Consumer complaint received 2020-07-15
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Fees or interest
Sub-issue: Problem with fees

Complaint:
This is a formal request to file a complaint against Best Buy and the Debt Protection Services Program associated to the Best Buy Credit Card. 

After 9 years and 2 months of never missing a payment ( 110 months ), I decided to look at my statements in depth to see why my balance wasn't going down after never missing a payment and paying more than the minimum amount required. I trusted these companies and paid what they asked of me. According to my records, I should've finished paying this credit card a long time ago. 

As Im glancing through my statements, I noticed a fee being charged on a monthly basis. The fee is detailed by ENHDEBTPROT and seemed to vary depending on my account balance. Not knowing what this was, I called the phone number listed directly to right of the description XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke to a representative by the name of ***** and informed her that I had never opted into, consented, or purchased the program and was unknowingly paying for a service that I did not authorize or use. I asked the representative to immediately cancel the charges and requested a full refund. The representative stated, We are sorry that you want to cancel your debt protection. We will now cancel your service immediately and will request for you to receive a full refund of the charges. I asked the representative to please tell me how long I have been getting charged and what is the total amount that I have paid towards this debt protection? The representative then states, Unfortunately, I cant tell you how much youve paid or how long youve paid because our system only shows the last two charges. You will be receiving a letter from Best Buy or you will see the credit on your account within the next 30 days. 

Not only was I upset as this seemed extremely sketchy, it seemed even more strange that a company would not keep financial records of transactions involving their customers. The representative did her job as she was told and so I politely asked for a cancellation number and requested that the representative please confirm that I would receive a refund. She confirmed and I went on my way. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I contacted Best Buy Customer Service and spoke to ***** to request my entire billing history so that I could add up all of the charges they were going to refund me. Every single billing statement from XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX. Best Buy states that they no longer have access to my statements from XXXX through XXXX as they worked with XXXX XXXX and not Citibank. Although I could not add up all the charges, the total amount that was unknowingly charged to my account from the end of XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX, was a total of {$1400.00}. 

A few days later, I received an urgent message from Best Buy stating that I would not get a refund as this debt protection was purchased in XX/XX/XXXX and that the charges were valid. 

That morning after reading Best Buys denial letter of a refund, I felt deceived like never before. Shaken by the scam and misinformation given to me by everyone involved in the process from Best Buy, Citibank and the Debt protection company offering a refund. 

Frustrated with their refusal of a refund, I contacted Best Buy Customer Service and asked them for the contract showing that I had signed up for " Debt Protection ''. The Best Buy employee stated that Best Buy does not have the contract and mentioned I would have to contact Citi Bank in order to retrieve this document. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I reached Citi Bank at XXXX and spoke to **** on Team **** in the Customer Service Department. I requested a copy of the purchase agreement or contract for this debt protection and Citi Bank informed me that Citibank does not have possession of the documents I was requesting. 

How remarkable! Neither Best Buy, Citibank nor XXXX XXXX were able to prove the purchase of protection occurred. In addition, he mentioned that they no longer charge these fees to new customers as of XXXX years ago. Not only is the scam continuing for me but I am getting a different treatment than other customers. 

I wanted to find a peaceful solution but Best Buy, Citibank and XXXX XXXX XXXX are unable to prove or pay back the monetary lost this has caused. This is extremely unfair and from what I have seen on the Best Buy Support Website, the CFPB complaint database, and online forums, I am not the only one that has been scammed by this Debt Protection scheme. 

Thank you for your assistance. I only want what is fair and for this to never happen to anyone ever again. I want a full refund for the entire amount that I was charged as it is over 50 % of my current balance. Please put an end to this deceitful practice and hopefully save others from having to endure the pain and distress that I have felt.

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