Consumer complaint received 2022-01-12
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: IL
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:
I made a booking with XXXX XXXX  for a trip to XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX ( XXXX XXXX booking number XXXX ) in the amount of {$4900.00} USD, using my Citi/AAdvantage Gold-XXXX card. On the same date, I purchased a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX plan ( XXXX Plan # XXXX ) for the trip. 

The trip was scheduled to depart on XX/XX/XXXX and on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a notice that the trip was cancelled ( email attached ). In that email, XXXX XXXX rescheduled my trip for XX/XX/XXXX. 

However, on XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email ( attached ) from XXXX, a XXXX XXXX firm, which stated that XXXX XXXX was being placed into administration ( bankruptcy ) and that all future trips were cancelled. When the notice that XXXX XXXX was being placed into administration arrived, I contacted Citibank as instructed by XXXX, the administration ( bankruptcy ) firm. I was told to submit a request for a chargeback, which I did via email. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a decision letter ( attached ) stating that the original charge remains valid because XXXX XXXX had offered credit toward a future trip. However, the attached documentation clearly states that all trips have been cancelled and no payments will be honored because XXXX XXXX is in administration ( bankruptcy ). I then appealed the chargeback decision and received another denial on XX/XX/XXXX. The reason given by Citibank for the second denial was that the dispute had been submitted more than 60 days after the original date of purchase ( letter attached ). 

While the original charge was made in XX/XX/XXXX, in XX/XX/XXXX the trip was rescheduled for XX/XX/XXXX by XXXX XXXX, a circumstance that was not in my control. I had no indication within 60 days of paying for the trip that a ) the trip would be rescheduled, or b ) that ultimately, the rescheduled trip would be cancelled. In fact fact, I was issued a refund credit note in XX/XX/XXXX that stated I would receive a full refund from XXXX, a third-party guarantor, through an insurance policy ( XXXX XXXX XXXX purchased by XXXX XXXX  if XXXX XXXX did cancel the rescheduled XX/XX/XXXX trip. Therefore, I had no reason to request a chargeback until XX/XX/XXXX when I received notice that XXXX XXXX had entered administration ( bankruptcy ) and no trips or refunds would be honored. 

I have gone back to XXXX XXXX  XXXX, and XXXX, and was instructed by all parties request a chargeback under XXXX  chargeback code XXXX Merchandise services not received and that no future credits issued by XXXX XXXX will be honored. I have submitted the dispute now four times, on the advice of XXXX. However, Citibank has informed me all four times that my chargeback request has been denied because they are unable to recover funds from XXXX XXXX, and has stated that the last letter was their final decision. 

Thank you for reopening this case and for your review. If you have any questions or need additional supporting documentation, please feel free to call me at XXXX

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