Consumer complaint received 2019-11-14
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: WV
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Credit monitoring or identity theft protection services
Sub-issue: Billing dispute for services

Complaint:
On or about XX/XX/XXXX I contacted Sears ( XXXX ) and was told to call CITI recovery ( XXXX XXXX ) in reference to sears account XXXX. I did as instructed. I contacted CITI and was told that Sears account had been written off. This was a shock to me. When I contacted XXXX, I was told that they had received correspondence from Sears stating that account had been written off, because Sears believed that amount owed could not be recovered. I stated that I did not understand, for I had just submitted my monthly payment. XXXX representative proceeded to state that after a through review of documents, she stated that there were no amounts reported due. Representative further stated that I did not owe, therefore I was free from future liabilities. In the mean time I have continued to receive numerous telephone calls ( XXXX ) stating to contact them in reference to Sears account. Estimated sixteen within twenty days. I received XX/XX/XXXX billing stating that there was a past due of {$390.00} plus a minimum payment due of {$620.00}. I find this totally absurd. They have yet to responded to my many letters disputing these outrageous past due. Why is Sears continuing to call me, when according to Sears this account had been written off and they never responded to my letters of disputes. I am totally confused and request your assistance in resolving. If it has been found that I had been informed incorrectly, I recommend that Sears reinvestigate the outrageous reported past dues and the minimum payment due. According to the original terms of contract my monthly payment was to have been {$200.00} due on the XXXX of each month. Since I have continued to be harassed. Based on this information and having been informed that account had been written off, I feel that the contract should be renegotiated with a lower minimum due. Also Sears should notify the credit bureaus and remove all past dues from reports. A letter dated XX/XX/XXXX from CITICORP stated that account was subsequently closed from this periodic review, there was no record of my conversation on XX/XX/XXXX and that the account has not been written off nor has it been purged, balance reflects {$7700.00} with minimum payment due of {$620.00}, of which {$390.00} is past due. I strongly dispute minimum payment due, {$390.00} past due. On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent CITI, XXXX XXXX, Office disputing the outrageous amount past due of {$360.00} and a late fee assessed at {$37.00}. I found company 's actions shocking. Minimum payment due was {$200.00}, which had been paid on time. According to terms of contract payments due is {$200.00}. Nothing ever received stating that minimum payment had drastically increased. my letter of XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX, I called Sears ( XXXX ) XXXX and was instructed to call ( XXXX ) XXXX Ci Ti 's recovery . I was told that referenced account had been written off and to call XXXX XXXX  ( XXXX ) for further details. XXXX XXXX representative informed me that account had been purged. She proceeded to state that Sears ' Attorneys had submitted a letter stating that referenced account had been written off. Upon receiving this information, XX/XX/XXXX payment was canceled. I had requested a copy of this letter. XXXX was unable to honor my request at that time. From the date of this letter I continued to receive numerous telephone calls from ( XXXX ) XXXX Based on non receipt of XX/XX/XXXX billing, it had been confirmed that account had been in fact written off and to contact the Client focus Team ( XXXX ) to discuss payment options. I had become confused and felt as though I had been given the runaround. Every attempt had been made to Sears in order to resolve expeditiously. Since Sears or their affiliates had failed to respond, I sent letters to my Attorney. All previous correspondence had been sent to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, SD XXXX. Attorney had not received, an responses on any write offs. Sears informed me that referenced account had been written off and that I owed nothing now they are saying account is not written off and that payments are due. Wanting to resolve expeditiously and remove derogatory comments from credit reports, On XX/XX/XXXX I submitted a negotiated settlement offer to my Attorney for his review and comments. On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I asked my Attorney if he was able to reach a settlement with Sears. I submitted a letter to Sears/CBNA informing them that as of XX/XX/XXXX credit report continues to shows referenced account as a Failed to Pay, resulting in a negative impact on my credit files. I find your assessment shocking and appalling On XX/XX/XXXX a letter was sent to CITI Vice President disputing sudden increase to minimum payment due, assessing of late charges and non receipt of XX/XX/XXXX payment. I stated that XX/XX/XXXX payment had been processed late due to system failure. On or about XX/XX/XXXX, CITI Recovery informed me that referenced account had been written off, even though I had continued to make payments and Sears insisted on charging me late fees. CITI Recovery stated that account had been written off and no further payments were needed. Based on this information, XXXX payment was not made. XX/XX/XXXX letter was sent to my Attorney, requesting assistance on resolving Sears Account and I believed that I was being given the run around. My Attorney instructed me to contact XXXX to obtain written documentation that account had been written off and that I was no longer liable. I was told by CITI XXXX that they had received correspondence from Sears stating that account had been written off. XXXX stated that after a through review of documents, that there were no amounts reported due and that I did not owe, thus free from future liabilities. No monthly billing was received during this period. Sears and Associates had yet to responded to my letters disputing these outrageous past dues, and my proposed settlement offer. As of the date of this complaint, no responses to proposed offer/or any counter offers had been received. XXXX XXXX representative informed me that account had been purged that Sears ' Attorneys had submitted a letter stating that referenced account had been written off. Sears stopped sending billing statements. Last billing statement received was for XXXX XXXX, which was paid, but I continued to dispute late charges. XX/XX/XXXX was the last letter received from Sears, but did not address my dispute of amount due, reported past dues, and late charges. XX/XX/XXXX letter to My Attorney I asked if he was able to reach a favorable settlement with Sears. My Attorney requested that XXXX I provide documentations stating that Sears account had been written off and that I owed nothing. XXXX stated that they were unable to provide these write-off documents and insisted that their records show that account had been written off and I was no longer liable. On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I received from the XXXX District of New York a copy of notices confirming that Sears had file for chapter XXXX bankruptcy. According to this bankruptcy notice, I was informed that there was no action required on my part. Case No. XXXX ( XXXX ) Adversary Proceeding Case No. XXXX ( XXXX ). This case notice was sent to my Attorney. Due Sears non responses to my letters, proposed settlement offer of XX/XX/XXXX, my Attorney 's letter, and the Bankruptcy notice, it is requested that I be exonerated of any and all obligations from Sears. The reason for this request for exoneration includes but not limited to Derogatory comments found on credit files, one department claimed account had been written off, department stated that that I was no longer liable for balance owed on referenced account. Another Department stated that I was now liable for balance owed, and that account was not written off nor purged. Sears never provided an explanation on why account continues to be reported past due even after being written off. Sears or Affiliates never responded to settlement offer in accordance with Federal guidelines in a timely manner according to Federal rules and regulation guidelines. Sears/Affiliates miscommunications continues to have a negative impact on credit scores and I am being depicted as uncreditworthy. I am unable to achieve my financial goals and objectives. I am having to suffer the consequences resulting being denied credit card promotions, personal loans and a consolidation loan.

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