Consumer complaint received 2022-06-02
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NJ
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX around XXXX XXXX EST my husband lost signal on his phone ( we have XXXX as provider ). He was at work, so he waited until he finished work to go to meet his friend so he could call me. When he called me, he asked if I could check our Citibank account as he needed to withdraw cash. When I logged in, there was something happening, but i could not understand what. It was also hard for me to concentrate on this cause this same day XXXX invaded XXXX, and I am XXXX, and my parents still lived there, so I had to shift my focus to that situation. However, later at night, I realized that our money was gone. I immediately called Citibank to report the fraud. What happened was someone transferred to us {$14000.00} from XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, and then wired out from our account {$14000.00}, {$14000.00}, and {$1800.00}. We then went to Citibank branch in XXXX, NJ where we were instructed to file 3 affidavits of unauthorized transfers for each transaction even though we personally only lost total of {$15000.00}. After almost 60 days of review our case was denied because supposedly we failed to protect our identity. We filed appeal twice, and both times it was denied. When i ask them what type of investigation was done, and what other evidence I can provide to the bank, we get push back and they say that it was our fault that this happened. I see from the XXXX detailed billed from that day that there were 5 phone calls made to Citibank from my husband 's phone, but he never called the bank since he did not have service. 

We also contacted XXXX and we were able to learn that on XX/XX/XXXX there was unauthorized sim card swap done for my husband 's phone. We learned that it was done in store and that his identity was verified using driver 's license ( of note, he does not have one since he does not drive ). We are not able to find out how and where this swap happened since XXXXe fraud department can not contact us, and can not do anything about it, it can only prevent this from happening in the future ( which does not help us ). 

So I do not understand how bank can claim that we failed to protect out information if they allowed a thief to verify my husband 's personal information, and also I am absolutely mortified by the fact that someone can easily walk into the XXXX store, and fake someone's ID with sim card swapping. I believed that banks were created so they protect our finances and insure them in case there is a fraud. If it is not a case, then why do they even exist. 

Please let us know what should be out next steps and what can be done to dispute those charges. We have a police report filed as well. My husband and I are both immigrants, and we work extremely hard to safe this money, and now they are all gone. Please help us! Thank you so much for your time and for considering our case!

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