Consumer complaint received 2022-03-31
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: NY
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
I am a joint owner of a Citibank checking account, which I have had and operated without incident for more than six years. This message is to seek the CFPBs assistance as I have not been able to resolve a complaint made to Citibank on XX/XX/2022 about unauthorized ATM withdrawals on my account on my own. My efforts have included phone calls, an email, a USPS certified letter, and submission of supporting documentation. Citibank denied my initial claim and has not been responsive to my dispute of their denial basis and they have not provided me with copies of information used in their investigations despite repeated requests made both verbally and in writing. My request is for Citibank to re-investigate the withdrawals and to reimburse me as I believe I am entitled to protection from these fraudulent charges under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act and to provide me with copies of information used in their investigations ( which I have asked for three times already and which they informed me that I am entitled by law to obtain ). 

Here are the details of the unauthorized transactions : Transaction Date Amount XX/XX/2022 {$20.00} XX/XX/2022 {$60.00} XX/XX/2022 {$100.00} Here is a summary of my effort to resolve the complaint with Citibank directly : 1. I first became aware of these transactions on Friday, XX/XX/2022 when I was unable to complete a POS transaction at a XXXX XXXX store because of insufficient funds availability. I reviewed the transactions on my Citibanking app and immediately reported them to the Citibanking call center and my ATM banking card was canceled and a new one issued. 

2. During this call, I requested that Citibank investigate the transactions as ATM electronic fraud and I provided the Citibank representative with all of the requested information to support my claim, including assertion that I did not make, was not present at and did not authorize the transactions in question and that use of a card with my PIN would have to mean that my credentials had been stolen as some unknown point - in response, Citibank opened a dispute reference XXXX, but I was advised in a response dated XX/XX/2022 that the claims were denied on the basis that : - I informed them that my card had not been out of my possession - My Citibank Banking Card and PIN were required to perform the withdrawals- The activity appeared to be consistent with my normal banking practice I disputed the basis of the denials to a Citibanking call center representative on XX/XX/2022 and requested an additional review of the claims. During the conversation, I confirmed to the representative that the physical Citibanking ATM card issued to me was with me at my home at the time the transactions were logged ( approximately five miles from the identified ATM according to XXXX maps ), where I had been working because of the pandemic and I had evidence of work-related communication occurring at the same time the withdrawals occurred proving my location. I disputed that the card used at the ATM was the physical card issued to me by Citibank and I also repeated to the representative that I have never knowingly shared my Citibanking card PIN with anyone and reiterated that the use of a card purported to be mine along with my PIN had been fraudulent. I requested that the transactions be re-investigated as ATM frauds, including review of cameras. I additionally disputed the indication that the activity was consistent with my normal banking activities and told the representative that while I frequently used my Citibanking ATM card with PIN for debit purchases, I had never withdrawn cash at any ATM in rapid-succession ( within a minute ) increasing-in-value amounts, which the investigators could easily confirm by reviewing my account transaction history. I further advised the representative that I had never used the ATM in question, nor had I ever been in the store where the ATM is located, which by XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, appears to be a XXXX. 

3. A new dispute was raised on XX/XX/2022 - dispute reference XXXX, but I was advised by Citibank in a response dated XX/XX/2022 that the position to deny my claims was maintained. I again spoke to a Citibank representative on XX/XX/2022 regarding this claim and requested that it be reopened and that the bank provide me with copies of information used in the investigations. I did not receive a response from Citbank on these additional requests within 10 days and I called the service center again on XX/XX/2022. During the XX/XX/2022 call, the call center representative advised that the XX/XX/2022 request for additional investigation was closed on XX/XX/2022 ( within one day ) and reimbursement was again denied. The call center representative provided no additional reasons for the denial, had no information on why I had not been notified of the investigation outcome, and had no information on the status of my request for copies of the information used in the investigations. I will add here that I have never seen this denial in writing from Citibank. A supervisor subsequently recommended that I send requests for investigation/refund and copies of information used in the investigations by email to XXXX and gave assurance that I would receive a response in 24 - 48 hours. I sent the email on XX/XX/2022, but as I write, I have yet to receive a response or acknowledgement. 

4. On XX/XX/2022, I sent a written letter to Citibank at the XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX, TX XXXX address given to me by a Citibank Customer Service Representative setting all of this out and again requesting that Citibank re-investigate the withdrawals and reimburse me as I believe I am entitled to protection from these fraudulent charges under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act. In the letter, I also asked ( for the third time ) that Citibank provide me with copies of the information used in their investigations. To further support my claim, I provided Citibank with a copy of the Information Slip for Complaint # XXXX made to XXXX  XXXX Precinct on XX/XX/2022 and a copy of transaction history extract showing the pattern of cash withdrawals from my account for the past 18 months to counter their claim that the pattern of the unauthorized withdrawals were consistent with my normal banking practice. I have a receipt from USPS verifying that the letter was delivered on XX/XX/2022, but as I write nineteen days later, I have still not received a response or any other acknowledgement from Citibank.

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 monetary relief