Consumer complaint received 2023-04-28
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: MN
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card

Complaint:
Macys Credit Card ALERT I was unable to use my card in XXXX 2023z every attempt the order was canceled. After 9 calls to Macys I was told what the issue was BUT it does not make sense and you will want to look into this one as I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and this could be BIG! Short version/contact for detailed summary. I was advised I had a returned payment on my card and therefore I could no longer use for online purchases. This was fake because my bank had no records of this returned payment. I asked Macys for documents and they refused. Eventually I got in touch with their XXXX XXXX department and they told me everything. A payment for {$200.00} was made to Macys on XXXX according to Macys they stated the payment was retuned but how did this happen when I have my bank details in my account ready to go? I was able to set-up bank account and name the account so I didnt have to enter the information everytime I made a payment. All prior payments went through so how did this one fail? And why doesnt my bank have record of this? According to the XXXX XXXX rep I spoke she said one digit was changed in my account number. I explained this is impossible because I dont enter the deposit information as it is saved under my account for easy online payments. She then told me that I was charged {$30.00} in XXXX for this false/fraudulent/phantom payment return. She also said it happened again in XXXX, and the same digit was changed in the exact same way from XXXX she said I was not charged for XXXX returned. It seems if I did another legitimate returned payment I would have been charged. She had no explanation as to how the digit was changed and confirmed that at the time of the call, my bank account information was correct. So who changed a digit in my bank account creating a false payment scenario that I would have never been notified of because it didnt go to my bank and when Macys sent an email I disregarded because I knew my payment details were verified and secured in the quick payment as all prior payments were completed successfully. And how was this digit changed back to my original account number when I never reverified my banking details YET after many phone calls, my payment went through without issue? Had they not blocked my card for online purchase I would have never known I was charged {$30.00} for this false issue. Furthermore, why cant anyone tell me how this occurred and if legit then why wasnt my account charged the {$3000.00} fee when this occurred a second time? The customer service reps refused to provide me information and hung up on me everytime I pressed my questions. This is why I got a hold of the XXXX XXXX department on my own. They explained what had occurred but had no explanation. So I would like to know, how maul y other Macys cards had their banking information changed, a false payment sent through to create a returned payment scenario and the got charged a {$30.00} return payment fee? My guess is MANY accounts were charged falsely due to the intricacies that occurred to make this happen would be impossible for a normal person to catch and if their card was blocked alerting them of this, they probably would not notice. If it were me on this case, Id request all returned payments in the month of XXXX that used their ( already verified and available for selection via a scroll down box to select to use as payment method ) banking credentials to make payment and payment was returned. I would also request these accounts should have had prior payments made from the verified banking account selecting from the options of payment method. I never re-entered my banking details and have been making timely payments this way since in the past without issue so what happened Macys? And how much did you make from these manufactured return payment fees and if you didnt do this then please explain how my account credentials were changed and then changed back allowing me to select my bank account and make a successful payment after this issue was realized and I received a refund of the fraudulent {$30.00} fee? And if Macys claims this was legit then how was me account changed the next month? The same digit changed and the same issue occurred of a returned payment yet NO {$30.00} fee issued on that fake transaction? Feels very fishy Macys! I understand this can be confusing for anyone outside of the financial industry but please check your statements and follow-up and just because they hang up on you after 28 minutes on hold, multiple times, dont give up! Someone kind will help you eventually.

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