Consumer complaint received 2022-01-02
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: FL
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Add-on products and services

Complaint:
The credit card is for Macy 's and issued by Citibank/ XXXX. 
On XX/XX/XXXX Macy 's issued a letter stating it was a " reminder that you are enrolled in optional Credit Protection for your Macy 's card account, which may be able to help you through difficult times ... '' I never heard of this product before receiving this letter, so I checked my credit card statement for that month, and found there was a {$17.00} fee that month that was charged on my account and described as a " credit protection ''. It also indicated that total fees year to date was {$22.00}. 
I called Macy 's customer service, because the identity of the issuer of this letter was not clear. It detailed the sender as : " Customer Care Center '' Credit Protection, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX. 
I informed the representative who took my call that I never authorized Macy 's to charge my account for this additional fee, that I never heard of this " service '' and asked it will be removed immediately from my account. The representative said the service will be cancelled and that I will not have to take any additional actions in regarding to this issue. 
I paid my balance in full, leaving the disputed amount of {$22.00} unpaid. 
Macy 's did not remove this fee and started collecting interest and late fees for a fee that I never authorized to charge. Macy 's issued a letter on XX/XX/XXXX, that they will not refund this fee, since my account was " protected '' under this service, claiming allegedly I opted in this service since XX/XX/XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX, I called their customer service again, and asked to speak with a supervisor. I spoke with a representative who identified herself as " XXXX ''. Since XXXX said that Macys will not refund the fee, I asked to escalate my complaint. 
I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, that my inquiry is under review. Again the fee was not deleted from my account and I received no proper respond to answer my complaint that this fee was charged without my consent or knowledge. 
After I was notified that I am being charged since XXXX without my consent I research the issue and found I was one of many suffering the same issue and the same " customer service '', but I was astound to learn that this specific issue was already addressed by CFPB and that a consent order was issued in XX/XX/XXXX which determine Citibank/XXXX XXXX  practices were deceptive and in violation of CFPA. 
Although this order forced Citibank to reimburse all the fees they illegally charged Macy 's customers, I never receive any notice that I was charged or reimburse for this service, and to date I never even receive any disclosure about the service and its terms, until I was " reminded '' about this service 10 years after it was forced on my account without my knowledge or consent. 
Not only Citibank did not follow the order to amend their practices, they kept charging these fees and even when I finally notice ( thanks for their " reminder letter '' ) they refuse to credit me back for the fees that were determined by CFPB to be abusive and deceptive. 
The customer service is only a sham, and the letters are automatically issued to the customer, but no one address the issue and during the time they pretend to " review '' the dispute, they charge interest and late fee that are higher then their initial illegal fee. 
And the " best '' in their abuse practice, is that refusing to pay will hurt the customer 's credit. This is bullying against customer to pay fees they are not entitled to collect, by intimidate them that not-paying it will result in a stain on their credit report.

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