Consumer complaint received 2019-01-17
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: FL
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Account status incorrect

Complaint:
Friday, XX/XX/XXXX To : Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) RE : Home Depot/Citi Bank Account Ending # -- -- -- -- -- -- XXXX We have two ( 2 ) Home Depot Accounts which were paid off in XX/XX/XXXX, one ending in account # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in the amount of approximately {$24000.00} and the 2nd account ending # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX   for approximately {$4000.00}. 

I am disputing the recent credit actions on account ending # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
Prior to the XX/XX/XXXX payoff of both accounts, they were always been paid from a hardcopy invoice delivered by U.S Mail ( never from an emailed invoice ). 
We have never had a late payment with either account in more than twenty ( 20 ) years. Clearly the {$48.00} late payment is an anomaly caused by the improper delivery of the XX/XX/XXXX invoice. 

The first invoice after the payoff for account ending # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX was emailed on XX/XX/XXXX for a minimum payment of {$48.00}, which was apparently due on XX/XX/XXXX. 

No Invoice for this account was ever emailed prior to XX/XX/XXXX and no hard copy by U.S. Mail during the month of XX/XX/XXXX. 

I did not anticipate the XX/XX/XXXX invoice by email, because I had not ( knowingly ) requested nor authorized the email of monthly statements in lieu of a hard copy invoices from Home Depot. I received approximately ( 40 ) promotional emails from Home Depot during the month of XX/XX/XXXX alone. Therefore, I considered all of the Home Depot emails unsolicited spam and consequently did not read them. So, I was unaware of the XX/XX/XXXX emailed invoice. 

I have since learned, from a CitiBank representative, that when I logged onto the Home Depot website in XX/XX/XXXX in order to download monthly statements in compliance a request by the bank ( XXXX  ) funding the XX/XX/XXXX payoff of both Home Depot/CitiBank Accounts, I was, without my knowledge or permission, automatically opted into receiving all future Home Depot invoices via email. 

I was subsequently informed by a CitiBank representative that it was my obligation to opt out to avoid this change in invoice delivery. Clearly, by any standard, this is a deceitful business practice! 

We have never paid any of our bills from an email invoice ( from any vendor ), including all prior invoices for both Home Depot accounts, due to the high likelihood of fraud from hacking. So clearly, I did not knowingly agree to the email option in XX/XX/XXXX. 

During this time, we apparently received several phone calls from CitiBank regarding the {$48.00} late payment. However, the caller I.D . failed to identify Home Depot as the vendor, and I was unaware of the Home Depot/CitiBank association ( notwithstanding the nanoscale font on the back of the Home Depot Credit Card ). 
As far as I knew at that time, we had no business relationship with CitiBank, and these calls were also considered unsolicited spam. 
In summary, as of XX/XX/XXXX, both Home Depot accounts were paid in full to the tune of approximately {$28000.00}. If we had received the XX/XX/XXXX invoice of {$48.00} in hardcopy by U.S. Mail, as in all previous months, instead of by email, the invoice would have been paid on time. I can not pay an invoice I dont receive because it is improperly delivered. 

We have been excellent Home Depot/CitiBank customers for many years with a pristine payment history. Reporting us to the three ( 3 ) credit bureaus over this issue, caused by others, is profoundly unjust. This has caused me great harm and resulted in my credit score plummeting from a mid-score of XXXX  to XXXX! 

I did contact CitiBank in an attempt to resolve about this matter and received a less than encouraging response ( see attached CitiBank Letter ). 

I am simply requesting that CitiBank immediately remedy this egregious situation by contacting the three ( 3 ) Credit Bureaus, XXXX, XXXX, & XXXX  and having this erroneous thirty ( 30 ) day late payment expunged from my Credit File, so that my excellent credit record is restored. 

Thank you for your cooperation. 

Sincerely, 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