message spread that I have been treated unfair and your company is using deceptive practices because NOBODY states they have contacted the local police department to obtain the CLEAR INFORMATION on the fact that I filed a police report and nobody has done any due diligence to handle this matter. I was in another city, I filed a police report, and I have complained time and time again. What other proof do you need?!?! PLEASE TELL ME WHAT PROOF YOU NEED SO THAT I CAN DO YOUR JOB AT INVESTIGATING THIS MATTER TO GET THIS RESOLVED. I NEED MY {$240.00} AND I NEED IT NOW!! THIS HAS BEEN A MONTH OF JUST STRESS AND EMOTIONAL STRESS. I will filing all of this into my civil complaint against CitiBank to make sure NOBODY goes through this like I am.

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