Consumer complaint received 2022-06-03
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: GA
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 or about XX/XX/XXXX, I gave XXXX XXXX XXXX my credit card via a telephone number for a deposit to purchase glass and supplies to install shower doors in my house. The amount of the deposit was {$4900.00}, which was XXXX the cost of the job. I never authorized the company to make another charge on my card after that. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, around the time XXXX XXXX finished installing the doors and the total amount became due, XXXX XXXX charged my card an additional XXXX. I did not authorize them to charge my card because we had not yet done an inpsection, but nevertheless, the money was owed by me. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX charged my card a third time without any authorization from me in the amount of {$4900.00}. This was {$4900.00} over and above any agreed upon price for the shower doors. 

On or about XX/XX/XXXX, upon noticing the unauthorized additional charge in the amount of {$4900.00}, I immediately reached out to XXXX glass. I followed up with the company via email on XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, the owner of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) sent me an email stating, " I was able to find the charge. I will issue the credit today. '' On XX/XX/XXXX : XXXX XXXX sent me an email with a refund receipt attached. The refund receipt was for XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed that the credit had not been applied to my credit card account so I sent another email to the company. The owner responded, " looks like the credit I issued made our batch sales negative and iI eeded to force it through. I didn't realize I had to do that. I have reissued the credit. You will see it on your next statement. I am sorry for the confusion ... '' I waited for my next statement but the credit never appeared. The company then stopped returning my calls and emails. 

I filed a dispute with Citibank on or about XX/XX/XXXX. In response, Citi Cards issued a conditional credit in the amount of {$4900.00}. 

Citi Cards asked me to provide information supporting my claim. I provided all the written email exchanges I had with the company wherein the owner, XXXX XXXX, agreed that the charge was unauthorized and that he would refund my account. The merchant himself admitted in writing that the charge was unauthorized. 

Over the course of the next 2 years, Citi Cards has been allegedly investigating this matter. They have sent me at least 7 letters stating that they were contacting the merchant 's bank to resolve this. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, Citicard sent me a letter stating, " We have received the information you provided regarding your dispute. We attempted to resolve this dispute with the merchant or their bank. They are unwilling to issue credit. Our investigation remains closed. We now consider this investigation complete. '' Citicards also charged my card back the {$4900.00} on or about XX/XX/XXXX. 

I called Citicards dispute department on that same day to ask if they could reopen the case or if I had any recourse to recover the money stolen from me. They told me no. They said since I authorized them to use the card on XX/XX/XXXX, I am responsible for the unauthorized charge nearly a month later. 
I only authorized them to take a deposit over the phone XXXXne time. I certainly did not authorize another charge 10 days later for nothing. If this logic were sound, that would mean no one could ever give payment over the phone because if the merchant wrongfully used the card at a later date the consumer would be responsible. Even the merchant admitted in writing that the charge was unauthorized. 

I provided Citi card with all the supporting documents, dates, and information, including several emails from the merchant acknowledging the charge was unauthorized.

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