Consumer complaint received 2022-02-24
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: PA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Impersonated attorney, law enforcement, or government official

Complaint:
Starting in XX/XX/XXXX. 

I was trying to find a way to deal with my credit card debt, that was about XXXX  at the time and was up to date at the amount I called to inquire. It was right before covid really hit, I could not see how I could keep it up. I signed up through XXXX, who identified himself as a financial advisor from XXXX XXXX ( He also used the name XXXX XXXX ). He was a convincing salesman. I could not find XXXX last name, the phone number he gave is XXXX. I have no emails directly from him. 

XXXX XXXX are the people who signed me up with XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX was not mentioned in either conversation. Neither are actual Legal group. They did not help me in my lawsuits and tried to collect more money than I owed Citibank directly. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX/ This link I recently found explains the tactic they used. 

XXXX  : XXXX XXXX set me up with XXXX XXXX XXXX as my debt consolidator. He told me XXXX was a legal group that knew how to talk credit card companies down to a lower settlement amount. The financial advisor claimed they could settle the debt for way less than I owed and I would not be paying those exorbitant interest fees. XXXX offered me a debt amount that reduced my total debt amount and assured me within a year and a half all of my debt would be settled and within two years my credit would be repaired. 

They came to my house and I signed paperwork and gave them a voided check to set up auto withdrawals managed by XXXX XXXX XXXX. There is no transaction information on XXXX XXXX groups website I had to contact XXXX XXXX XXXX and they sent me documentation of the transactions that revealed they did not resolve the credit card debt and used over XXXX  of my XXXX  for fees. XXXX XXXX XXXX manages other bogus debt consolidation scams. They are the ones to go after. XXXX XXXX XXXX is one of many. 

They advised me to not pay my credit cards and to send any correspondence I received by mail or email to an email they provided. I was told to block the numbers. They gave me the email XXXX to send anything received from the companies. ( I have all of these emails that I sent ). 

XXXX Sign in : XXXX Password : XXXX @ XXXX In XXXX Citibank contacted me that they were taking me to court. I called XXXX several times and they assured me they just are pressuring me so I pay them and dont take their offer. XXXX set me up with a local attorney, XXXX XXXX, to represent me in the case with Citibank ( the only paperwork I received from XXXX regarding this case was a handwritten court document that does not have his name on it ( see PDF ). 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX/ XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX of XXXX, PA XXXX After I received a message that the court found me responsible he had nothing more to say to me and no other documentation or receipt of our legal agreement. He told me to speak to XXXX XXXX XXXX. I asked them why they could not pay Citibank the XXXX they said they did not have enough in my account. I was told I only had XXXX in the account. Now they say I am in default of my payments to them. 

I tried to work with a few lawyers who said they could not help because of the contract I signed, only a government agency could help me sue them. 

I tried to work with Consumer Attorney XXXX XXXX but he reviewed the contract and when they had me sign a pile of papers to be able to work with the credit cards they had me sign a document that said I would not take them to court. 

I trusted XXXX XXXX XXXX, they assured me they were settling my credit card debt for less than I owed, within two years and my credit would not be affected. I paid them over my mortgage many months so that I would soon repair my debt. I am now in danger of losing my home, none of my credit card debt is paid off and I am being sued by citibank twice and XXXX  XXXX XXXX. I found a lawyer to arbitrate with the credit card companies and help me resolve the issue. 

Meanwhile XXXX is sending me emails and texts saying I owe them money, they tried to add XXXX to what I was paying them to pay citibank yet they had no intention of paying them. 

I paid XXXX per month for 23 months, of which XXXX waas used to pay for fees. My total paid is XXXX. According to their website under my account information it is said I have paid off XXXX worth of debt and I paid them XXXX. 

XXXX is what was used on fees. 

They charged me XXXX to resolve two debts that are not even completely paid off. They say they are in negotiations with other debtors.

The website is opaque and one is under the impression the money is being used, or was used, to pay off debt. There is no transaction history on the website, only what was drafted out of your bank account. I called XXXX XXXX XXXX and they sent via mail the account transactions. See PDF. 

In order to see a transaction history you are directed to XXXX XXXX XXXX, who are the company who deduct the money out of my bank account monthly. 



Cases I found online against XXXX XXXX XXXX. For the same thing. 

https : //www.consumerfinance.gov/XXXX  https : //www.consumerfinance.govXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 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