Consumer complaint received 2019-06-27
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
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:
RE : Citibank on XX/XX/XXXX for {$5200.00} ; Advanced Training Course I have tried to resolve this credit transaction with the appropriate credit card company. My attempts to get the matter directed to the appropriate Customer Service or Legal Affairs Department have been ignored. I have supplied all appropriate documentation showing that XXXX XXXX was a Fraudulent XXXX XXXX Scam. To date the credit card company has not communicated with me other than a canned response letter referring me back to the collection agency. Nor will they send my request to a higher department dealing with Fraudulent Merchant transactions. 

The information below is a full and complete summary of the entire XXXX XXXX Scam of which the above complaint deals with only one of the six individual transactions which comprise the entire sum of XXXX XXXX purchases. 

FTC CASE : XXXX I was introduced to XXXX XXXX   and their XXXX marketing  and coaching program, when I attended a free introductory seminar at the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. As a result of attending their introductory seminar, the following training courses and lifetime coaching was purchased as detailed below. 

The Advanced Training Course charged at the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. 

Citibank on XX/XX/XXXX for {$5200.00}. 

During the ensuing months of XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX, the training diminished significantly and their business coaching program was non-existent. Rather than a training program on how to establish, operate, or improve my business model commensurate of a business coaching program ; it instead morphed into a sales pitch for purchasing additional XXXX XXXX products, and services. Whenever they were requested to provide a syllabus or an outline of the next lesson plan, they were unable to give me one. 

This made me question their viability and business ethics. Upon researching my concerns regarding XXXX XXXX, I discovered the credit card companies considered XXXX XXXX, XXXX to be a high-risk merchant and conversely withheld approximately 30 % of my payments in reserve in case of fraud. It was then I discovered the FTC filed legal action against XXXX XXXX, XXXX and communication between XXXX XXXX, XXXX became non-existent. Upon reading FTC legal documents which state that the parties involved were required to turn over the names of all customers so the FTC or its agents could notify them. This included all customers using merchant service accounts. I never received notification of any type. 
In attempting to recover funds paid to XXXX XXXX, XXXX for lifetime coaching and training, I contacted all the above financial institutions via registered mail and have supplied them with information regarding the fraud, FTC legal actions, and court documents, but to date there are no reversal or chargebacks of any fraudulent charges. In fact, these financial institutions do not want to communicate with me as a victim of fraud. Some have referred my accounts to collection agencies which can not clear my credit file nor reverse these charges as they claim only the primary financial institutions can reverse charges or correct credit file information detailing fraud.

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